Maine Audubon staff and volunteers are happy to bring our expertise and experience to your company, organization, or meeting, for audiences of all sizes. We generally ask for $100 to cover staff time and travel.
Please contact Nick Lund at nlund@maineaudubon.org to schedule.
Maine Audubon
Maine Audubon and the Birds of Maine
Maine Audubon traces its roots to 1843, and continues today to be a leader in wildlife education, conservation, and advocacy. Learn about our work, and about the birds (and other wildlife) we work to protect. This presentation includes information about the 5 most and least common bird species in Maine, as well as introductory information about bird feeding. It includes a FREE Maine Audubon-branded bird feeder and seed.
Birds and Birding
State of the Birds
Bird populations in Maine are constantly changing. A total of 445 species have been recorded in Maine. Some have been here for a long time while others are fairly new. Some are accidental and others introduced. A few of those species have been extirpated and we may never see them again. Doug Hitchcox will explain some of the major changes and fluctuations occurring with Maine avian fauna.
Backyard Birding Basics
Your backyard provides a window into the natural world and there are a number of steps you can take to make it wildlife-friendly. Join Maine Audubon’s Staff Naturalist Doug Hitchcox for a program to learn best practices for attracting and supporting birds in your yard throughout the winter. We’ll answer questions like: Does feeding birds change their migration habits? Will they starve if you stop feeding them? Why are native plants so important for birds’ survival?
Basics of Birding Behavior
When we go birding we often only get to see an individual bird for a few seconds. This program by Maine Audubon’s Staff Naturalist Doug Hitchcox will help you understand what a bird may be doing during that short window into its life. We’ll cover topics like bird song (including from females), roosting and where birds sleep, the marvelous feats of migration, and many other surprising behaviors by our feathered friends.
Winter Survival for Maine Wildlife (Winter Ecology)
Did you ever wonder what happens to Maine’s wildlife in winter? Doug Hitchcox, staff naturalist for Maine Audubon, will explain the mystery of wildlife winter survival mechanisms and share some compelling stories.
Birding in a Digital Age
Increasingly in the 21st century, naturalists are turning to the Internet and especially their smart phones as resources for identifying or documenting what they are finding. Join Maine Audubon’s Staff Naturalist Doug Hitchcox for a hands-on look at these tools and how to easily use them. Topics will include community science projects like eBird and iNaturalist, which are becoming increasingly useful and essential for researchers while giving their users access to list-keeping tools and up-to-the-minute reports. We’ll also look at the latest apps for your phones and see which ones are worth downloading for you.
Attu: The Holy Grail of North American Birding
Attu in the Aleutian Islands, the westernmost point in the United States located 1500 miles from mainland Alaska, is known worldwide as a birding mecca. It featured prominently in the hit movie “The Big Year,” and it was the target destination for an intrepid group of five Maine birders in the spring of 2012. Doug Hitchcox, Maine Audubon’s staff naturalist, will present a travelogue of photos and stories that document his amazing birding adventure into the Eastern Hemisphere, highlighted by rare species, colonies of over two million birds, song sparrows the size of robins, enduring 20-foot (and higher!) seas en route, and a bird that only recently rebounded from the edge of extinction.
Birding on Monhegan Island
Monhegan Island is located 10 miles offshore of midcoast Maine and is known among New England birders as one of the best birding destinations during the spring and fall migrations. From songbird fallouts with hundreds of warblers underfoot to “mega rarities,” Maine Audubon’s Staff Naturalist Doug Hitchcox will share the history of this remote island and explain why you should plan a visit to see the spectacles it has to offer.
A Big Year in Maine
In one calendar year how many species of birds can you find in Maine? Ready, set, go! Doug Hitchcox will discuss from his personal experience why everyone would benefit from doing a big year in Maine but no one ever should.
Migration: Preparation, Rumination, and Desperation
Spring migration is the most exciting time for Maine birders. Temperatures are warming, and billions of birds are winging their way north. Soon the state will be filled with warblers, vireos, waterfowl, raptors, and many more. Will you be ready? This presentation from Advocacy and Outreach Manager Nick Lund discusses the science of migration, and helps birders prepare to find and identify Maine’s new spring arrivals.
Bird Sounds and How to Remember Them
Birdsong is the soundtrack of nature, and is also a birder’s most important tool for identification. If you can remember what you’re hearing, that is. Advocacy and Outreach Manager Nick Lund talks about all the different kinds of sounds birds make, and provides helpful tools to remember the vocalizations of some of Maine’s most common species.
The Incredible Story of the Steller’s Sea-Eagle
In early 2021, a vagrant eagle from Russia, the Steller’s Sea-eagle, captured the world’s imagination after it spent the winter on the coast of Maine. Hear from Maine Audubon’s Nick Lund or Doug Hitchcox about how this amazing bird came to find itself in Maine, the sensation it caused, and an update on where this individual is now.
Conservation and Advocacy
“Bringing Nature Home” in Maine
“Bringing Nature Home” is Maine Audubon’s new community engagement and habitat stewardship initiative based on the bestselling book of that title by Doug Tallamy. Join Maine Audubon’s Director of Education Eric Topper to explore the plants, practices, and perks involved in restoring native food webs in our gardens, yards, and communities.
Wildlife Advocacy 101
Maine Audubon works on behalf of public policies that are in the best interest of Maine’s wildlife and habitat, and we need your help! Our conservation staff will present a mix of grassroots advocacy training and discuss wildlife policy “current events.”
Stream Smart
Do the culverts in your town or on your property need a lot of maintenance, or do they overtop in heavy rains? Are you worried these crossings might wash out as rainstorms become more intense and more frequent? Are you concerned that fish and other aquatic organisms can’t get through these stream/road crossings? Stream Smart crossings can help maintain fish and wildlife habitat and water quality, while protecting roads and public safety.
Wildlife and Roads/Maine Turtle Roadkill Survey
Habitat fragmentation and roadkill can have serious impacts on wildlife survival over the long-term. Working with our partners at the state, Maine Audubon coordinates community scientists to collect information on where wildlife are most vulnerable to roadkill and habitat fragmentation. Learn about our efforts working with volunteers all around the state to identify dangerous roads and protect Maine’s native turtle populations.
The State of Maine’s Loons
The Common Loon is one of Maine’s most iconic species for good reason. An inhabitant of clear, remote, northern lakes, this species is found in more lakes in Maine than in any other New England state. And for the last 35 years, Maine Audubon has coordinated an annual loon count utilizing the skills of more than 1000 volunteers. Learn from Maine Audubon conservation staff about loons in Maine and our efforts to protect them.
Building with Birds in Mind
More than 600,000 birds die each year in the United States after colliding with buildings. Learn what makes certain architectural features dangerous to birds, and what you can do to make your own home or construction project bird-friendly.