by Olivia Bautch

Note to teen readers: Sorry for butchering your slang.

If you’re a Millennial or older attempting to decode all the recent “skibidi,” “6-7” and “low-key rizz” it means one thing—a new generation is upon us.

By this point, the country has collectively seen one of the most positive impacts of Covid-19 in the unexpected rise of birders, young and old. Though, most surprisingly, the hobby traditionally of “old white males” has taken Gen Z and Gen Alpha by storm. Just scroll the over 626 thousand #birding and #birdwatching reels on TikTok for avian humor, ID tips, and virtual tours.

In 2014, Bill Murphy, one of several ABAS editors before me, expressed concern for the state of youth in the pastime: “Many folks have remarked on the near absence of today’s young people from bird clubs, state ornithological societies, and bird conservation organizations.” My, how things have changed! 

The young birders of today are stepping into a completely different ecosystem than the 2000’s-era Zillennials and Millennials before them. Mystery birds can not only be identified at the tap of a screen, but with Shazam-like song ID, photo ID, and reporting has never been easier. Feeder bird candids ping on your smartphone or watch, with rare bird chats on Discord and other social platforms. But with every reel inviting users to “come birding with me” is the temptation to glance at a screen instead of the sky.

It’s been said that today’s youth have a more difficult world to navigate than we did, and that’s without talking climate and environmental degradation like the continued push for data centers across the state. 

What does Central Indiana’s new flock of young birders have to say about all this? I’m glad you asked! It’s time we introduce ABAS readers to several of these tween and teen bird lovers.

Lilianna Kennedy – Junior High – Hamilton County

I’m Lilianna Kennedy, a 13-year-old birder from Hamilton County. I’ve loved birds ever since I learned what a House Sparrow was, but I started birding the summer of 2024 with my dad on a road trip to Florida. My personal favorite is the Northern Shrike, a songbird that hunts songbirds. I try to help the birds through citizen science such as eBird and letting other people know about the threats these birds face, such as window collisions and light pollution. 

If I had one message for the decision-makers, I’d remind them how precious birds are to us and the ecosystem, and that a few simple changes could change their fates, such as regulating light pollution and educating people on window collisions. Thank you for giving me this opportunity to introduce myself to the birder world. I’m excited to meet other young birders and learn more about the birds around us.

Anonymous Birder – High School – Marion County

I’m a 15-year-old birder from Indianapolis. Though I’ve been interested in nature for as long as I can remember, a trip to Eagle Creek Park in the summer of 2024 with a community member ignited my interest, so I soon got my own pair of binoculars. Since then, I have only learned more through observation (I take my binoculars everywhere), research (mainly from the Cornell Lab and Audubon), and learning from experts (they’ve helped me with many tough IDs).

Unfortunately, this passion has also shown me how much birds are in danger. In my neighborhood, I see how noise, light pollution, and deforestation in the name of progress harm native wildlife, such as the local Great-horned and Barred Owls. 

One of my many great birding memories was wading through a creek with my friend and hearing the flute-like songs of Wood Thrushes, a sound I’ll never forget. I hope to have many more experiences like that, meeting new birds and birders. Though these moments feel perfect, as nothing could mar them, the fact that all of these habitats are under threat brings me to action. If I could speak directly to a decision maker, I would tell them that these places bring people an indescribable feeling that cannot be replaced by anything else.

Manny Majorins – High School – Marion County

My name is Manny Majorins, I’m a freshman in high school and an avid birder. Originally from California, I was sparked into birding through frequent experiences with California Scrub-Jays and White-Crowned Sparrows in my backyard. I moved to Marion County, Indiana seven years ago, where I started birding with others around Indianapolis.

When I’m not birding, I can be found listening to bird podcasts and illustrating birds. I don’t often find opportunities to go birding with other young birders but have made several connections with young birders around the country. One of my favorite places to go birding is the Montrose Point Bird Sanctuary in Chicago, Illinois. This preserve is a key sanctuary for the threatened Piping Plovers who, like many other birds, suffer from urban threats. Living in a city myself, I am experienced in observing the challenges that migratory birds face, like window strikes and feral cats. I believe that we need to work hard to conserve unaltered wild habitats for North American birds.

I myself have written and illustrated several children’s books promoting the conservation of birds. I have also been working with the Indiana Audubon Society for the past few months to start monthly young birder walks and revive the young birder community in Indiana.

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Do you remember when Amos Butler last mentioned the previous generation of young birders? That was back in 2018, when our newsletter came in print. 

Did you know that many of these former youth are still involved with our local birding community? Nick Kiehl and Jonathan Bontrager lead walks and programs for us, and you know Aidan Rominger from the Ornithology Center. Further abroad Matthias Benko started a birding club in Bloomington and now works in environmental protection, and Landon Neumann is on a Ph.D. track in Ecology. Though a few years younger than the other guys, we helped send Matthew Krohn to National Audubon’s Hog Island Camp. He’s now at university, also for natural science, like several other faces you’ve surely seen on the trail and on social.

The point I make is that social experiences in teen and tween years can make or break where youth take their passions and interests in college and beyond. That’s why we at Amos Butler Audubon Society support the creation of programs like the Indiana Young Birder’s Network (IYBN) that instill these positive experiences for youth in community. 

We know in our region there’s a lot more of you where these three young birders came from. If you or someone you know wants to grow in birding skill and community, you’re in luck: IYBN and Eagle Creek Park are pairing up for first Saturday Young Birders Outings, and the first one is April 4 at 10am!

Lilianna standing in the woods with a Mule Deer behind her. Courtesy of Lilianna Kennedy.

Manny with art supplies and a recently completed Bufflehead watercolor. Courtesy of Manny Majorins.