“I’ve never met a black bird watcher before!”

Biologist, author, and birder John C. Robinson says he’s heard that a lot over the years. It got him wondering why there were so few minorities involved with birding. It’s a topic he explores in his new book Birding for Everyone, Encouraging People of Color to Become Birdwatchers.

John has recently donated signed copies of his new book to the Celebrate Urban Birds project at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. 

During a recent lecture at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Robinson said he believes future efforts to conserve the environment hinge on getting minority and inner-city communities more engaged with the natural world. He points out that in another couple of generations, minority populations collectively will be the majority. If they care about nature and the environment, then they will elect public officials who share that concern.

To set things in motion, Robinson has started the Birding for Everyone Foundation – an initiative to deliver one million free copies of his book, Birding for Everyone, to inner city and minority youth or young adults.

Watch this video to learn more about how Robinson got hooked on science and bird watching along with the importance of having mentors and role models to spread an appreciation of nature to new audiences.

 To learn more about Birding for Everyone, visit Robinson’s web site

As John says on his web site:

"An environmental advocate, John's mission is to encourage all people, especially minorities, to learn about the natural world. Deeply concerned about the lack of participation by minorities in outdoor recreation activities, John works with non-profit organizations to increase minority interest in bird watching in hopes that involvement will give people a reason to protect the environment through nature conservation in the future."

"Birding for Everyone: Encouraging People of Color to Become Birdwatchers" describes John's own history as a birder, offers advice for others to get started in birding, gives birding tips, and comments on the racial divide in birding and conservation in the chapter,"Guess who's coming to Bird?"