Leading Bird Walks: Indianapolis Workshop

Learn how to keep a bird walk moving smoothly and enjoyably for every participant. We meet at 9 a.m. ET inside the Fort Harrison State Park Visitor Center for an interactive hour on planning, group dynamics, pacing, safety, and guiding tools. We'll spend the next 90-120 minutes outdoors, rotating into the lead and receiving real-time coaching, so you leave ready to guide bird walks for Indiana Audubon or your local parks.

Attentive guides notice how the group is feeling, keep encouragement flowing, and describe each bird so clearly that every pair of binoculars finds it. This workshop sharpens those skills through hands-on practice, and once you complete it you'll be eligible for Indiana Audubon leader stipends if you later lead your first outings with us as a new guide.

This free session, presented in partnership with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, is one of three statewide Leading Bird Walks workshops: Bloomington (July 20), Indiana Dunes (Aug. 16), and Indianapolis (Sept. 6). Choose the location that fits your schedule and grow your skills alongside first-time and advancing bird walk leaders.

Your instructor is Sarah Barnes, Indiana Dunes Project Owlnet Coordinator for Indiana Audubon. Sarah bands Northern Saw-whet Owls at the Dunes station each fall, guides field trips at the Indiana Dunes Birding Festival, and brings a field-biologist background that includes research on Dark-eyed Juncos in California and Mountain and Western Bluebirds in Montana. Her passion is helping people connect with birds through hands-on experiences.

Standard Indiana State Park entry fees are required for entry, and are $7 for Indiana residents, $12 for non-residents, and free with an annual entrance permit.

The workshop is free with park admission, but registration is required and capped at 25 participants. If your plans change, please let us know so someone else can attend.

Fort Harrison State Park's Visitor Center offers accessible parking directly in front of the building, and the entrance is flat with no stairs. Restrooms inside are ADA accessible. We'll explore the park's flat to gently rolling natural-surface trails, with the route and pace chosen on the day to suit the group. For more trail accessibility details, contact the Visitor Center at 317-591-0904.

Email [email protected] or call 765-205-1255 with any questions about this event. If you require accommodations to participate, contact us as early as possible; while we may not be able to meet every request, we will make every reasonable effort to do so.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Fort Harrison State Park Visitor Center, 1-33 Otis Avenue, Indianapolis, United States