About The RBA
Welcome to the Rochester Birding Association!
The Rochester Birding Association (RBA) is for all people interested in birdwatching in the Rochester area. We bring together people at all levels of knowledge and experience. We were established as a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit in 1987 with a focus on education and birdwatching in the birds’ natural environment. The RBA provides opportunities for birders to expand their skills, meet others who share their interest in birds, and see more species throughout the upstate New York area.
We schedule 50 + field trips during the year. The dates and habitats are chosen to highlight the birds of the season. Some of the trips are specifically designed for new birdwatchers. The locations range from parks in downtown Rochester (Cobbs Hill, Highland Park) to the suburbs (Braddock Bay, Mendon Ponds) and more distant places (Montezuma NWR, Hamlin Beach State Park, Niagara River).
We hold monthly meetings where we have speakers on various bird-related topics. In addition, we review birds currently in the area, field trip results, and noteworthy sightings. At each meeting, there is also an opportunity to socialize with fellow birders over refreshments.
We have a monthly newsletter, the Little Gull, which features upcoming events like field trips, monthly general membership meetings and special events like regional bird counts, as well as social events: our winter dinner, June picnic, and Birds and Brews happy hour events. Several pages of each issue are devoted to field trip reports. Bird statistics for the previous month are presented in a summary to place them in context. When there’s a conservation topic to explore, we provide coverage in depth. Finally, our President writes a monthly column. The Little Gull is available as a full color PDF file sent via e-mail, or as a B&W printed copy sent by mail.
