Birds help us understand the health of our ecosystems and connecting people to nature builds a culture of stewardship and care. 

Every volunteer, visitor, and school group makes a huge difference in the community, because when we protect birds, we’re also protecting the air, water, land — and ourselves.

Important Dates

We've transitioned to Neon, our new volunteer portal! 

If you’re having trouble using Neon, join one of our upcoming training sessions to get all set up.

Neon Training Sessions:

Online session:

Wednesday, October 29

from 10-11:30am

We'll go through how to login, how to sign up for shifts, how to navigate the new portal, and how to log your hours.

Drop-in session:

Tuesday, November 4

from 9:30-11:00am

Feel free to come by the Kingery Nature Center. I'll be happy to help troubleshoot any issues you have with Neon!

Please bring your laptop, tablet, or smartphone. Registration not required.

If neither of these dates work for you, don't hesitate to reach out to Jane directly.

Field Trip Leader Training

If you're interested in leading or co-leading field trips,

this training is for you!

Part 1: Online Session

Thursday, November 13

from 6:00–7:30pm.

We'll meet via Zoom to review the standards and best practices for leading a field trip, including logistics, volunteer expectations, the differences between leader and co-leader roles, and answer any questions/concerns.

Part 2: In-Person Session at Wash Park

This will be a hands-on practice session where we’ll walk through what it’s like to lead a field trip together.

Please register for one of the following sessions:

Friday, November 14 from 1:00–2:30pm

Saturday, November 15 from

9:00–10:30am

Feathered Feature:

Turkey Vulture

Written by: Leslie Dixon

Photographed by: Wayne Dixon

• The turkey vulture (cathartes aura) is the most common vulture in the western hemisphere, ranging from southern Canada to the tip of South America. (It is sometimes called a “buzzard”.
• The species is usually found in open country, but they are also known to adapt to tropical forests and shrublands.
• Most populations of turkey vultures in the southern US are year-round residents, but the vultures we see in Colorado are migratory. Some migrate as far as Cape Horn in South America.
• With a wingspan up to 72 inches and silvery gray flight feathers, the mostly black turkey vultures are easily distinguishable from large dark raptors. In flight, its wings have a relatively large dihedral angle and they tip back and forth while soaring, rarely flapping.
• Both sexes look alike and can weigh up to 5 pounds.
• As scavengers, these vultures feed almost exclusively on carrion and find their meals by sight or smell. Compared to other birds, the olfactory lobe in their brain is large. The structure of their feet makes them unable to catch prey. This diet of dead animals provides an important ecological function by ridding the landscape of disease-breeding carcasses.
• The species name is derived from the fact that their bare head resembles a turkey. It is this featherless head that evolved to prevent bacteria from accumulating. The bare head also aids in temperature regulation.
• Mature turkey vultures have red heads because the blood vessels are closer to the surface of their skin. A juvenile can be recognized because of its dark head. It is believed that hormones regulate the change in color as the birds mature.
• Lacking a syrinx (vocal organ), vultures can only hiss and grunt.
• Turkey vultures don’t build nests, using caves, crevices, burrows, or large tree cavities instead. Both adults care for the brood (usually two chicks) for about ten weeks.
• A group of vultures (called a “committee”) can often be found resting in trees with wings out-stretched. When they gather to feast on a carcass, the group is called a “wake”. In flight, they are known as a “kettle”.
• Although the vulture often symbolizes death or foreboding in our culture, they provide a valuable role in the ecosystem that can be appreciated.