Education

One of AREI’s missions is to enhance the appreciation, understanding, and conservation of birds and their habitats through education. We are actively involved in educating people of all ages throughout Ohio and Indiana. Each year, many school children, college students, retirement classes, community members and other visitors come to the banding stations to learn about AREI’s work and how they, as individuals, can help birds. Over 700 people visited the banding stations in 2007. Our programs enable both the young and the young-at-heart to appreciate and develop a sense of responsibility for our living world.

Visitors engaged in education programs at our banding stations include:

1. Individuals interested in learning field biology, birding, bird banding and ornithology skills such as point counts, etc. Several international students spend 2-3 weeks at our banding stations each summer. Students range in age from 4 years old to 80 years old.
2. Thane Maynard, the “90 Second Naturalist” from NPR, National Public Radio, recorded a show on bird banding at our station.
3. Community Groups: Darke County Birders, Audubon Miami Valley, Ohio Ornithological Society, the Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati.
4. Talawanda High School Sophomore Biology Classes and the Honors Biology Classes come to the banding stations every May to incorporate bird banding into their course curriculum. Approximately 288 students come to the banding station during a 2 week period!
5. College Classes:

• Miami University Classes:
  • Undergraduate – Ornithology, Natural Systems, Vertebrate Zoology, Ecology, Methods in Field Ornithology, Environmental Science, Environmental Education;
  • Graduate – Institute For Environmental Science Field Measurements class,
  • Institute for Learning in Retirement (ILR): Neotropical Migrant Conservation, Warbler Identification classes
• Earlham College Classes: Ornithology
• College of Mount St. Joseph Classes: Ecology, Zoology, Animal Behavior, Ornithology
• Autonomous University of Tamaulipas, Mexico Classes: Birds Without Borders Workshop

Several students are engaged in class projects which utilize data acquired at the banding stations.

Much of our education work is conducted away from our banding stations in the form of guest speaking engagements and banding demonstrations. See our Outreach page for more details.