Volunteer Birders Needed — Make a Difference for Seabirds

Photo © Jeanne Dorn

Volunteers Jeanne Dorn and Samara Hoag conducting a survey at Tulalip Bay, 2024.

The Puget Sound Seabird Survey (PSSS) is seeking volunteers to join this long-running community science program.

Volunteers take part in seven coordinated surveys at coastal sites, conducted once per month on the first Saturday from October through April. Surveys are completed in small teams, and training is provided. While seabird identification skills are helpful, birders of all experience levels are welcome.

Now entering its 18th season, PSSS generates critical data on wintering seabirds across the Salish Sea — informing research, conservation and management decisions. Recent analysis indicates scoters, grebes and Long-tailed Ducks are in decline across our region. Help us monitor these and other key ecosystem indicator species. At a time when many wildlife monitoring programs are facing cuts, your participation is more important than ever.

By joining the program, you’ll contribute to meaningful science, collaborate with fellow birders and support partnerships with organizations such as the University of Washington and Birds Canada to better understand seabird populations across the region.

Get involved: Visit the Puget Sound Seabird Survey website. Or contact the PSSS Program Manager Toby Ross.