Urban wildlife habitats are all around us and we would like to share them with you and your students. Apply for one of these three field trips where Audubon members will guide you on a bird watching adventure. Our mini-grants will pay for your transportation to one of three local hotspots where bird watching and nature conservation are the educational themes. Our Teaching Naturalist can come out to your school to give a pre-trip presentation on what birds to expect for each location. And, at each site visit, your students will be introduced to the restoration efforts of Birmingham Audubon volunteers that have enhanced the wildlife habitats as well as the citizen science efforts to monitor the success of the projects.
Birmingham Audubon currently has three local areas for you to explore:
Avondale Park: This historic park once housed the Birmingham zoo, but now provides a diverse habitat for a variety of birds including Canada Geese, Mallards, Red-headed woodpeckers, Brown-headed and White breasted nuthatches and Yellow-bellied sapsuckers (our only migratory woodpecker). The diversity of habitats includes a spring fed pond, an open field surrounded by a wooded lane all within an urban setting. There are several trails that wind through most of the habitat so you can see a variety of birds without having to walk miles.
East Lake Park: A 40 acre lake sits in the middle of this park that was once the site of an amusement park. If you visit in the spring, the trip will include viewing Black-crowned and
Yellow-crowned night herons. These two species nest in the park which is a bit uncommon.
Six species of woodpecker have been documented in the park along with Cooper’s and
Red-tailed Hawks. Canada Geese, Mallards and Wood ducks can be seen throughout the year. The trail here is an easy path around the lake.
Limestone Park: Located in Alabaster, this park has tremendous habitat diversity including wetlands, grasslands and Tupelo Gum swamps. These areas support a great diversity of birds such as wading birds like Great Blue Herons and Egrets, marsh birds like Wilson’s snipe, sandpipers, and greater and lesser Yellowlegs, and grassland birds such as Eastern
Meadowlarks, Eastern Bluebirds, and Northern Bobwhite Quail. A pond in the center of the property may have an American Coot, Pied-billed Grebe or killdeer running along the edges.

Alabama Wildlife Center Tour
The Alabama Wildlife Center is Alabama’s oldest and largest rehabilitation and education facility. Students will learn about AWC’s work in rescuing, rehabilitating, and returning native birds to the wild, as well as see rehabilitating patients up close! Recommended for all ages/grade levels
Treetop Nature Trail Tour and Hike
Nestled in the trees of Oak Mountain State Park, Treetop Nature Trail affords the opportunity to observe live raptors up close! Students will learn about the residents of TNT as well as a little raptor biology, then enjoy a nature hike to the Alabama Wildlife Center.
Recommended for all ages/grade levels
Raptors 101: Intro to Birds of Prey
What makes a raptor? Can an owl turn its head all the way around? What do raptors eat? Students will learn the answers to these questions and many more with this fun and interactive program! Students will also have the opportunity to meet AWC’s education raptors up close! Recommended for grades 1-5
Raptors 202: Beyond the Basics of Birds of Prey
An in-depth look at raptor biology, ecology, and conservation. Students will learn about special adaptations for hunting and flight and how to responsibly protect these amazing predators. Students will also get to meet AWC’s education raptors up close!
Recommended for grades 6-12
Reservations: Contact Scottie Jackson at (205)663-7930 ext. 4 or email at sjackson@awrc.org
Contact for more information:
Scottie Jackson
Director of Education and Outreach
Alabama Wildlife Center
100 Terrace Drive
Pelham, AL 35124
205-663-7930 ext. 4 sjackson@awrc.org
**Special Requirements: In order for to be considered for a mini-grant Discovery field trip to the Birmingham Botanical Gardens, the class is required to participate in a Birmingham
Audubon Bird Walk during their visit. Bird walks are only available on certain days, so please coordinate with BBG.
The Birmingham Botanical Gardens Discovery Field Trips are FREE and designed for K – 6 th grades. Discovery Field Trip topics available for mini-grants are: Alabama Woodlands, and
Secret Life of Trees. Mini-Grant recipients will combine the one hour Discovery Field Trip with a one-hour Bird Walk led by Birmingham Audubon Society volunteers. All students will have use of binoculars for this trip and learn how to look up birds in a field guide. Minigrant funds may be used for transportation costs.
Reservations: Reserve your Discovery Field Trip at least TWO WEEKS in advance. Contact
205-414-3953 to schedule your field trip, or email Ellen Hardy at ehardy@bbgardens.org
to

