Speakers

The widespread belief that most birds have little sense of smell is a myth. Danielle Whittaker's research has uncovered how birds produce scents. Come learn why cowbirds smell like cookies, and why Crested Auklet colonies have a tangerine scent.

Looking for a way to help birds in your neighborhood? If you've got a cat, why not build a Catio! Outdoor cat enclosures, keep cats safe, healthy, happy and help protect birds and wildlife. Cynthia Chomos, catio designer and founder of Catio Spaces, will share the many ways you can create a visually appealing catio for your home and garden.

Looking for a way to help birds in your neighborhood? If you've got a cat, why not build a Catio! Outdoor cat enclosures, keep cats safe, healthy, happy and help protect birds and wildlife. Cynthia Chomos, catio designer and founder of Catio Spaces, will share the many ways you can create a visually appealing catio for your home and garden.

Once thriving in the East Bay, the Burrowing Owl has been forced to move inland and the consequences for many have been fatal. Conducting long-term research on these colonies, Shawn Smallwood and Doug Bell have observed the rate of mortality for Burrowing Owls living within the Altamont Pass Wind Resource Area, as wind turbines within the area continue to contribute to avian bird deaths.

Purple Martins have been in long-term decline in California due to factors such as habitat loss, competition with European Starlings, and dwindling food supply due to neonicotinoid insecticide use. Dan Airola has been studying and working to conserve the last Central Valley population, which nests in elevated freeways and overpasses in Sacramento.