Black Birders Week 2025 runs today thru May 31 with the theme "The Sparrow Family."
The annual week is organized by “The Black AF In STEM Collective” – a group which “seeks to support, uplift, and amplify Black Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics professionals in natural resources and the environment through professional development, career connection, and community engagement.”
This year's Black Birders Week Bird Theme of the Sparrow Family reflects the resilient, adaptive, and thriving aspects of this bird species. Often dismissed as "little brown birds," sparrows symbolize adaptability and community — qualities that deeply resonate with the Black community.
The theme seeks to foster a deeper connection to nature and a more inclusive birding community, celebrating the vital contributions of both sparrows and Black birders to the future of conservation.
Black Birds Week is supported by the National Audubon Society.
The annual event was founded in the late spring of 2020 by a group of Black-identifying birder, under the group Black AF in STEM, which includes birders, herpers (or herpetologists), scientists, and more.
From coast to coast, outdoor enthusiasts flocked to a group chat to discuss a potential week celebrating and honoring Black birders. The week was established due to the lack of representation in the outdoor space.
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