February 2026

Bird Town PA is Awarded a DCNR Grant:

Support for our Bird Town Conservation Projects

We're excited to share that we've been awarded a matching $26,700 Community Conservation Partnerships Program (C2P2) Grant from the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. These funds will be used to provide 30 $1000 mini-grants for Bird Towns to conduct community-based projects and support 2 in-person regional Bird Town Clutch meetings per Clutch!! The Board will begin working on the mini-grant process and organizing 2026 Clutch meetings for 2026! We're off to an excellent start in 2026 to support your work!

National Fish and Wildlife Foundation 2025 Award

BIRD SAFE PHILLY

Delaware Watershed Conservation Fund

On Wednesday, February 4, 2026, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) announced its 2025 grant awards for the Delaware Watershed Conservation Fund. Bird Safe Philly and the Wildlife Management Institute (WMI) are recipients of a grant entitled, “Increasing connectivity for migratory birds in the Delaware watershed by reducing bird collisions”. This three-year grant will provide nearly $500,000 to Bird Safe Philly and partner efforts to educate and mitigate for bird collisions with glass through 2028. More than one billion birds are estimated to die from bird collision with glass each year in the United States. Nearly half of all bird collisions occur with homes and buildings that are four stories or less. The grant will fund projects at nature and environmental education centers, public libraries, and other selected sites to make these buildings bird-safe and to educate communities about bird collisions and encourage action at their homes and workplaces.

This grant builds on Bird Safe Philly's five-year achievement of supporting retrofit projects at various sites such as Sister Cities Café in Logan Circle, Briar Bush Nature Center, Pennypack Ecological Restoration Trust, Pennypack and Wissahickon Environmental Education Centers, Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education, Fox Chase Farm, Andorra Public Library, and Springside Chestnut Hill Academy. The WMI cited Bird Safe Philly’s work as a key component that aligned with NFWF’s Delaware Watershed Conservation Fund strategic program area priorities. Key leaders of Bird Safe Philly worked closely with WMI to develop the successful grant proposal.

The grant will support and expand "Lights Out Philly," now celebrating its fifth year with over 200 buildings participating in the greater Philadelphia area and New Jersey. This program encourages buildings to turn off or reduce exterior lighting at night during spring and fall migration. Scientists have documented that lights attract migratory birds into highly illuminated urban and suburban areas where they are at increased risk for collision.

Bird Safe Philly will work with key partners in Philadelphia, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery Counties. The three Audubon Chapters—Honey Hollow Nature Center, Liberty Bird Alliance, and Valley Forge Audubon Society—are key contacts. Additionally, nearly sixty Bird Town Pennsylvania municipalities will play a vital role as we develop an application process to prioritize buildings for retrofit projects over the next three years.

Bird Safe Philly is a coalition of the Academy of Natural Sciences, Audubon MidAtlantic, Delaware Valley Ornithological Club, Liberty Bird Alliance, and the Valley Forge Audubon Society, formed in response to a mass collision event on October 2, 2020, where over 1,500 migratory birds were killed during fall migration in the city of Philadelphia. This all-volunteer partnership aims to understand and prevent bird collisions around the greater Philadelphia region through collision monitoring, Lights Out, Bird Safe Schools and retrofitting projects. The Wildlife Management Institute, founded in 1911, is a private, not for profit (501(c)(3)), scientific, and educational organization dedicated to the conservation, enhancement, and professional management of North America's wildlife and other natural resources. For more information or follow up to this press release, contact Leigh Altadonna and Stephanie Egger at Bird Safe Philly, birdsafephilly@gmail.com; and Angela Tringali, The Wildlife Management Institute at Atringali@wildlifemgt.org. More information about Bird Safe Philly can be found at our website: www.birdsafephilly.org.

Chapter Network for Advocacy and Conservation

CHAPTER NETWORKING FOR CONSERVATION

The Pennsylvania Audubon Council Chapter Network for Conservation webinar took place at 7:00 PM on Tuesday, January 27, 2026. We received an update from Arly Henniger- Voss from Defenders of Wildlife on the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Arly outlined the challenges in Congress that loom ahead and the need for everyone’s voice to defend the ESA. We also heard from Jim Brown, AMA Policy Director, and N. Scott Parkhill, AMA Senior Forest Program Manager and their proposal to have the Scarlet Tanager named Pennsylvania’s official “Migratory Bird” to help underscore the need to protect Pennsylvania’s forests. Tess Wilson. Network Engagement Manager, Audubon MidAtlantic, and Leigh Altadonna, Pennsylvania Audubon Council, provided a PowerPoint on how chapters can use the new Audubon membership reports as a tool to identify individuals that have an interest in advocacy.

Official Launch of the Pennsylvania Audubon Council Advocacy and Conservation Network “Google Group”

The Pennsylvania Audubon Council Advocacy and Conservation Network “Google Group” is officially launched! This will serve as a principal communication tool to reach key leaders and conservation or advocacy chairs to provide alerts on conservation issues and action. This becomes the most efficient way to send out information especially when the lead time for action is very short. Each chapter and conservation partner designate one or two individuals to participate in the Conservation Google Group. There is still time to participate and add the contact information for your chapter to participate in the Council’s Conservation Google Group.

