Bird Alliance of Central Indiana

Proposed Name Changes to Birds
2025-01-14 19:30 - 20:30 (America/Indiana/Indianapolis) | Holliday Park Nature Center, 6363 Spring Mill Road, Indianapolis, IN, 46260, United States
John “Barny” Dunning is a Professor of Wildlife Ecology in the Department of Forestry and Natural Resources at Purdue. Join Barny as he presents a program about the upcoming proposed name changes for birds. The American Ornithological Society has proposed changing the common names of all birds that were named after specific people. This has been proposed as an action to make birding more welcoming and open to all people, but has been criticized by many people. Barny will go over the reasoning why professional ornithologists have decided to take this step, and give pros and cons on whether it should be done.

Mark Welter: California Birding
2025-02-11 19:30 - 20:30
Join Indiana Audubon member and trip leader Mark Welter as he relates his experiences and shares photos from Indiana Audubon’s September 2024 field trip to California. He’ll introduce us to the stunning scenery of the San Francisco Bay area’s birding hot spots, as well as the many “lifers” he saw, including the iconic California Condor and several pelagic species.

Laura Graham: Owl Adaptions
2025-03-11 19:30 - 20:30
Laura Graham has a background in conservation and ecology, but currently works in the technology field. Her presentation is about how owls are adapted to be excellent hunters. The focus is on owls found in Indiana.

Zoë Morgan and Michelle Morton, Black Birders Week
2025-04-08 19:30 - 20:30
Join the organizers of Indiana’s first Black Birders Week, Zoë Morgan and Michelle Morton, for a presentation focused on intentionally inclusive nature programs. Black Birders Week is a week-long program dedicated to uplifting Black nature enthusiasts while highlighting the visibility of Black birders in nature.

Mark B. Hamilton: Birds in the Mind of a Poet
2025-05-13 19:30 - 20:30
Join Mark, an eco-poet and environmentalist, in this public reading from his works and selected videography, focused on the riparian habitats along the Ohio and Missouri Rivers. Mark has paddled the entire Lewis and Clark river route as an amateur naturalist and outdoor enthusiast with interests in conservation, First Nations cosmologies, and the poetry of climate change. His poems are published widely in the US and abroad in prestigious journals and reviews. Mark is a member of the Audubon Society. A book signing will follow.

Lina Rifai: Saw-Whet Owls
2025-09-09 19:30 - 20:30
Lina Rifai is an Associate Professor of Vertebrate Biology at the School of Sciences at Indiana University Kokomo. Join Lina Rifai for a presentation about the ongoing research on Northern Saw-whet Owls at Eagle Creek Park. She has joined John Schaust in 2023 to band these small fall and winter visitors at the park. In the fall of 2024, ten Northern Saw-whet Owls were outfitted with transmitters for the first time in the area to find out more about their roosting habitats and movements within an urban park. Lina Rifai will discuss the initial results of this study and discuss the importance of this type of study for conservation as well as habitat management implications.

Randy Patrick: De-extinction
2025-10-14 19:30 - 20:30
Join Randy Patrick, retired Deep Time geologist and taxonomist specializing in species extinction, for a talk on “De-extinction is it the way to go.” Randy will discuss the bird species being brought back and how close this CRISPR technology and other technologies are to reanimating extinct birds. He will discuss the ethics of the process and how CRISPR can help bird species currently under threat of extinction.

Jonathon Bontrager: Big Day & Birdathon Programs
2025-11-18 19:30 - 20:30
How many bird species can you find in just 24 hours? Join Indiana Big Year record-holder Jonathan Bontrager as he unpacks the art and adrenaline of competitive “Big Days,” sharing field-tested strategies and tales from his quest to perform one every month this year. Learn how Amos Butler Audubon’s Birdathon offers the perfect gateway to try your own for a good cause, and discover how this intense yet joyful challenge transforms the way we look at birds and their habitats.

