Birds of a Feather: AU Students Intern at Smithsonian’s Bird House
It’s an exciting time to work at the Smithsonian National Zoo’s Bird House, where more than 170 birds from more than 56 migratory bird species have a brand-new home. In March, the historic 1928 Bird House opened its doors after a six-year, $69 million redesign with three new immersive aviaries where visitors can walk among the birds in their native habitats.
The best part? Six Â鶹´«Ã½ Environmental Science students have been interning at the Bird House, working to connect visitors with these beautiful migratory birds and educating the public about what it means to live “bird-friendly lives.â€
Emma Aikin (BS Environmental Science ’25)
We've been working with the Migratory Bird Center at the new Bird House to connect people with migratory birds and other species through observation, environmental interpretation, and bird banding demonstrations.ÌýÌý
It’s been such an incredible experience to be able to observe and work with these creatures up close! One of my favorite parts is helping out with the banding demonstrations and extracting and releasing birds. It’s so special sharing my fascination with other guests and getting them excited about birds!
Zoe Swaine (BS Environmental Science ’24)
From my time working in the Bird Center, the most valuable lesson I have learned is that we can use birds to teach people greater lessons about conservation and sustainability.ÌýÌý
The goal of environmental interpretation is not to spit information from our textbooks at people, but to build connections with one another so they care about what we care about. This experience was extremely valuable for me because it improved my ability to communicate science topics to people of all ages.
Emma Spencer (Environmental Studies and Political Science Minor ’25)
At the Bird House, my fellow interns and I are working mainly in environmental interpretation, meaning that we are trying to convey conservation messages to the public in effective, engaging, and informative ways. My favorite parts of this work are establishing meaningful connections with guests, as well as the hands-on work we do involving bird banding. This internship has been such a valuable experience, as I am gaining immensely important skills in communication and conversation while also strengthening my passion for birds and the environment.
Sarah Long (BS Environmental Studies ’26)
Working at the Bird Center has been an incredibly unique opportunity in which I have studied dozens of birds, participated in bird bandings, and shared important conservation practices with Zoo guests.
My favorite part of working in the Bird House was getting to know these birds and their habits before any Zoo guests were present. As we were working in the center before it was open to the public, it was extremely valuable to have time to study these birds and learn conservation practices so that we can accurately inform guests on how to help these species.
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Victoria Ortiz (MS Biology ’24)
At the Bird Center, I’ve worked as an intern alongside some other AU students. So far, our work has consisted of learning more about environmental interpretation, conservation, and bird banding. I've had the opportunity to interact with a lot of Bird Center visitors too, which has been very interesting. Overall, I think that being at the Bird Center has been a very valuable experience for me because I have really enjoyed learning new things about local migratory birds and being able to talk to others about what I have learned.
Alexis Ellis (MS Environmental Science ’26)
The Bird House has been closed for about six years so being able to be a part of the grand opening has been extraordinary. The staff, especially our supervisor, Brian, have been so welcoming and patient when it comes to teaching. Through this internship, I have been able to study the migratory path of birds, set up mist-netting sites, and participate in bird banding demos. Most of the time during our shift you can find me and the other interns educating the public about what it means to live bird friendly.