Birding University: Advancing Your Curriculum
Curated content, courses, and cohorts: A preview of BU's paid tiers
Welcome to the next chapter of your birding journey. Whether you’ve been with Birding University since day one or just joined us last week, we’re truly grateful to have you here. Your enthusiasm, feedback, and shared passion for birds have inspired us to keep growing—toward something bigger, more dynamic, and more connected than ever.
To our paid subscribers: thank you. Your early belief in this vision has laid the foundation for everything that comes next.
This issue is a little different. We’re stepping back from our usual programming to do three things: warmly welcome new readers with a brief overview of our educational ecosystem, thank our earliest supporters, and share a sneak peek of what’s coming soon—including new features designed exclusively for the paid tiers.
If you're wondering what Birding University is becoming, or considering taking that next step with us, this preview is for you.
What Is Birding University?
Birding University exists to help people become better birders—through sharper skills, deeper awareness, and stronger community values. We connect birding to what matters most: the thrill of learning, the urgency of conservation, and the importance of equity and justice. Through our Substack, social media, and an eventual website, we’re building an ecosystem that supports birders of all backgrounds and experience levels.
If you’ve been with us since our very first newsletter, you already know our goal: to build an evolving, high-quality content and learning space that meets people wherever they are in their birding journey. A place where bird identification, biology, research, conservation, gardening, ethics, and community all share the same big table—rooted in curiosity, inclusion, and a deep respect for birds and the people who love them; a place grounded in shared values of:
Curiosity over competition
Stewardship over status
Inclusion over gatekeeping
Respect for all skill levels and identities
We believe birding is for everyone, and we’re 100% committed to breaking down barriers and encouraging everyone to be their best birding self—free from stigma or obstacles.
Who Are Your Educators?
Birding University is powered by a small, dedicated team of ornithologists, birders, educators, and close friends who together bring more than 60 years of birding experience. We’re deeply passionate about birds, conservation, building equitable communities, and sharing what we’ve learned to give back.
Alongside our lives as partners, parents, and professionals, we devote much of our free time to this project—because we truly believe in its value. Thank you for trusting us with your learning journey.
Steven Lamonde is a New Hampshire–based ecologist, naturalist, and educator with a lifelong passion for birds. He brings a wide range of teaching experience to Birding University, from elementary biodiversity lessons to graduate courses on wildlife inventory and advanced spatial analysis.
Outside the classroom, Steven works as an ecological consultant, helping communities and landowners understand and conserve their natural resources—efforts that have shaped conservation plans across dozens of towns and over 50,000 acres of land.
He serves on the boards of two local land trusts and volunteers as a data reviewer for both eBird and iNaturalist. Steven holds an M.S. in Conservation Biology, and his academic work focuses on bird habitats, distribution, conservation, and community science.
Will Stollsteimer is a skilled birder, science communicator, and project coordinator with a background in biology, environmental science, and Geographic Information Systems. His work combines field expertise with a passion for public engagement, leading bird research, education, and outreach efforts across the eastern U.S.
Will has partnered with state agencies, nonprofits, and volunteer networks to advance bird conservation through community science. He’s managed large-scale monitoring projects, created training materials for observers, and led engaging talks and workshops for birders of all levels.
His interests include ecosystem dynamics, data visualization, and strengthening the connection between people and the natural world. Will holds an M.S. in Conservation Biology, with a focus on species habitat modeling. Through his writing for Birding University, he aims to make birding more accessible, impactful, and fun.
Chad Witko is a nationally recognized birder and ornithologist with deep expertise in bird identification, biology, and distribution. Since 2004, he has worked on avian research, conservation, and education projects across the U.S., with a focus on migratory species.
Chad has led bird-focused programs nationwide for over 20 years—educating thousands through cruises, bird walks, talks, and workshops. His expertise has been featured by NPR, USA Today, The Weather Channel, Vox, Martha Stewart, The Spruce, and the American Birding Podcast.
He serves as an eBird reviewer, sits on the Vermont Bird Records Committee, and advises BirdNote as a science expert. Chad holds an M.S. in Conservation Biology, with research interests in taxonomy, migration, vagrancy, and seabirds—but above all, he’s passionate about building equitable communities through birds.