request a field trip. This is only a request; you will be contacted by their staff to confirm your field trip.
Contact for more information:
Ellen Hardy
Education Program Coordinator
205- 414-3953 ehardy@bbgardens.org
**Special Requirements: In order for teachers to be considered for a Birmingham Audubon mini-grant field trip to the zoo, the class is required to attend one of the following programs while at the zoo:
Birds of Prey: Grades K–12
Meet several owls, hawks or kestrels in a fantasy of flight and learn all about the special adaptations of these great hunters.
What’s for Dinner—chicken or turkey?: Grades K–6
Learn the difference between domestic and wild animals, their social behaviors and the importance these birds have had all throughout man’s history. LIMIT 30-40 students
MAXIMUM per visit.
Walk on the “Wild-side”: Grades K–12
Come walk through the Alabama Wilds to see all the native birds that have taken up residence all around this special part of the zoo. Kids may be able to use binoculars and keep a bird list while learning about these native species. LIMIT 30-40 students MAXIMUM
per visit. Our most popular program.
The reservation can only be made online at least 5 days in advance of the field trip. Be sure to indicate on your reservation form the special bird program that you choose to attend. Regular zoo programs can be added to your trip also. There is also a reduced rate for zoo rides for school groups with reservations.
Reservations: Birmingham Zoo trip reservations can only be made online, at least 5 days in advance of field trip. Click here to reserve.
Contact for more information:
Michael Gilbert
Supervisor of Group Reservations and Curator of Fun
205- 879-0409 ext. 276 mgilbert@birminghamzoo.com
The Cahaba Environmental Center (CEC) at Living River is located near Montevallo along the biodiverse Cahaba River. CEC field trips range from one-day experiences to overnight, multi-day programs. At the CEC, students discover the wonders of the Cahaba River
Watershed in our 440-acre outdoor classroom. Using unique, real-world examples and experiences along the Cahaba River, students engage in science and social studies

concepts with collaborative, hands-on, and inquiry-based methods. Mini-grants are available for the CEC’s school programs.
Reservations: Please contact Kim Hall at khall@livingriver.org
or call (205) 208-0035 for more information about planning your experience to the CEC and selecting your field trip dates.
Contact for more information:
Kim Hall
CEC Director
Cahaba Environmental Center at Living River
2021 Living River Parkway
Montevallo, AL 35115
(205) 208-0035 khall@livingriver.org
**Special Requirements: In order for teachers to be considered for a Birmingham Audubon mini-grant field trip to McWane Science Center, the class is required to attend Birmingham
Audubon's Reserved Classroom program “All About Birds” (grades 1-2) or “Alabama Birds”
(grades 3-5) while at McWane. NOTE: THESE PROGRAMS ARE OFFERED ON WEDNESDAY
ONLY.
All About Birds: Grades 1–2
Birds are covered in feathers, lay eggs and are all around us in Alabama. Learn amazing facts about birds, their habitats, and their adaptations.
Alabama Birds: Grades 3–6
Learn about birds from all around the state and discover how they are adapted to the different environments in Alabama. Learn how to classify birds into their different families and learn the characteristics that make them unique and why some may migrate while others don’t.
An optional Bird Walk will be offered mini-grant recipients at the recipient's school at a later date. Students will be taught how to use binoculars and field guides during their Bird
Walk.
Reservations: Call (205) 714-8414 to book a reservation.
Contact for more information:
Jeff Pace
Director of Group Sales
McWane Science Center
200 19 th Street North
Birmingham, AL 35203
205-714-8489, * work-cell- 205-307-9531 jpace@mcwane.org

Ruffner Mountain Nature Preserve is in eastern Jefferson County within 10 minutes of downtown. The Center offers field trips and programs which are curriculum-based for elementary and secondary school students. The Nature Center has native Alabama animals including raptors, snakes and turtles on exhibit. Program topics available for minigrants are:
Fur, Feathers, and Scales: Grades Pre-K–8
Habitat Explorers: Grades Pre-K–2
Eco-Awareness: Grades 6–8
Field trip/program fees vary, and descriptions can be found here .
Reservations: Call our Programs Coordinator at (205) 833-8264 ext. 20 or email programs@ruffnermountain.org
. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it to schedule your program. We ask that teachers schedule their field trips at least TWO WEEKS in advance.
Contact for more information:
Christine Harlan
Programs Coordinator
Birmingham, AL 35206
205-833-8264 , Ext. 20
programs@ruffnermountain.org
**Special requirements: In order for teachers to be considered for a Birmingham Audubon mini-grant field trip to Southern Environmental Center, all three activities must be
completed in one field trip.
The three activities are:
1.A tour of The Interactive Museum (TIM) highlights water and air quality as well as recycling, reducing and reusing.
2. An Ecoscape Tour of native plants and garden areas highlights recycled land use and sculptures.
3. A Recycling Craft activity reuses everyday objects to create new ones.
You may also use grant money for a classroom presentation about recycling and gardening by the Director of the Southern Environmental Center who, following the program for the students, would hold a private consultation with the teacher on how specifically to go about establishing an outdoor garden at that particular school.
Reservations: Contact Roald Hazelhoff at 226-4934 or rhazelho@bsc.edu
Contact for more information:
Roald Hazelhoff
Director

900 Arkadelphia Rd
Birmingham, AL 35254
205-226-4934 rhazelho@bsc.edu