Birding Poetry and Power: Black Birders Week

About the Facilitator

Indigo Goodson-Fields is a poet, writer and birder based in Brooklyn. She served as a New York Birding Consultant on the For the Birds exhibition committee at Brooklyn Botanic Gardens. Indigo is featured on an episode of Always Be Birdin’ and The Brian Lehrer Show.

Objective

Nature is for the birds! In this community bird walk, participants will become familiar with our local “backyard birds” and migratory birds and be able to identify them with sight and sound. This walking workshop will allow us to discuss community and bird behavior across themes of migration, symbolism, and more.

Each walk will end with a moment of reflection and journaling in response to a writing prompt provided by the artist.

May Prompt:

House Sparrows, formerly known as English Sparrows, were intentionally introduced by European Americans to Brooklyn 1851. By the late 1870s New Yorkers were complaining about their population increase and today they are considered an “invasive species” and hold a negative connotation amongst many birders, in part because they are a nonnative species. Black Americans were trafficked from Africa to the U.S. by European Americans up until the 1860s. Reflect on the Black American experience in the U.S., the roots of anti-Blackness and the importance of Black centered community spaces.

Birding Resources for May’s prompt:

• All About the Birds – House Sparrow
• Following the trail of horse droppings
• Brooklyn Bird Watch

Whats Included

• Shared binoculars

What to Bring

• Binoculars (suggested)

Disclaimer

Some trails will be wheelchair accessible and some will not. We will state the event route in each description. Please see route description below.

Route Description: The path is paved road with optional curbed sidewalk access. There is a slight incline and optional dirt and grass areas on route. The route is approximately 1.5 miles and there will be opportunities to rest and bathroom access.

**You will receive an email with location details 2 days prior to the program.