Birds are amazing creatures! They play vital ecological roles in our world; they’re seed dispersers, flower pollinators, pest predators, and so much more. But many of them need our help; habitat loss and urban expansion have put significant strains on wild populations and have contributed to the death of more than one billion birds from window collisions each year in the U.S., alone. Luckily, these collisions are incredibly preventable!
To this end, Palo Alto City Library is excited to participate in Flight Path, the first campaign in STAR Library Network’s new Spark of Science@ My Library initiative. Along with our friends at Palo Alto Junior Museum and Zoo, we’ll be spending the month of April getting to know more about the birds in our area and how to help protect them.
About Flight Path
Flight Path focuses on the science of birds and bird migration. Inspired by HHMI Tangled Bank Studios’ award-winning series Wild Hope, which features two films that shine a light on efforts to protect birds from window strikes and prevent them from getting confused by city lights when they migrate, the grant was designed to tap into the popularity of bird watching and provide local communities with fun educational events to help promote bird safety.
How to Participate
Throughout the month of April, Palo Alto City Library will continue to support our local and migratory birds with fun activities for the whole family, including:
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Flight Path: A Monthlong Celebration of Birds
- Mitchell Park Library
- Sunday, March 29, 2026, 3:00 – 4:00 p.m.
- Our monthlong celebration begins with a special focus on migration and bird safety. Craft window clings to keep our flying friends safe from bird strike while watching Building for Birds and Puffling Patrol, two short episodes from Tangled Bank Studio's award-winning Wild Hope series that shine a light on efforts to protect birds from window strikes and prevent them from getting confused by city lights when they migrate. We'll also introduce the concept of bird journaling and help identify specific birds to look for in our area.
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Birds in Your Backyard
- Children’s Library
- Wednesday, April 8, 2026, 3:30 – 4:30 p.m.
- Children's Library is looking for birds! Join us in the Secret Garden to make birdseed ornaments for our trees (and for yours) as we learn how to attract feathered friends to our backyard spaces. We will also be christening our recently refurbished birdbath! Originally designed almost nineteen years ago by Susan Dannenfelser and Kirk Beck, the two artists returned last year to help us restore this beloved piece as part of our renovations at Children's Library.
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Palo Alto Earth Day Festival
- Palo Alto Art Center
- Sunday, April 19, 2026, 1:00 – 4:00 p.m.
- Save the date for an afternoon of celebrating sustainability and learning how you can help the planet. Find our library’s table at the event, where you can pick up more information about local birds. We’ll be offering a bird-themed storytime as well!
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Basic Birdwatching
- College Terrace Library
- Wednesday, April 22, 2026, 3:30 – 4:30 p.m.
- Celebrate Earth Day outdoors at College Terrace, where we will provide some basic birdwatching tips while making birdseed ornaments for our feathered friends! This family-friendly program is suitable for all ages.
Where to Find Birds
- Palo Alto Junior Museum and Zoo is home to ducks,
- macaws, ibises, and many other unique birds that you can visit up close. As an added bonus, regularly scheduled interactive encounters allow you to participate in a flamingo feeding or meet Sequoia the Bald Eagle.
- Palo Alto Baylands Nature Preserve
- Check out a Park Pass from our library for free admission to Foothills Nature Preserve, Santa Clara County Parks, or California State Parks!
- Birding in California - Birding Hotspots: Discover other prime locations to go birding in California by browsing tips, descriptions, maps, and images for many eBird hotspots.
Learn More About Birds and Birdwatching
Cornell Lab’s Merlin Bird ID app helps you identify birds by their appearance or sounds, log your sightings, and learn more about avian species in your area. Merlin is powered by eBird, allowing you to save your data and build custom lists of the birds you’re likely to spot wherever you are.
Local Organizations
- Golden Gate Bird Alliance
- Santa Clara Valley Bird Alliance (our local Audubon chapter)
- San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory
- Stanford Birdwatching Club
National Organizations
- All About Birds (Cornell Lab of Ornithology)
- American Birding Association
- National Audubon Society
- Audubon Kids
- Scistarter's 2.50 Million Acts of Science: participate in nature activities such as BioBlitzes, bird counts, or native plant gardening.
- Smithsonian National Zoo & Conservation Institute's Migratory Bird Center
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