Bird Collision Corps
Volunteering Information
Spring survey period: April 15 - June 1
Now welcoming new volunteers!
Thank you for your interest in volunteering for the Bird Collision Corps! We are working with site hosts and YOU to find which areas are prone to bird-window collision so we can work together to change that. Your time and energy is invaluable in understanding this question and collecting critical data.
Surveys are done once-a-week from April 15 - June 1, conducted before 9:30AM. Online training will be available on Tuesday, April 9, 7:00PM on Zoom, and a recording will be available for those who cannot attend. Learn more about site accessibility in the descriptions below.
Click on an image below to jump to a specific site description, or scroll down
If you know where you want to volunteer, click here to sign up.
If you want to substitute instead, click here to fill out the sub sign up form.
Please contact Brenna Marsicek (bmarsicek@swibirds.org, 608-255-2473) with any questions. Thank you again for your interest in this program!
UW-Madison
Location: Downtown Madison
Approximate distance walked: 1-3 miles
Approximate duration of surveys: 60-90 minutesTerrain: sidewalks, grass, landscaping, hills
Accessible by public transportation
UW-Madison is broken into six sectors, each containing between 3 and 5 buildings. Volunteers will choose just one sector for your weekly surveys.
SURVEY SECTORS YOU CAN CHOOSE FROM:
Far West Campus (Buildings 1-4)
Wisconsin Institutes for Medical Research - box canyon on the north side only
Lot 76 Parking Ramp
Signe Skott Cooper Hall
Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF)
Lakeshore (Buildings 5-8)
Bakke Recreation & Wellbeing Center
Linden Parking Garage
Meat Sciences - north side only
Dejope Residence Hall
Basketball hoops between Leopold and Cole dorms
Southwest Campus (Buildings 9-13)
Microbial Sciences
DeLuca Biomedical Buildings - glass skyway only
Wisconsin Energy Institute
Engineering Centers Building
Camp Randall - north side only
Central Campus (Buildings 14-16)
Nancy Nicholas Hall
Genetics-Biotechnology Center - box canyon on the north side only
Discovery Building
East Campus (Buildings 17-19)
Education Building
Law Building
Chemistry
Southeast Campus (Buildings 20-22)
Ogg Residence Hall - walkway and entryway only
Nicholas Recreation Center
Kohl Center
American Family Insurance
Location: 6000 American Parkway, Madison
Approximate distance walked: 1.5 miles
Approximate duration of surveys: 60-90 minutesTerrain: sidewalks, grass, landscaping, hills
Not readily accessible by public transportation
This large, three-building + 6 skywalk campus is in a rural setting with nicely restored habitat.
The route for surveying buildings A-C and building links. Yellow lines indicate survey areas; dotted lines indicate cut-through routes.
Capitol Square
Capitol Square, Madison
Approximate distance walked: 2 miles
Approximate duration of surveys: 45-60 minutes
Terrain: level sidewalks, no hills, frequent street crossing
Readily accessible by public transportation
The Capitol Square area encompasses 10 buildings, including 7 owned by Urban Land Interests, as well as the Overture Center for the Arts, Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, and Madison Children’s Museum.
Henry Vilas Zoo
702 S. Randall Ave., Madison
Approximate distance walked: 3/4 mile
Approximate duration of surveys: 45-60 minutes
Terrain: paved sidewalks, a couple of small hills
Public transportation comes within 1/2 mile of the zoo
Henry Vilas Zoo has a number of glass enclosures and buildings that they would like to have monitored for window collisions. Volunteers will check in each morning at 8am at the Volunteer Central building near the north entrance, walk through the zoo to conduct surveys, and complete surveys by 9:30am when the zoo opens. Volunteers will need to complete a couple extra trainings provided by the Zoo in order to comply with their safety protocols.
Holy Wisdom Monastery
4200 Co Hwy M, Middleton
Approximate distance walked: 1/3 mile
Approximate duration of surveys: 30-45 minutes
Terrain: sidewalks, grass, landscaping, a couple of small hills
Not accessible by public transportation
The Holy Wisdom Monastery is in a beautiful, rural setting with restored prairie, oak savanna, and wetland. You will enjoy the birds singing and fluttering around the area during these surveys.
Lincoln Elementary School
909 Sequoia Trail, Madison
Approximate distance walked: 1/4 mile
Approximate duration of surveys: 15-30 minutes
Terrain: sidewalks, landscaping, small hills
Public transportation stops within 3 blocks of the school.
Lincoln Elementary School is a nice, small site on the south side of Madison. The third grade students conduct surveys on all school days during the spring survey period. Volunteers are needed for weekends.
Monona Public Library
1000 Nichols Rd., Madison
Approximate distance walked: 1/4 mile
Approximate duration of surveys: 15-30 minutes
Terrain: sidewalks, landscaping, small hill
Not readily available by public transportation
The Monona Public Library is a small site so great for folks with small windows of time. The building includes an overhang with large windows, in addition to the smaller windows surrounding the building.
Oakwood Village - Prairie Ridge
One of the four skywalks at Oakwood Village - Prairie Ridge. Photo by Val Van Winkle
5565 Tancho Dr., Madison
Approximate distance walked: 1/2 mile
Approximate duration of surveys: 30-45 minutes
Terrain: sidewalks, grass, landscaping, level ground
Not accessible by public transportation
Oakwood Village - Prairie Ridge is a senior living community on the far east side of Madison, with four skywalks and large windows. The surveys are conducted around the community room building (not private residence areas).
Sun Prairie Public Library
1350 Linnerud Dr., Sun Prairie
Approximate distance walked: 1/4 mile
Approximate duration of surveys: 15-45 minutes
Terrain: sidewalks, grass, landscaping, level
Not accessible by public transportation
The Sun Prairie Public Library is located in a quiet neighborhood, and is a relatively small, square building. There are a few small restored prairies adjacent to the building.
Thoreau Elementary School
Thoreau Elementary School’s north side, with large windows overlooking mature oak trees and Nakoma Park. Photo by Steph Judge
3870 Nakoma Rd., Madison
Approximate distance walked: 1/4 mile
Approximate duration of surveys: 15-30 minutes
Terrain: sidewalks, landscaping, relatively level
Along a public bus route and near the Southwest Commuter Bike Path
We are looking for community members each day of the week to survey around Thoreau Elementary School. Students and staff have noticed birds hitting windows along the north side facing Nakoma Park, so this is where the majority of the survey will be done.
Verona Public Library
500 Silent Street, Verona
Approximate distance walked: 1/4 mile
Approximate duration of surveys: 15-30 minutes
Terrain: sidewalks, landscaping, relatively level
Not readily available by public transportation
The Verona Public Library is a relatively small building surrounded by great habitat in Badger Prairie County Park. At this site, the large windows on the north side of the building are of particular interest, in addition to the smaller windows surrounding the building.
Next STEP: Watch for a confirmation email
Finally, one of the project coordinators will follow up with you to confirm your participation. Thank you so much for your time and energy on helping with this project! If you have any questions, please contact Brenna Marsicek, Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance director of outreach, by phone (608-255-BIRD) or email (bmarsicek@swibirds.org).
Thank you!
Banner photo by Ivan Lian