What You Get with a Free Subscription
At Birding University, we believe in delivering valuable, high-quality content that supports your growth as a birder—whether you’re just getting started or have decades of experience.
Free subscribers receive weekly content designed to deepen skills, sharpen awareness, and strengthen your connection to birds and the natural world.
Each issue features recurring elements like This Week in Birding History and a hands-on Birding Tip—grounding your learning in both tradition and practice. You’ll also find a rotating deep dive that explores core areas of birding education:
Bird Identification & Ecology
Birding Practice & Technique
Community & Conservation
Birds & Nature
Avian Life History
Travelogues
Product & Book Reviews
Stories & Tales
As Birding University continues to grow, our delivery cadence or content may evolve. Nevertheless, the same valuable insights will still arrive in your inbox every week.
Free posts will stay available for six months before moving behind a paywall, steadily building a rich library of birding content that makes a paid membership more valuable over time.
What’s Coming for Paid Subscribers
We’re excited to introduce two exclusive newsletters crafted just for our paid subscribers. The first will launch in September 2025, with the second in January 2026. These new offerings represent an important step forward for Birding University—designed to respect your time, fuel your curiosity, and deepen your impact in the birding community.
1) Bird’s Eye View: Periodic Curated Content/Research Summaries
We’re bringing back Bird’s Eye View—formerly part of our free newsletters—as a new, expanded edition curated exclusively for paid subscribers. To better reflect the breadth of content we want to share, Bird’s Eye View will remain flexible in its format.
This is your fast-track guide to the birding world, featuring curated links alongside short, expanded insights. Expect highlights from the latest peer-reviewed research, conservation breakthroughs, standout moments in birding media, and must-read stories.
Think of it as your radar—keeping you informed, inspired, and ready to take action, whether that means sharpening your skills, supporting important causes, or sharing a great find with others.
2) BU Study Series: A Guided Course in Monthly Installments
We’re also offering a fresh, in-depth experience delivered monthly as part of your subscription. Each quarter of the year centers on a theme—like warbler identification, bird photography, or creating bird-friendly spaces—with lessons that build progressively over three months:
Month 1: 201 level (Beginner)
Month 2: 301 level (Intermediate)
Month 3: 401 level (Advanced)
Each lesson is a standalone deep dive delivered as a newsletter, so you can jump in at any time without feeling behind. Foundational topics—like Binoculars 101—will continue to be published in our free newsletters.
Our paid lessons offer more detailed insights, hands-on guidance, and the opportunity to learn alongside a growing community of birders. If you’ve enjoyed our free content but have been craving deeper, more robust material, these new offerings are made just for you.
Best of all, you’ll help shape what comes next. Through periodic polls and our course-themed chats, your curiosity will guide the direction of future course topics released each quarter.
Speaking of which, every course includes a private chat space where you can connect with fellow learners and BU educators—ask questions, share sightings, and grow your birding knowledge in a welcoming, supportive environment.
Founding Members Tier
To our Founding Supporters: thank you—deeply and sincerely. Your belief in Birding University has made this next chapter possible.
As a Founding Member, you’ll receive full access to all content—both free and paid—along with exclusive sessions where you can ask questions, build your skills, and connect with a community of like-minded birders.
You’ll also receive a complimentary Birding University vinyl logo sticker as a small token of our appreciation.
What Comes Next
Birding University is growing, and we’re excited to grow alongside you. Whether you’re a casual backyard birder or deep into your life list, there’s a place for you here.
To our paid subscribers—thank you. We can’t wait to dive into our upcoming paid content.
To our free readers curious about upgrading, we hope this glimpse shows what’s possible with your support. If you’re still undecided, no rush—we’ll continue sharing sneak peeks of paid content to help you make the choice. And if you never join our paid tiers, that’s okay too; we’re committed to offering the best free content we can, while keeping it fun and engaging.
We’re three humble birders, researchers, and educators committed to creating content that’s welcoming, educational, and community-centered. If you’re enjoying BU, please consider sharing this with a friend or forwarding it to your local bird club or community group.
With gratitude and excitement,
The Birding University Team
Steven Lamonde, Will Stollsteimer, and Chad Witko
Please visit Phil Stollsteimer Photography for more amazing bird photography.