{"id":153,"date":"2020-11-07T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-11-07T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/weebly-import-post-153"},"modified":"2026-06-17T01:43:23","modified_gmt":"2026-06-17T01:43:23","slug":"why-do-i-like-birds-scholarship-deepens-appreciation-for-raptors","status":"publish","type":"wingbeat","link":"https:\/\/sfbbo-test.twomoons.systems\/staging\/1924\/wingbeat\/why-do-i-like-birds-scholarship-deepens-appreciation-for-raptors\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Do I Like Birds &#8211; Scholarship Deepens Appreciation for Raptors"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"paragraph\"><strong>By Guest Blogger Niza Contreras<\/strong><\/div> <div><div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-7387b849 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\"><div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\"><figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Picture\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sfbbo-test.twomoons.systems\/staging\/1924\/wp-content\/uploads\/weebly-migration\/niza-guards-face_orig.jpg?ssl=1\"\/><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\"><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u200bWhy do I like birds? I ask myself this sometimes when I reflect on the arguably strange hobby of birdwatching. But then I see a bird\u2014it doesn\u2019t matter what kind\u2014and I\u2019m reminded why millions of people have fallen in love with birding. Birds are incredibly complex and simply beautiful all in one. They are such a diverse group of fascinating and often flat-out adorable creatures, that the answer to \u201cwhy?\u201d feels pretty much like a given. I like birds because they make me happy.<br\/><br\/>\u200bI first got into birding when I was in high school. I volunteered in the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center &#8230;<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n<!--more-->\n\n  <div class=\"paragraph\"><span>of the Peninsula Humane Society and SPCA, and through the work of caring for baby songbirds, injured raptors, and recovering seabirds, I began to recognize different species. It started with the first Black-Eyed Junco I identified outside my house in San Francisco. Seeing a bird and being able to give it a name was an incredible feeling. And I wanted to learn more.<\/span><br\/><br\/>I have always had a soft spot for raptors, and I enjoy spotting them perched on telephone poles or soaring in the sky. Through SFBBO\u2019s Diurnal Raptor ID Workshop, and with Alvaro incredible knowledge of birds, I have gained a deeper appreciation for the complexity of raptor species. Not only do I know the morphological differences between a Cooper\u2019s and Sharp-Shinned Hawk (although I need more practice before I can successful identify either), but I also understand how juvenal hawks can be different from adults, and males from females, within the same species.<br\/>\u00a0<br\/>As a scientist, and a detail-loving individual, I found this workshop a perfect balance between specific, intricate bird features and key takeaways for identifying a specific species. I am excited to get to the point in my birding journey where I can remember all of the details without checking my notes, but in the meantime, I have Alvaro\u2019s tip and tricks to help me along.<br\/>\u00a0<br\/>I am so grateful for everyone who donated to the scholarship fund that allowed me to participate in this raptor workshop. And of course, thank you to Alvaro and Sirena for leading and organizing the classes over Zoom. It is wonderful to learn from people who love what they\u2019re teaching, and I look forward to sharing more meaningful experiences with the SFBBO community!<br\/><br\/><em><strong><span style=\"color:rgb(34, 34, 34)\">Niza Contreras (she\/her) is a recent graduate from Stanford University with a B.S. in Earth Systems, interested in pursing marine conservation and resource management.<\/span><\/strong><\/em><br\/><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By Guest Blogger Niza Contreras<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":1230,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"nf_dc_page":""},"class_list":["post-153","wingbeat","type-wingbeat","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.0 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Why Do I Like Birds - Scholarship Deepens Appreciation for Raptors - San Fransisco Bay Bird Observatory<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/sfbbo-test.twomoons.systems\/staging\/1924\/wingbeat\/why-do-i-like-birds-scholarship-deepens-appreciation-for-raptors\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Why Do I Like Birds - 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