Birds as Teachers: Inclusive Education for Bird Conservation Through Community, Culture, and Nature

Birds have a unique ability to spark curiosity and inspire learning, especially among children. In Colombia, Audubon has harnessed that potential to help young people discover birds, understand their importance, and become stewards of the places they call home.

In 2021, Catalina Casas, Field Conservation Manager for Audubon in Colombia, community education advisor Ligia García, and a group of dedicated teachers developed a pilot curriculum for schools in Colombia’s Central Andes and Southwestern region. The goal was simple but ambitious: raise awareness about migratory birds and inspire communities to protect the habitats they depend on.

Aligned with Colombian Ministry of Education standards, the Birds to Discover and Conserve curriculum integrates bird conservation into science, social studies, mathematics, language arts, and citizenship education. Designed for elementary and middle school students, it combines classroom learning with outdoor experiences that connect children with their local environments.

The program focuses on schools in and around priority conservation areas, many of which serve communities experiencing poverty, social inequality, and the impacts of rural conflict. Teachers are at the heart of the initiative. They helped co-design and test the materials, including teaching guides and an illustrated student workbook filled with classroom and field activities for students, families, and community members.

Through a train-the-trainer approach, educators learn about bird identification, ecology, and conservation and gain the tools to lead activities independently. Students learn about local and migratory birds, participate in community science, and take practical conservation action—from creating bird-friendly gardens to documenting local knowledge and traditions.

Strengthening the Program in 2026

The pilot began in 20 rural schools and reached nearly 700 students. Since then, participating teachers have continued using and adapting the curriculum in their classrooms. In 2026, Audubon renewed its engagement through a project supporting five additional schools:

• La Selva Educational Institution – Ginebra, Valle del Cauca
• Santa Elena Educational Institution – Santa Elena, Valle del Cauca
• Providencia Educational Institution – El Cerrito, Valle del Cauca
• La Inmaculada Educational Institution – San Antonio del Chamí, Mistrató, Risaralda
• José A. Galán Educational Institution – Manizales, Caldas

The project expanded teacher support, strengthened educational resources, and created more opportunities for hands-on learning. It also opened a new dimension of learning: connecting students in Colombia with peers in the United States through their shared interest in migratory birds. 

Migratory Birds Connect Students Across Borders

Five virtual exchange sessions brought together Colombian students and students from four U.S. schools:

• North Canaan Elementary School, Connecticut – 5th Grade STEAM Class
• Columbus Spanish Immersion Academy, Ohio
• World Language Middle School, Ohio
• Columbus International High School, Ohio

Students introduced their schools, communities, and cultures before turning their attention to migratory birds. They researched and presented bird species, exploring their characteristics, migration routes, habitats, and ecological importance.

The project team created a learning guide to help students conduct their research and prepare their presentations. Each group ended by answering a simple question: Why is our school a welcoming place for birds?

For many students, the exchanges offered a new way to see migration—not simply as the movement of birds, but as a connection between countries, ecosystems, and cultures. They discovered that a bird traveling thousands of miles can connect communities that might otherwise feel worlds apart.

From Curiosity to Conservation Action

The project is designed to move students from awareness to engagement and, ultimately, to conservation action. Each stage aligns with Audubon’s Flight Plan milestones and includes measurable indicators to track progress over time.

Learning extends beyond the classroom. Students and communities have created bird-friendly gardens, organized bird-themed festivals, and documented traditional ecological knowledge, including local bird names, stories, and cultural traditions.

These activities do more than build knowledge about birds. They strengthen connections among students, teachers, families, and community leaders while fostering a shared sense of responsibility for the natural world.

In the short term, teachers have strengthened their capacity to deliver bird-focused environmental education, while students have expanded their knowledge of local and migratory species and developed deeper connections with nature.

The longer-term goal is to build a lasting culture of environmental stewardship. By equipping teachers with the skills and resources to continue using the curriculum independently, the program can extend well beyond the life of an individual project. Students, in turn, are encouraged to become conservation advocates in their schools, families, and communities.

And the connections created through migratory birds reach even farther. By bringing young people together across Colombia and the United States, the program reinforces a powerful lesson: birds do not recognize borders, and neither should our commitment to protecting them.

A Community of Teachers, Students, and Partners

This work would not be possible without the dedication of the teachers, students, and partners who have helped bring it to life.

Special thanks to Kelly Orozco, Consulting Biologist; and to the teachers in Colombia: María Fernanda Beltrán (La Selva), Sussy Dobrisqui (Santa Elena), María Camila Idárraga and Valeria Rubio (Providencia), Henry Rincón (La Inmaculada), and María Gilma Cortés Castañeda and Claudia Cortés Castañeda (J.A. Galán).

We also thank our U.S. partners and educators: Denise Sorrell, North Canaan Elementary School; Wendy Miller, Education Program Manager and Summer Camp Director at Sharon Audubon Center, Connecticut; Patricia Vázquez and Janie Serna, Columbus Spanish Immersion Academy; Lesly Calhoun, World Language Middle School; Katherine Kimnach, Columbus International High School; and Anne Scott, Community Engagement Coordinator at Grange Insurance Audubon Center in Columbus, Ohio.

Their dedication and enthusiasm have helped create meaningful learning experiences and build connections through birds, biodiversity, and environmental education.

A Teacher’s Perspective
 

“My name is María Gilma Cortés Castañeda, and I am a teacher at José A. Galán School. In 2022, I joined the teacher training program led by Audubon in partnership with VivoCuenca, where we learned how to use the Birds to Discover and Conserve curriculum.

The experience gave us tools to integrate bird conservation across different subjects and strengthened our commitment to environmental education. The materials and training have been invaluable in helping us develop engaging activities inside and outside the classroom, including games, murals, illustrated bird albums, bird feeders and water stations, and birdwatching field trips.

The most rewarding part has been seeing how our students have embraced the project and now understand the important role birds play in healthy ecosystems. Through school initiatives such as Living Classroom and Imagination Forum, we have encouraged their curiosity about nature while involving families in the learning process.

The continued support from Audubon and VivoCuenca, along with the opportunity to participate in the Bird Tourism Congress, has made this experience even more meaningful and strengthened my commitment to inspiring future generations to care for birds and the natural world.”

When children learn from birds, they learn much more than how to identify a species. They learn that nature connects us—and that protecting it is something we can all take part in.