About Us
Transforming Bird Conservation
Celebrate Urban Birds (CUBs) is an exciting, inclusive community-driven, and participatory science project from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology that’s all about exploring and celebrating birds, science, and nature!
We believe that community voices are the most powerful force for a sustainable planet. That’s why we partner with communities and join their environmental conservation efforts to connect with birds and nature. We facilitate spaces where learning flows both ways, engaging with communities that have traditionally had limited representation in birding, conservation, and science.
Guided by the priorities of participating communities, together, we’ve developed processes to co-design, pilot, and implement participatory science projects, and programming. This approach promotes and supports conservation actions that are relevant through mutual knowledge sharing, arts and culture, increased access to science, and intentionally advocating for community ownership and leadership.
How We Work
CUBs starts by working side-by-side with local communities to co-create goals, priorities and frameworks, accessible educational support materials, and communication channels that make sense to the communities involved. We center different ways of knowing and value community expertise. Taking time to address power and privilege, develop trust and transparency, and strengthen long-term collaborations is essential to our work.
We embrace community-led science and environmental education programming to promote inclusive, accessible, and equitable birding for all. We believe that birds have the power to connect us—as long as we intentionally value and center the power of equitable co-creation in birding, monitoring, and conservation projects, and focus on culture through local leadership, creativity, and knowledge.
Our Values
Our work is guided by our values of Trust, Integrity, and Commitment. We believe in learning from our experiences with humility and honesty, and we use our power and access to amplify the efforts of our partners. We’re committed to the process as much as the outcome, ensuring that every project is a genuine reflection of the community’s priorities and needs.
Our Reach
Celebrate Urban Birds currently works throughout the American continent, the Caribbean, and Ghana, with communities located in urban, suburban, and rural areas.