Video recordings are available of some of our past speakers who appeared via Zoom. Click here for links to these recordings, or see the link under the description of a particular talk.
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February 16, 2023
Presented by Scott Weidensaul
November 17, 2022
Presented by Jessica Griffiths
You may have heard the old saying that birds of a feather flock together. But have you ever stopped to wonder why? Join Jessica Griffiths for a fascinating look at bird flocks and flocking behavior.
October 20, 2022
Presented by John Marzluff
One of humanity’s grand challenges is to conserve nature while providing for a growing and increasing affluent population. The lessons I’ve learned from agrarians and the scientific literature suggests strategies that we can each employ to help meet this challenge.
September 22, 2022
Presented by Gregg Castro and Beverly R. Ortiz
Gregg Castro and Beverly R. Ortiz will share with you the significance of birds in the cultural, material, and spiritual lives of Ohlones past, present, and future. They’ll also describe how Ohlone land management practices increased the numbers and health of the birds on which Ohlones relied.
August 18, 2022
Presented by Bob Lewis
Although the focus of this talk is California hummingbirds, we’ll also stop in Arizona and Central and South America as we discuss the origin and taxonomy of these flying jewels, their nesting and migration behaviors, and some of the features that make hummingbirds so unique.
March 16, 2023
Presented by Bonnie Lewkowicz, Judith Smith and Susan Glass
June 16, 2022
Presented by Silu Wang
In the evergreen forest of the Pacific Northwest, two species of wood warbler that hybridize are on the brink of forming a new species. By leveraging genomic sequencing, field behavior experiments, and climate and color pigment analyses, we have uncovered the evolutionary genetic basis of speciation in these very precious wood warbler species.
June 2, 2022
Presented by John C Robinson
This presentation will focus on the barriers (and opportunities) to reaching a wider, more diverse audience to let them know that "birding is for everyone."
May 19, 2022
Presented by Danielle Whittaker
The widespread belief that most birds have little sense of smell is a myth. Danielle Whittaker's research has uncovered how birds produce scents. Come learn why cowbirds smell like cookies, and why Crested Auklet colonies have a tangerine scent.
April 21, 2022
Presented by Cynthia Chomos
Looking for a way to help birds in your neighborhood? If you've got a cat, why not build a Catio! Outdoor cat enclosures, keep cats safe, healthy, happy and help protect birds and wildlife. Cynthia Chomos, catio designer and founder of Catio Spaces, will share the many ways you can create a visually appealing catio for your home and garden.
November 4, 2021
Presented by Cynthia Chomos
Looking for a way to help birds in your neighborhood? If you've got a cat, why not build a Catio! Outdoor cat enclosures, keep cats safe, healthy, happy and help protect birds and wildlife. Cynthia Chomos, catio designer and founder of Catio Spaces, will share the many ways you can create a visually appealing catio for your home and garden.
November 18, 2021
Presented by Mike Lynes
What are the latest findings on climate change and California birds? Mike Lynes from Audubon California will discuss climate threats to our state's birds, and how the organization is working with chapters, allies, and decision-makers to implement climate-smart, nature-based policies.
October 21, 2021
Presented by Doug Bell and Shawn Smallwood
Once thriving in the East Bay, the Burrowing Owl has been forced to move inland and the consequences for many have been fatal. Conducting long-term research on these colonies, Shawn Smallwood and Doug Bell have observed the rate of mortality for Burrowing Owls living within the Altamont Pass Wind Resource Area, as wind turbines within the area continue to contribute to avian bird deaths.
September 16, 2021
Presented by Dan Airola
Purple Martins have been in long-term decline in California due to factors such as habitat loss, competition with European Starlings, and dwindling food supply due to neonicotinoid insecticide use. Dan Airola has been studying and working to conserve the last Central Valley population, which nests in elevated freeways and overpasses in Sacramento.
August 19, 2021
Presented by Bob Lewis
Islands play a key role in both the evolution of new avian species and the extinction of others. Although over 80 percent of bird species live on continents, 92 percent of extinctions since 1500 have been on islands. Join us to view some marvelous island species and learn about the conservation issues unique to islands.
