Description:
Most birders focus on learning to identify birds by what they look like. But many birds are more often heard than seen! Learning bird songs and calls will make you a better birder and enrich your birding experience. Jessica Griffiths will provide some basic "auditory field marks", then review some helpful tips, tricks and mnemonic devices for identifying birds by sound, as well as reviewing songs and calls of the most common birds in this area.
This is a special MCAS Community Program being offered in celebration of Birdability’s Blind Birder Bird-a-thon 2026, May 3-4. More details can be found on the Birdability website: https://www.birdability.org/blind-birdathon.
Bio:
Jessica Griffiths has worked as a wildlife biologist for 25 years, with a focus on birds and monarch butterflies. She moved to San Luis Obispo in 2010 and earned her Masters in Biology at Cal Poly University. She now works as a wildlife biologist for Colorado State University's Center for Environmental Management of Military Lands (CEMML) at Vandenberg Space Force Base. Every year she leads several birding field trips around SLO County for Morro Coast Audubon Society focused on helping people learn bird vocalizations.
