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Birds in My Neighborhood®

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Connecting students and teachers to nature through birds

Since 2013, Birds in My Neighborhood® has helped more than 14,000 students learn about nature in their local community. The program introduces students to the common birds of the region through in-class lessons and field trips. Led by Openlands, this classroom-based and volunteer-driven program is offered to schools in the City of Chicago and through the Illinois Department of Natural Resources at Volo Bog in Lake and McHenry Counties, Illinois.

14,800

Students

in pre-K through 5th grade

220

volunteers

throughout the Chicago region

71

teachers

bringing bird education to their classrooms

37

schools

participating in this program

BIMN Kids with binoculars

“I always see such growth and learned knowledge in the students after going through the program. Students acutely become aware of the species found in their urban setting.”

– Saucedo Elementary teacher


Learn more about Birds in My Neighborhood:

Support for Birds in My Neighborhood is generously provided by BNSF Railway and US Forest Service International Programs.

the forest service and the USDA logos
BNSF Railway
US Environmental Protection Agency text in bold black font on plain white background

Birds in My Neighborhoods Partners:

Meet Our Expert Staff

Jocelyn Headshot
Birds in My Neighborhood Coordinator
Openlands Jessica Fong
Director of Education
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This Earth Month, we’re inviting you to go All In for Nature with Openlands.

Every donation will be matched up to $50,000. That means your gift goes twice as far to protect the natural spaces we cherish close to home.