Use the Bird Academy to help you expand your understanding of birds, and learn more about Sandhill Cranes and a wealth of birds throughout North America and around the world.

If you’re interested in expanding your birding horizons, Cornell’s Bird Academy permits us all to learn more about birds. You can enjoy viewing a wealth of informational videos, watch video seminars, and take internet courses that will help you expand your understanding of the birds around you. The short videos and hour-long seminars are easy to view, and the more formal courses are available interested in taking focused classes. There is also a great Play Lab for young people interested in bird-oriented video games that are designed for different age groups. In short, there is something for everyone interested in birds to enjoy!

Videos – The expansive collection of short Bird Academy videos number 176 in all, including the following topics with the numbers of videos for each topic: anatomy (11), behavior (64), bird ID (8), conservation (23), evolution (16), feathers (28), food and foraging (25), habitat (10), migration (9), nesting (21), songs and calls (29). The videos vary in length from less than 2 minutes to 25 minutes, although most take less than 5 minutes to watch. The variety of the birds filmed is most impressive, and you can hear from several ornithologists about field work and their personal journeys. You can browse and view the variety of Bird Academy videos at https://academy.allaboutbirds.org/media-library/

Lectures – A treasure of longer seminars that average about an hour in length, some a bit longer, provides more in-depth information about a variety of subjects including bird biology, behavior, nesting, migration, conservation, and more. These Bird Academy seminars provide a wealth of information, and you can watch them anytime at https://academy.allaboutbirds.org/live-events/

Courses – The more extensive, more in-depth, professionally developed Bird Academy courses include a variety of instruction under the headings of Bird Identification, Bird Biology, Art and Technical Skills, including such interesting classes as How to Identify Bird Songs, Understanding Bird Behavior, and the new Joy of Birdwatching class. Some courses are free, others require a payment that varies from 30 to 125 dollars, which is reasonable, or in some cases economical, for a class of the quality of these. For a full list and descriptions of Bird Academy courses available, see https://academy.allaboutbirds.org/course-list/

Play Lab – Youth oriented games “powered by birds,” mostly prepared for teenagers, although some are fashioned for children aged 6 and older. Game topics are fun and help you learn about bird flight, songs, feathers, dance, and much more at https://academy.allaboutbirds.org/learning-games/

For an introduction to the Cornell of Lab of Ornithology’s impressive and enjoyable Bird Academy, visit https://academy.allaboutbirds.org/

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