The Pennsylvania Audubon Council’s “Advocacy and Conservation Committee” will be a key source of information and direction concerning our Conservation issues of Highest Priority. This Committee includes: Liz Brensinger, Lehigh Valley Audubon Society; Laura Jackson, Juniata Valley Audubon Society; Perri Strawn, Delaware Valley Ornithological Club; and Nilesh Shah, Liberty Bird Alliance. Leigh Altadonna, Pennsylvania Audubon Council and Tess Wilson, Chapter Network Specialist, Audubon MidAtlantic will participate with this committee.

Working to Protect the Endangered Species Act

We have learned that direct contact with members of Congress is the most effective way to voice support for conservation issues. We have underscored that direct communication from constituents carry the most weight in our conservation efforts. This can include emails and telephone calls to your Congressional representatives. We have shared that this personal contact works for your state senators and representatives as well. It is understood that in most instances you will most likely speak with a legislative aide and not directly to your elected representative. Nonetheless, this is the most effective way to express your concerns and direct the action you request in support of your position. You can find the contact information for your elected officials on the Pennsylvania Audubon Council website.

Consider organizing an “in-person” meeting at your Congressional District Office to voice your support of the Endangered Species Act! Arly Henniger- Voss from Defenders of Wildlife has provided background material and information that is on the Council website for your reference. While this information is important, please note that your personal stories of birds and the need to protect them can be very compelling. A delegation of constituents from the first Congressional District met with Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick’s Legislative Aide earlier this year. The visit was coordinated by PennEnvironment’s Stephanie Wein. Each of us had a few moments to share our personal stories about birds and the environment. Vinobha Karthik Panner Selvam, President of Bucks County Birders, underscored the importance of his members for protecting birds and their habitats. Leigh Altadonna, representing the Liberty Bird Alliance, noted that his chapter’s territory includes members who reside in portions of the first Congressional District. Leigh profiled the remarkable success of the Endangered Species Act in the recovery of the Bald Eagle in Pennsylvania. Leigh and Vin extended an invitation to take the Congressman to Peace Valley Park to see Bald Eagles that now breed in Bucks County. Others in our delegation shared similar personal experiences that reflect on the importance of protecting the Endangered Species Act. We believe our visit was critical in Congressman Fitzpatrick’s subsequent vote in opposition to the “Bobert Bill” that removed ESA protections for the Gray Wolf! We will need more efforts like this to address the challenges that lie ahead for the ESA!

Council News and Updates

Bird Habitat Recognition Program Update

The Pennsylvania Audubon Council has authorized the changes to the Bird Habitat Recognition Program that were recommended in December by the chapters and Bird Town “clutch” meetings. Our friends at Function & Flow will make it possible for applications submitted by Pennsylvania State Parks, County Parks, and Land Trusts to be processed without an “application fee!” This request has come from several of the chapters enrolled in the program.

Another important change relates to the participation of properties in Environmental Justice Communities. Function & Flow is making the adjustments required in our application system for these properties so they will not be assessed the application fee. This will make it possible for our participating chapters to organize a targeted outreach to “EJ” communities to participate in the program. We have had a pledge from an anonymous donor to make a significant contribution to the Council to underwrite this change in the BHR Program.

Lastly, we will move ahead to have the BHR website and the “rack cards” available in Spanish. This is of particular interest and importance for several of our Bird Towns as selected EJ communities are predominately Latino in composition. Once available we propose to work with selected chapters and Bird Towns to pilot targeted outreach to these communities!

WALT POMEROY CONSERVATION AWARD

A Call for Nominations for 2026

This is the official call for nominations of worthy individuals for the Pennsylvania Audubon Council Walt Pomeroy Conservation Award. The nomination window will be open through May 31, 2026. The Council Executive Committee will review the nominations and a selection for the Pennsylvania Audubon Council Walt Pomeroy Conservation Award will be announced. The award is in the form of a framed print with a commemorative plaque. The print is “Return to Penn’s Woods,” a beautiful depiction of a Peregrine Falcon perched on a branch overlooking the Susquehanna River. The Lycoming Audubon Society donated the print, which is attractively framed and features a commemorative plaque funded by the Council’s “Walt Pomeroy Fund.” It has been our tradition to present the award in an informal basis at a chapter designated location or event. The award has been presented in simple ceremonies and not intended to be given as a part of a fundraising event.

The Pennsylvania Audubon Council Executive Committee reinaugurated its conservation award in 2022 in honor of Walt Pomeroy, a great friend of Audubon. Additional background and information about the history of the award and Walt Pomeroy can be found on the Council website. We encourage chapters to consider submitting a nomination for this recognition. The link to the nomination form can be found here:

PENNSYLVANIA AUDUBON COUNCIL FACEBOOK PAGE!

Share Your Chapter’s Highlights

The Pennsylvania Audubon Council has a Facebook Page that is available for the public to view. Permission to post to the Council Facebook is restricted but we provide access to individuals from chapters to share chapter Facebook posts with the Council. We look to share their Facebook posts about upcoming chapter programs and events. We encourage posts that document chapter activities like field trips, community outreach, educational programs, and similar items. Chapter newsletter editors, webmasters, social media captains, officers, or others may request permission to post through our Facebook. Please take the time to request access! We want our Facebook to demonstrate the vibrancy and breadth of the work our chapters are doing! Send Facebook access requests to paauduboncouncil@gmail.com.