Birding by Ear returns to Aldo Leopold Nature Center in Monona on Saturday, May 2 from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.!
The Council is teaming up once again with the Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance (SWBA) and Aldo Leopold Nature Center to offer this unique opportunity to learn to identify birds through close listening rather than by their colors and shapes.
The event will begin in the classroom to focus on techniques and context for learning to bird by ear. The classroom portion will be available for both in-person and virtual attendees. In-person participants will then head outside to the accessible trails of Aldo Leopold Nature Center to put what they’ve learned into practice. Virtual participants will practice by listening to audio clips of different choruses and songs. Birding by ear is open to people of all physical abilities, ages and levels of birding experience.
Registration is open now! You can sign up on the SWBA website at SWIBirds.org/All-Events/2026/5/2/Birding-By-Ear. The class costs $25, and scholarships are available for those unable to pay the fee. The enrollment cap for Birding by Ear is 25 people, not including sighted guides, and the spots fill up fast, so don’t wait too long to register!
If you are unable to attend Birding by Ear on May 2, there are other birding events available both in Dane County and across the state. And if you’re interested in leading your own birding by ear expeditions, the Council and SWBA are hosting another class, Learn to Lead Birding by Ear Field Trips, on Saturday, April 18 at Aldo Leopold Nature Center. Instead of covering bird sounds, the focus of this class will be on how to lead field trips that are more accessible to people with vision loss. Participation is limited to 15 people, and you can learn more at SWIBirds.org/All-Events/2026/4/18/Learn-To-Lead-BBE.
Another birding opportunity is coming on May 3 and 4, when Birdability will host their annual Blind Birder Bird-a-Thon to encourage people of all abilities who are blind and low vision to get outdoors to celebrate the sounds and songs of nature. This event happens worldwide, and you can participate from any location, whether that be a park or nature preserve or even your backyard. You can learn more on the Birdability website.
Birding by Ear is a great opportunity for people of all ages to learn more about the natural world around them. Learning throughout your entire lifetime has shown to keep your brain sharp and even potentially delay the effects of aging on the brain. When it comes to brains, we really do have to “use it or lose it.” Studies show that older adults who regularly engage in learning perform similarly to adults 30 years younger on cognitive tests. Birding by Ear is one way you can continue a life of learning while meeting new people and staying socially active.