Events & Calendar
Ongoing
Guided Bird Walks
Monthly bird walks guided by experienced birders are held the first Saturday of each month at the Bluebonnet Swamp and Nature Center, located at 10503 North Oak Hills Parkway, Baton Rouge, LA 70810. Click here for a map
No registration required. Bring your own binoculars. Meet in the parking lot at 7:00 am. $3 park admission fee.
Quarterly bird walks will be held on second Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to about 11:30. The July walk may take place at 8:00 instead. These "Walks with Audubon" will take place at the Oakley Plantation, Audubon Historic Site, in St. Francisville, LA. Standard entrance fee of $5.00 per person will apply. The walks are led by experienced birders. Emails will be sent out ahead of time as reminder. (See below about joining our mailing list).
Programs
Unless otherwise stated, BR Audubon monthly programs will be held on the last Wednesday of the month (Jan-May, Sept-Dec) in room 102 at the Main Goodwood library in Baton Rouge. The programs are also offered via Zoom. Links to register for the Zoom programs will be sent to our email list and to the LABIRD email list. The program recordings will be stored on our YouTube channel Check back here for month-specific info!
Program dates and subjects
2026 Programs
Oct 28, 2026
Title: Louisiana Bats: Exploring Their World & Why They Matter
Description: Learn about Louisiana’s native bats and explore their natural history and important ecological roles. Join us as we hear from Katherine Gividen, Louisiana Master Naturalist and former bat technician with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, with insights into the behavior and biology of Louisiana's bats. We'll also discuss the importance of protecting their populations and how we can help.
Join us at the Main Baton Rouge library on Goodwood Blvd in Baton Rouge. At 6:30 we will have refreshments and time to socialize. The program will start at 7:00pm. A Zoom option is available. Register here: Zoom program registration.
Nov 16, 2026
Title: Building a Bird-Friendly Backyard
Description: Learn how to make your yard more inviting to a wider variety of bird species. Join us as we hear from Gina Pirou, owner of Wild Birds Unlimited, and Deborah Gurtner about how food, water, native plants, and nesting sites can help create a bird-friendly yard. We'll also discuss what birds you might find visiting throughout the year.
Join us at the Main Baton Rouge library on Goodwood Blvd in Baton Rouge. At 6:30 we will have refreshments and time to socialize. The program will start at 7:00pm. A Zoom option is available. Register here: Zoom program registration.
Mailing list
Join our mailing list to be notified of our events and activities. Send an email to braudubon+subscribe@groups.io with your name in the body of the message to subscribe to our mailing list.
You can also view our Facebook events page for more information.
KidsWhoBird Club
LOCATION: Sunday afternoon once a month at Amite River Wildlife Sanctuary (45141 Manny Guitreau Rd, Prairieville LA). This is an outdoor venue, so families should plan accordingly. Send a request to education@braudubon.org be added to the KidsWhoBird email list to be notified about the meeting time and topic for the month.
BIRDING CLASSES
Beginning Birding Classes are held each spring and fall and taught by Jane Patterson, current President and Education chair for Baton Rouge Audubon Society. This class will cover the basics needed to get into birdwatching. We'll talk about binoculars and field guides and how to choose and use them. We'll talk about how to bring birds to your yard where you can see them up close. And we'll talk about how to take your newfound skills into the field.
2027 Spring Classes
Beginning Birdwatching class.
SPRING 2027 DATES TBD at Hilltop Arboretum in Baton Rouge
4 weekly sessions on Monday afternoons with field trips on following weekends Cost is $50 for everything.
SPRING 2027 DATES TBD at Coquille Park in Covington
Class includes lecture and bird walk at the same location Cost is $50 for everything.
Have you ever seen a bird and wondered "what in the world" is that?!? And then you try to look it up and just get frustrated... If so, this class is for you! The class is taught by Jane Patterson, current President and Education chair for Baton Rouge Audubon Society. This class will cover the basics needed to get into birdwatching. We'll talk about binoculars and field guides and how to choose and use them. We'll do lots of exercises and skill building. And we'll talk about how to take your newfound skills into the field.
NOTE If you have taken this class previously you are welcome to take it again. Beginning in Spring 2026, I will offer a discounted Field Trips Only option for folks that have previously taken the class. In order to reserve a spot, you must register as a class member but I will issue a 50% refund once you've registered. This allows me to manage the total number of people in the class, since field trips are the limiting factor.
The Baton Rouge classes will consist of 4 lectures on a 4 sequential Mondays and then 4 field trips (weather permitting) on the following weekend with the entire class. Please plan to attend all 4 sessions to get the most out of the class. There will be an afternoon class and an evening class Both classes will attend the same field trips. Cost is $50
Class will be limited to 10 people
Class will be held in the large meeting room at Hilltop. Enter Hilltop from Highland road no matter what your GPS tells you!
Field trips will be scheduled for the weekends following the classes at various locations near Baton Rouge. I will have binoculars to loan for the bird walks.
The Covington classes will be held on Tuesday mornings from 8:30 to 11:30 and include both lecture and bird walks at Coquille Park except for the last class.
Cost is $50
Click here to choose a class to register for:
Classes will also be available through the LSU Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) Camellia City chapter. You must be an OLLI member to register. Cost is $25
Classes will be held in Covington, SPRING 2027 DATES AND LOCATION TBD
In this 4 part class we will discuss how to make your yard bird-friendly. by providing water and food. We will explore gardening techniques that attract birds, with a focus on attracting hummingbirds. Additionally, we will cover the basics of bird identification, including the use of binoculars, field guides, and the Merlin app. Finally, we will review some of the birds you might encounter in and around your yard.
Registration link will be posted when it's available. Click here to go to OLLI catalog