Golden Gate Bird Alliance offers more than 200 free local field trips annually all around the Bay Area. Our trips welcome birders of all skill levels, especially beginning birders. Join us for these guided trips at some of our favorite birding hotspots.

Monthly Field Trips

Full List

Most trips are free but advanced registration is required.

Registration opens each month on the 3rd Tuesday at 1pm. Trips will be marked as closed before they open and once they are full to capacity.

To cancel your registration for a free field trip please email info@goldengatebirds.org

See Upcoming Trips

Field Trip FAQ’s

We ask that all participants register in advance to help us track our trip participation and keep our trip sizes limited to ensure all participants are able to get the most out of their birding experience.

If you’re a member of Golden Gate Bird Alliance, then we got you covered! Fill out the form on our Loaner Library Page to borrow a pair for an upcoming trip.

We welcome participants of all abilities. However, not all field trips may be accessible to an individual’s particular needs. We have included information about terrain and length in the trip details but we advise you contact the trip leader in advance to discuss your access needs. Note that for many trips, it will also be possible to turn back early, making a trip shorter.  Contact your trip leader with any questions.

If the weather is really bad, cancelling field trips is solely at the trip leader’s discretion. The trip leader will contact all trip registrants to inform them of any plans to cancel.

In order to curate the best experience for the entire field trip group, we ask that your dog friends not join us on these trips unless they serve as a legal service animal for the person participating.

Golden Gate Bird Alliance Field Trips are sponsored by JoinBIRFA

Paid Trips

For the few fee based trips we offer, if you need to cancel we will refund your registration fee if :

(1) You withdraw more than two weeks before the start of the trip or class, AND
(2) We can fill your spot with someone from the class waiting list.

Please note that there will be a $5 cancellation fee to cover the credit card transaction costs for your sign-up and cancellation. 

Further afield

We also sponsor trips to other parts of the U.S. and to international destinations, including Latin America, Africa, and Australia.  See our Travel with GGBA page for upcoming travel opportunities.

Seeking New Field Trip Leaders

If you’re a birder with favorite spots you’d like to share, consider joining our cadre of volunteer field trip leaders. It might sound a little scary (“Who, me? I can’t lead a field trip!”) but it’s really fun and quite easy.

We can provide training walks and mentors, help you write trip descriptions, and find background resources on the birding spots you love. You don’t need to be able to identify every bird: You’ll be successful by organizing an enjoyable walk at an interesting location. 

If you’re interested (even if you’re maybe a little interested, but also a little nervous) contact Maureen Lahiff, Adult Education Committee chair, at 510.484.6529, MLahiff@aol.com or Field Trip Coordinator, Chris Tarr at fieldtrips@goldengatebirds.org 

Birding Ethics Statement

Golden Gate Bird Alliance adheres to the Code of Birding Ethics of the American Birding Association and to the National Audubon Society’s Guide to Ethical Bird Photography.

Please follow these codes whether you are birding by yourself or attending a GGBA or other birding event.

The golden rule of birding: When in doubt, first consider the welfare of the bird.

Thanks for being a responsible birder!