Young Birders Alert: The Cornell Lab will be hosting the annual Young Birders Event this June 25 thru 28th in Ithaca, New York. If you are a high school student interested in pursuing a career that connects with birds, this event is for you, and the application deadline is March 8th. This 4-day event is held at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, which is staffed by a variety of professionals who all work with birds in different ways: As bird biologists, ecologists, artists, communicators, educators, audio specialists, computer scientists, app designers, and more.
Lab staff will provide information about their personal work and help young birders think about how their own interests in birds could apply to a future career. The Young Birder's Event will feature:
- 3 days of instructor-led field trips in the Finger Lakes region
- Insights from Cornell Lab staff about ways that birds can be part of a career
- A hands-on bird sound recording and editing workshop with Macaulay Library staff
- Tours of the Cornell Lab building and grounds
- A discussion about applying to universities and choosing majors
All high school-aged birders from anywhere in the world are invited to apply, but students must be at least 14 years old and about to enter grades 10, 11, or 12 at the time of the event (June). You only need to be a student with a passion for birds who wants to learn about careers in ornithology. If the tuition or cost of travel to Itaca is a barrier to attending the event, scholarships and financial aid are available. For more information, you can refer to The Cornell Lab Young Birders Event 2026 - eBird. And you can learn about last year's event from the young birders who attended at 2025 YBE Recap