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I have always considered myself fortunate that my career and my passions are able to intersect, and it is a goal of mine to always connect my work to appropriate charitable organizations to encourage further interest in those same passions. It has taken some time to choose what I feel is the best charity to associate with Birds for Kids: A Junior Scientist’s Guide to Owls, Eagles, Penguins, and Other Bird Species, but finally, I’ve made that connection.

How to Connect?

I want these connections to be meaningful not only for me, but for the content of the book. Of course, the charity I selected for Birds for Kids had to have some connection to children, as well as to birds. There are many young birders groups that are amazing and worthwhile charities, but that didn’t feel quite right – such organizations often have only a very limited, regional scope, and this book is meant to reach a much more geographically broad audience in order to inspire birders from many areas.

Similarly, there are many amazing conservation organizations that do wonderful work for birds, but often, they don’t incorporate much of an overall youth component. Because of that, it didn’t quite feel right.

So where do children – ages 6-10, the general reading age of Birds for Kids – often first interact with birds and perhaps become interested in them? Where can young visitors see new and exciting birds that might inspire them to learn more about all sorts of birds?

A zoo! While captive birds may not count on a traditional life list, birding in zoos can be a great way to encourage and inspire youngsters to take more of an interest in birds. I also enjoy birding in zoos as a way to see species that might be too distant, too endangered, or too challenging for me to find in the wild, so it seemed a perfect choice.

But, which zoo? I’ve been to many across the country, each of which offers great interactions with animals and at least some bird exhibits. To make this connection, though, I wanted a zoo that has a fabulous aviary option and that participates in bird conservation work. Furthermore, I wanted to support a larger facility with greater numbers of guests, where both local residents and tourist visitors might see some amazing birds.

Now Supporting ZooMiami

One of the very best zoos I’ve had the privilege to visit, with one of the best aviaries in an amazing tourist destination, is ZooMiami. The tremendous facility is home to the Wings of Asia aviary which features one of my very favorite birds of all time – the stunning nicobar pigeon – as well as other bird exhibits showcasing birds from different parts of the world. ZooMiami is also incredibly family-friendly, with animal interactions, informative exhibits, colorful signage, broad walkways, and a very diverse collection of stunning birds and animals.

Of special note is the flamingo habitat right near the zoo’s main entrance, whihch features a live flamingo cam so you can watch these colorful and iconic Floridian birds whenever you like, from anywhere in the world.

I am pleased to now connect Birds for Kids to ZooMiami, and so long as the book remains popular and is supportive of my career, I will continue to make regular donations to the zoo so it may support future generations of birders. Keep track of the donations from Birds for Kids as well as from Migration: Exploring the Remarkable Journeys of Birds via my Birds for Books! trackers, and consider buying copies of your own, leaving reviews on Amazon, and sharing each book with other readers and birders to help support these amazing charities and the birds they help.