Volunteer with Hawk Ridge!

Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory volunteers are AMAZING! We have a great group of nearly 70 volunteers that help primarily during the busy fall bird migration, but also with other organizational needs throughout the year. Find out more below on what opportunities are available or contact our Volunteer Coordinator, Valerie Slocum, at volunteer@hawkridge.org.

Who is Eligible?

Anyone that has a desire to help and enjoys working with people or birds or nonprofit organizations! If you check all of the boxes, even better! Our fall volunteers have a dedicated orientation and training session, so no prior experience is necessary. Other volunteer positions may require specific skills and experience.

Hawk Ridge Volunteer Opportunities

Fall Migration Volunteers at Hawk Ridge Nature Reserve (Sept/Oct)

Each fall, Hawk Ridge sees thousands of migrating raptors passing by as they make their way to their wintering grounds south of us. We also welcome thousands of visitors to the view the migration with us at Hawk Ridge Nature Reserve! Hawk Ridge volunteers help bring the magic to the migration at Hawk Ridge! Volunteers assist Hawk Ridge staff with a multitude of tasks within visitor services, education, site stewardship, and bird research. With the numbers of visitors and programs we have, volunteers are essential in helping us with welcoming/greeting visitors, binocular rental/use, visitor counts/surveys, kid’s cart activities, traffic safety, trail maintenance, bird research activities and education programs – such as songbird banding, owl programs, live raptor education demos, and more!

No prior experience is necessary. We will train and teach you about Hawk Ridge visitor services, bird education, migration research, and site stewardship. We do ask volunteers to attend the Hawk Ridge Fall Volunteer Orientation and Training provided typically at the end of August each year that will go over all the fall volunteer logistics. Please contact Volunteer Coordinator, Valerie Slocum, at volunteer@hawkridge.org with interest and questions.

Spring/Summer Education Volunteers (April-August)

Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory offers a variety of education programs throughout the year (outreach events, field trips, virtual presentations, Hawk Ridge Spring Migration on West Skyline Parkway, summer programs, etc). If you have experience/interest in teaching or assisting with our education program needs, please let us know! These programs primarily take place April-August, but we may have other education needs Dec-March as well. Please contact Education Director, Margie Menzies, at mmenzies@hawkridge.org or 218-428-8722.

Site Stewardship Volunteers (May-October)

Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory is the nonprofit that manages Hawk Ridge Nature Reserve, which is the 365-acre natural area located on East Skyline Parkway. Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory also conducts bird research, education, and visitor services at the site primarily during the fall bird migration (Aug 15-Nov 30). However, Hawk Ridge Nature Reserve is well used and well loved by many outdoor enthusiasts year-round for hiking, biking, running, dog-walking, etc. There are a number of site maintenance needs that we always appreciate assistance with, such as trail maintenance, litter/vandalism clean up, carpentry, building bird feeders, invasive vegetation removal, and other various projects. If interested, please contact Education Director, Margie Menzies, at mmenzies@hawkridge.org or 218-428-8722.

Bird Research Project Volunteers (varies, as needed)

Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory conducts bird migration count research (fall/spring) and bird banding research (summer/fall), but also has various bird research projects happening throughout the year. At times we may have a need for volunteers for citizen-science opportunities or assisting staff with a specific project. If you’d like to be placed on a contact list for future volunteer opportunities for bird research projects, please contact Janelle Long, Executive Director, at jlong@hawkridge.org.

Office Assistant (ongoing, year-round)

Office volunteers are super appreciated by our management staff! Office duties include helping with mailings, data entry, running errands, filing, data research, etc. Office needs ebb and flow, but it’s helpful to have a list of helpers to call on. Good organizational skills and attention to details definitely are a bonus! If interested, please contact Janelle Long, Executive Director, at jlong@hawkridge.org or 218-428-6209.

Fundraising/Marketing (ongoing, year-round)

Hawk Ridge is seeking volunteers to assist with fundraising and marketing needs. Do you have skills in marketing, public relations, or graphic design? How about experience with fundraising, special events, sponsorships? If interested, please share with Janelle Long, Executive Director, at jlong@hawkridge.org or 218-428-6209.

Board of Directors/Committee Members (ongoing, year-round)

The Hawk Ridge Board of Directors and various committees (research, education, stewardship, fundraising) are made up of volunteers and all play an important role in organizational oversight and planning. The board and committee volunteers work with staff in implementing strategies and goals to put our mission in action. Board and committees meet approximately 4-6 times per year with members committing additional time on related tasks/projects. If you’re interested in serving on the board or one of our committees, please reach out to both Janelle Long, Executive Director, at jlong@hawkridge.org and Jim Sanders, Board Chair, at jsanders@hawkridge.org

Does volunteering with Hawk Ridge sound exciting?? It is! Thank you to all of our Hawk Ridge Volunteers for your time and talent! Contact us at 218-428-6209 or volunteer@hawkridge.org for more information.