David Rupp: A Birder's Guide to Goose Pond
2025-12-09 19:30 - 20:30
Goose Pond Fish & Wildlife Area in western Greene County is one of the premier birding destinations in the Midwest. IndiGo Birding Nature Tours owner David Rupp, an Amos Butler board member a LONG time ago, will give an interactive presentation on the history of the property and the birds that can be found there. He will also discuss approaches to birding the property in different seasons. Get ready for cranes, snow geese, raptors and other winter birding specialties in Indiana by attending this presentation!

Jessica Helmbold: Patuxent Research Refuge
2026-01-13 19:30 - 20:30
Patuxent Research Refuge in central Maryland is the only U.S. National Wildlife Refuge established specifically to support wildlife research. Established in 1936, the refuge covers over 12,800 acres of forest, meadow, and wetland habitats between Washington, D.C. and Baltimore. The refuge is a significant landmark in conservation history, known for pioneering research on topics such as the effects of DDT on bird eggshells and assisted Whooping Crane migration. ABAS Board President Jessica Helmbold spent four years of her career working at Patuxent, and this presentation will highlight her work experience as well as historical and ongoing wildlife conservation research projects at the refuge.

Marc Milne: Spider anatomy, evolution, and behavior
2026-02-10 19:30 - 20:30
Marc Milne is a Professor of Biology at the University of Indianapolis who specializes on sheet-web spider (Linyphiidae) taxonomy and biodiversity. In this presentation, Marc will give an overview of spider anatomy, evolution, and behavior. He will also discuss aspects of the most common spiders in Indiana and what to look for when you’re out in the field.

Shari McCollough, caretaker of the Lye Creek Prairie Burn
2026-03-10 19:30 - 20:30
Join Shari McCollough, owner and caretaker of the Lye Creek Prairie Burn nestled in northeastern Montgomery County, for a presentation on this remarkable 83-acre sanctuary which serves as a haven for both migratory and nesting birds. This rich tapestry of wetlands and prairie grasses is an ideal stopover for weary travelers, where birds can forage, preen, bathe, and find a much-needed respite before continuing their arduous journeys. Since its establishment in 2008, this thriving habitat has welcomed an impressive 240 documented bird species. Among these winged visitors, we’ve had some amazing rarities such as Yellow Rail, Cinnamon Teal, and, most recently, two Eurasian Tree Sparrows. Each day at Lye Creek Prairie Burn unfolds like a captivating chapter in nature’s story, where the beauty of flight and the symphony of singing birds create an unforgettable experience for all who venture here.

April program: Birds of Austrailia
2026-04-14 07:30 - 20:30
It truly was a trip of a lifetime. Join Barb Jablonski and Laurie Voss as they share their unforgettable adventure “down under,” exploring the stunning country and continent of Australia.
Australia is home to birds and mammals found nowhere else on Earth. We had hoped—but never truly expected—to see some of its most remarkable wildlife up close: the Southern Cassowary, the duck-billed Platypus, the critically endangered Orange-bellied Parrot, Koalas, Echidnas, a Tree Kangaroo, and more.
From the beautiful beaches of Cairns to the Great Barrier Reef, with memorable stops along the way to Tasmania, Barb and Laurie will share photographs and stories they hope will inspire you to discover this extraordinary country and the birds and mammals that call it home.

Hardy Kern, Pesticides, Policy, and Protecting Birds
2026-05-12 19:30 - 20:30
Policies that reduce pesticide use are powerful tools for safeguarding birds and the ecosystems they depend on. At American Bird Conservancy, the Pesticides and Birds Campaign focuses on finding legislative and regulatory solutions for the millions of birds lost to pesticides every year. This talk from ABC’s Director of Government Relations, Hardy Kern, will explore how smarter laws, science-based reforms, and on-the-ground practices can curb harmful chemicals, protect biodiversity, and create healthier landscapes for both wildlife and people.