July 15, 2021
Presented by Nathan Pieplow
Only male birds sing, right? Wrong! In fact, this widespread notion has a lot more to do with human cultural and geographic biases than it has to do with nature. In this talk, Nathan Pieplow explores the often-overlooked songs of female birds.
June 17, 2021
Presented by Eric Schroeder
Eric Schroeder will take you on a tour of this amazing island, home to 308 species of birds, 108 of which are endemic. Endemism isn’t limited to individual species but, remarkably, extends to the family level; Madagascar has six endemic avian families: the mesites, the asities, the vangas, the tetras, the ground rollers, and the cuckoo roller (which has only one species—the Cuckoo-roller—in the family.)
May 20, 2021
Presented by Lidia D’Amico and Zoe Burr
Dive into the world of Alcatraz seabirds! Learn about the several species that breed on the island each spring and summer, and how we can protect them from climate change and other threats.
April 15, 2021
Presented by Greg Budney
This presentation will discuss how audio recording is used for conservation and research with examples ranging from the use of portable recording systems in tropical bird conservation, autonomous recorders for detection and monitoring, automated playback systems for reintroduction, and will also touch on related issues such as the ethics of playback. The talk will include brief discussion of individuals that have carried out this work.
March 18, 2021
Presented by Basav Sen
NOTE: This event begins at 6 pm PST. In this talk, Basav Sen will discuss what a progressive internationalist agenda for US climate policy must look like in the years ahead for the US to truly become a good-faith partner to the rest of the world in addressing the climate crisis
February 18, 2021
Presented by John Zentner
In this talk, acclaimed plant ecologist John Zentner will discuss how wetland health impacts the health of birds and wildlife. John will guide participants through understanding different types of local wetlands, from marshes, vernal pools, riparian wetlands, and more. He will then outline methods of wetland conservation and how these projects are crucial to maintaining holistic and healthy ecosystems that sustain all life.
January 21, 2021
Presented by Ellie Cohen
The latest climate science supports what millions of people and animals are experiencing daily: the impacts of climate change are hitting harder and faster than expected, posing grave threats to human health and planetary health. We are already pushing against multiple global tipping points that could unleash abrupt and irreversible damage to people and wildlife alike. Children, the elderly, and people living in low-income communities are disproportionately affected. Our only hope for a vibrant, healthy, and equitable future for all is to enact bold climate policies now, not decades from now.
December 17, 2020
Presented by Bob Lewis
Namibia is one of the least densely populated countries in the world, with 2.6 million residents. It has the largest sand dunes in the world, and it hasn’t rained for over 10 years in parts of the Namib Desert. But it hosts many birds and animals that have learned to survive in this arid place. Bob and GGAS friends spent some time in Cape Town, and then drove to Walvis Bay to meet the GGAS tour group. Bob will show you many of the desert creatures he saw on tour. Photo of Burchell's Courser by Bob Lewis.
October 15, 2020
Presented by Dr. Kristen Greer
During the 19th century, Britain maintained a complex network of garrisons to manage its global empire. During their tours abroad, many British officers engaged in formal and informal scientific research. Kirsten A. Greer tracks British officers as they moved around the world, just as migratory birds traversed borders from season to season. Greer examines the writings of a number of ornithologist-officers, arguing that the transnational encounters between military men and birds shaped military strategy, ideas about race and masculinity, and conceptions of the British Empire.
November 19, 2020
Presented by John Parodi, STRAW Restoration Director, Alba K. Estrada López, Conservation Educator, and Isaiah Thalmayer, Senior Project Manager
Point Blue Conservation Science’s STRAW program (Students & Teachers Restoring A Watershed) implements community-based restoration projects, engaging more than 3000 students annually in hands-on restoration across California. Since beginning in 1994, STRAW has restored more than 36 miles of streams and educated 50,000 students, all free of charge to teachers thanks to generous support from partners, funders and donors.
September 17, 2020
Presented by Lynn Schofield
Wildfires are an important part of many ecosystems around the world. Fires provide an opportunity for new growth, to return nutrients to the soil, and to create a wholly unique type of habitat. Many species are adapted for these ever-changing systems, and they have developed a wide variety of strategies for making the best of the post-fire habitat.