COS Needs You!
COS has been around for over a hundred years now, but the only way it will reach its next hundred is with people dedicated to getting it there. We need you! As an all volunteer organization, COS is only as strong as the many people who help us achieve our mission.
Have skills you’d like to offer? Great!
Don’t know what you have to offer but still want to help? Great!
Whether you can swing a few hours or a few minutes a week, we want to hear from you. Shoot us an email at chicagobirder@gmail.com to get involved. Listed below are some of the teams that need help but is by no means an exhaustive list of roles or ways to get involved:
Communications Team
The communications team manages COS’s web based tools and communications including the website, blog, social media, e-blasts, and our flagship publication The Chicago Birder Magazine. Do you love to write, share photos, or ban Facebook spam bots? Then look no further! This team is seeking:
an Assistant Editor
writers for The Chicago Birder Magazine and blog
social media assitant
Fundraising Committee
The fundraising team develops and executes a variety of strategies to help fund COS’s important work and rapidly growing initiatives. From online fundraisers, to swag, to full blown birder parties, nothing is too big or small when it comes to funding bird conservation. This team is seeking:
planning team members, summer LaBagh/Conservation fundraiser
Field Trip Committee
The field trip committee plans and run birding trips throughout the Chicago region, and sometimes beyond. Their work involves the coordination with partners, land managers, and trip leaders to ensure top notch birding experiences for birders of all levels. If you have a spot (or several) that you like to go birding and are excited to share your joy of birding with other eager birders, then this is the team for you! This team is seeking:
an Assistant Committee Chair
field trip leaders
LaBagh Woods Team
The LaBagh Woods team runs the massive operation that is stewardship and restoration of LaBagh Woods. Considered the most active volunteer stewardship group in Cook County, this team works year round to conduct bird based restoration from removing invasive species, planting native plants, monitoring, and innovating new stewardship methods. This team is seeking:
stewardship day volunteers and monitors
Chicago Nighthawk Project Team
The newest of COS’s project teams, the Chicago Nighthawk Project focusses on monitoring the rapidly declining Common Nighthawk. While new, this team is already hard at work collecting accurate data to inform conservation decisions and help prevent further loss of and bring back this enigmatic aerial insectivore. This team is seeking:
summer nighthawk monitors
Calumet Team
The Calumet team oversees the various bird conservation projects, programs and activities focused on the parks and preserves in the Calumet region. This team is in need of help advancing its newly minted Calumet Initiative and Master plan. You can learn a bit more about their work here.
Have questions or are ready to jump in? Contact us at chicagobirder@gmail.com to get started! To learn more about COS’s mission and the many teams/committees that help drive it, visit our About page.
We look forward to connecting with you and guiding COS through another century of being Chicagoland’s premier birding and bird conservation organization.