Did you log your volunteer hours yet?


Tracking your time helps us evaluate our volunteer programs, support grant applications, and ensures your contributions are recognized and celebrated!

Volunteer Training Dates


All volunteers are required to attend a training before participating in any new program. During these sessions, we’ll review volunteer roles and expectations, how to sign up for shifts, and tips for making the most of your volunteer experience. Trainings may be offered in-person or online, depending on the program.

We currently have shadowing opportunities are available for the following programs:



Reach out to Jane today to learn more about training and how you can get involved!

School Bird Banding Training

Tuesday, September 1

9:00-11:30am

Kingery Nature Center


This training is open to all volunteers who aren’t familiar with our youth bird banding programs. Attending this training is required to be able to volunteer for our school bird banding opportunities.


If you’ve previously trained for the pond or school bird banding stations, this is the same training. Completing this session will also allow you to help with bird banding for future seasons.


In this training, we’ll review the roles and expectations for volunteers who lead the Pond Exploration Station during bird banding season. Throughout the school year, several school groups visit the nature center for field trips, where they observe bird banding, learn how to build nests, and explore the beautiful, diverse ponds nearby.


The Pond Exploration Station is especially popular with youth and offers a tangible, memorable way for students to connect with nature, and you’ll play an important role in making that experience meaningful and fun.

During the training, we’ll also go over how to sign up for shifts, what to do if you’re unable to make a shift, and take a walk from the nature center to the pond station. You’ll get a chance to practice what it’s like to lead this engaging and unique program for school groups.


Please watch this brief video to get a sense of what to expect for school bird banding season. For any questions, feel free to reach out to Jane Lee.

Register Here

Save the Date!

Volunteer Appreciation Brunch

Saturday, October 17

8:00am-12:00pm

Kingery Nature Center


Please join us as we celebrate the incredible hard work and dedication you’ve poured into Denver Audubon. This event is our way of saying thank you!  Enjoy a morning of birding and connection with fellow volunteers, alongside curated refreshments and a variety of fun activities!


More details coming soon!

Enrichment Program Dates

Open to all Denver Audubon volunteers, these events are offered to help you learn new skills, boost your confidence, connect with others, and build community within our volunteers.

July: Native Plant Hike

Saturday, July 18

8:00-10:00am at O'Fallon Park


Join naturalist Marah Green for a summer morning native plant hike! We’ll be hiking the Meadow View, Bear Creek and Picnic Trail Loop. We’ll meet at the O’Fallon Park parking lot south of Bear Creek Rd.


This scenic 2.9-mile trail features beautiful views, starting with a gentle uphill climb before gradually descending. Expect an elevation gain of about 492 feet.


Marah will point out various native wildflowers, trees and plants that can be found on the trail. We’ll also be on the lookout for birds and talk about the relationship between native plants and bird species. More info here.


Space is limited to 10 participants, sign up today!

Register Here

August: Art on the Wing

Sunday, August 23

9:00-11:00am at Table Public House


Open to all volunteers! Join local artist and birder Catie Michel for a morning of watercolor painting and observation. Catie will share an introduction to watercolor techniques, drawing principles, and tips for painting in the field. We will then venture outside to observe and paint local birds, plants, and our surroundings. 


We will meet at Table Public House for the indoor session of Catie's workshop, before heading outdoors to observe birds along the S Platte River. 


Notebooks, watercolor paint, brushes, and pencils are provided. Feel free to bring your own materials if preferred. 

Register Here

September: Worms at Work

& How to Compost

Saturday, September 26

9:00-11:00am

Kingery Nature Center


Open to all Denver Audubon volunteers. Compost is helpful for fertilizing plants naturally, improving soil health, and reducing waste. You will learn how composting helps birds and gardens, about the various microorganisms that make good compost, the materials and proportions you need, and explore the best ways to compost for your lifestyle.


Led by Denver Audubon Volunteer, Suzy Hiskey, we’ll review cold compost, hot compost, commercial composting services, and vermicompost. Learn how to cold or hot compost by exploring both new and finished compost. Get ready to get dirty!


Register Here

November: Denver Museum of

Nature and Science Archive Tour

Thursday, November 12

10:00-11:00am at Denver Museum of Nature and Science


Open to all volunteers! Join us for an exclusive, behind-the-scenes tour of the Denver Museum of Nature & Science.


You’ll get a bird’s-eye view of the museum’s hidden treasures—many of which aren’t on public display. Led by museum staff, this guided tour offers a rare look at how the Zoology Department advances our understanding of global biodiversity through research, curation, and outreach. The collection houses over 1.2 million specimens, including approximately 53,000 bird specimens from around the world—dating from 1842 to the present, with a special focus on the Rocky Mountain and Great Plains regions.


You’ll explore the underground archives, learn how mammals and birds are processed, preserved, and studied, and get an up-close look at one of the most comprehensive natural history collections in the country.


Limited capacity. Registration begins Monday, August 2.

Volunteer Resources

These resources are available to volunteers and include an elevator speech you can use during public programs, a trail map of the Nature Center, tutorials for navigating our volunteer portal, and a link from our partner organization, Denver Field Ornithologists, with informative videos on improving your bird ID.

List of Services

Test Your Bird Knowledge!

How well do you know your Northern Flickers?

Take our quick quiz below—just hover over the image to reveal the correct answers!

To dive deeper, you can read more about Northern Flickers here or browse our Common Birds of Denver page.

Mystery Bird

Were you able to guess the mystery bird from July’s edition of The Chat?

If you’re stumped, just hover over the image to the right to reveal another photo and to confirm your ID!


This is an Black-crowned Night Heron!


This stocky, mysterious wetland bird swaps the long, elegant necks of Great Blue Herons and Snowy Egrets for a sleek, hunched profile. While other herons dominate the marshes by day, this species waits for twilight to take over the night shift.


The Black-crowned Night-Heron is a relatively small, compact heron with a thick neck, short legs, and a heavy, dagger-like black bill. Adults are striking and easy to identify: they sport a bold black cap and back, pale gray wings, and a bright white underside.


When you look at them closely, two features stand out. First are their large, glowing crimson-red eyes, adapted perfectly for seeing in the dark. Second, during the breeding season, they grow long, elegant white plumes that stream backward from the top of their black crowns.


This photo was taken at South Platte Park in July 2026.


Do you have a mystery bird that may seem tricky to identify? Email your picture to Jane, Volunteer Coordinator.