Bird Campus

In May 2023 Washington College became a certified Maryland Bird Campus! Awarded by the Maryland Bird Conservation Partnership, the College is the third in the state to become Bird Campus certified, thanks to the collective efforts of staff, faculty, and students.  

What does being a Bird Campus mean? 

Becoming a Bird Campus means that the College demonstrated they are dedicated to helping reduce threats to birds while creating a healthier environment for students, employees, and birds alike. Aspects of the campus evaluated included bird habitat conservation, addressing major threats to birds, increasing conservation awareness both on campus and in the community, and supporting sustainable practices. 

How is Washington College helping birds? 

• Engaging in long-term efforts to create and conserve bird habitat through programs such as the Natural Lands Project (NLP).
• Currently partnering with American Bird Conservancy conducting research to test the effectiveness of bird-friendly glass patterns to reduce avian window collisions.
• Running Foreman’s Branch Bird Observatory (FBBO), a high-volume migratory bird banding and monitoring station.
• Hosting lab classes, local bird clubs, and public education events on campus, at FBBO, and at the college’s River and Field Campus, where students and the public can learn about bird research, conservation, and the importance of local wildlife in general.
• Having an active Washington College Bird Club on campus, providing students the opportunity to go on bird-watching field trips, and connect with each other on all things birds. 
• Providing relevant classes to students such as ornithology, wildlife conservation, invasion biology, restoration ecology, environmental science, and environmental education. 
• Hosting an annual Migratory Bird Day event on campus. 
• Installing Feather Friendly glass decals on high-threat windows to reduce bird collisions at the waterfront campus.

We would like to recognize Fana Scott for spearheading the Bird Campus Certification application process. Fana was a 2022-23 Chesapeake Conservation and Climate Corps (CCC) member at the Center for Environment & Society. She undertook on the certification process as her CCC capstone project, leaving a lasting impact on the college campus.