The Sacramento Valley is in the Great Pacific Flyway, the bird migration route from Alaska to Mexico. In Sacramento, you can see about 250 species of birds. The Sacramento Audubon Society organizes birding-watching trips that go north to Sacramento Wildlife Refuge, east to the Sierra foothills and mountains, south to the San Joaquin River delta, and west to the Pacific Ocean. There are trips every weekend and often during weekdays. There is no cost for these trips, and one does not have to be a member of SAS to participate. Trip leaders volunteer over 1,200 hours to share their knowledge of the local birds and their habitats. Sacramento Audubon Society also offers monthly presentations of birds from other regions and countries as well as other topics of ecological research and conservation.
The society is a volunteer 501(c)(3) organization, founded in 1963. Our local Sacramento Audubon Society, while independent of National Audubon, shares the mission to conserve and restore natural ecosystems, focusing on birds and their habitats. Sacramento Audubon has built a legacy of conservation success by mobilizing its members to connect people with nature through programs and field trips. Sacramento Audubon conducts an average of 10 field trips per month, including for beginners and families, and is one of the most active chapters in the country. A major milestone was the donation by Robert Crandall of 430 acres of the Feather River floodplain as a wildlife refuge, now known as Bobelaine Sanctuary. From 1975 onward, many members of the Society have volunteered countless hours maintaining this Sanctuary. Work and advocacy by members of the Society also led to new areas being studied and conserved. These areas include Sweetwater Creek, Deer Creek Hills, Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area, and Stone Lakes. Society members have also kept track of bird sightings in various specific areas, as well as the annual Christmas Counts in several counties. This has resulted in comprehensive checklists of birds in these areas.