In spring 2020, Christian Cooper was birdwatching in New York City’s Central Park when a white woman called the police on him, an African American man. The incident brought into stark relief the troubling perceptions that so many of us hold about which hobbies are appropriate for which racial and ethnic groups. Out of solidarity for Cooper, several Black birding enthusiasts—including Anna Opoku-Agyeman, Sheridan Alford, Danielle Belleny, Chelsea Connor, Joseph Saunders, and Tykee James—banded together to create Black Birders Week. Ever since, a movement to celebrate the work of Black people who appreciate birds has blossomed. In celebration of the third annual Black Birders Week, we came up with the following list of Black birders you’ll enjoy following on Instagram. 

Chelsea Connor, @outtochelsea 

Chelsea Connor is a herpetologist, artist, and PhD student from the Commonwealth of Dominica in the Caribbean. She’s a cofounder of Black Birders Week, but her main research is on the diet overlap between her home island’s native and invasive species of anole, which she studied extensively as an undergrad and is excited to continue studying as a graduate student. She deeply admires anoles, and as a science communicator, she spends time putting together and sharing information on different anoles with her hashtag #DidYouAnole? on Twitter. When she spoke with Sierra, Connor stressed the importance of seeing a diverse range of people in every activity. She believes that including groups that have been historically oppressed and marginalized in predominantly white spaces—like the birdwatching community—opens more avenues for knowledge. 

Haley Scott, @birdingw.hales 

New York native Haley Scott went to the University of Vermont, where she studied environmental science. Her second birding class, Birding to Change the World, offered a birding mentorship program that partnered students with after-school programs to teach kids about local wildlife. Scott was the only person of color in both of the birdwatching classes she took in college, but after graduating, she became an active member of the Feminist Bird Club, which is composed of many people of color and LGBTQIA+ people with zero tolerance for any form of bigotry. Connecting with the Feminist Bird Club allowed Scott, who is Jamaican, Native American, and Puerto Rican, to birdwatch in a space where she says she feels like a community member rather than an outsider. Last year she led walks with Latino Outdoors and Outdoor Afro. Her favorite birds? The red-tailed hawk, American kestrel, and black-and-white warbler. 

Dudley Edmonson, @sonycamera2016 

Dudley Edmonson has been birdwatching for 30 years. “For me, having a connection to nature is good for your mental and physical health, and birding is one way to connect to nature,” Edmonson told Sierra. “Birds offer an escape into something or someone else’s world. You forget about the things you’re dealing with. That interaction is usually very positive—birds have a sense of hope attached to them.” Edmonson’s photography has been featured in galleries and publications around the world. His work and adventure travels have taken him as far north as the Arctic Circle, and he’s been immersed in the effort to help the conservation sector become more inclusive and to highlight the involvement of African Americans in the public lands system. In fact, the House of Representatives in his home state of Minnesota appointed Edmonson to the Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council, which is tasked with making funding recommendations to the legislature for the protection and restoration of Minnesota’s prairie, wetlands, and forest habitats using Clean Water, Land, and Legacy funds. 

Isaiah Scott, @ikesbirdinghikes 

At 19 years old, Isaiah Scott is by far the youngest person on this list. He grew up in Savannah, Georgia, in a suburban area with plenty of greenery, lush trees, and open spaces. In elementary school he loved reading books about dinosaurs, which introduced him to the world of biology. During middle school he went to visit his brother at Cornell University, in Ithaca, New York, where he came across a large mural that displayed the diversity of birds from across the world. In that moment, he says, he knew he wanted to pursue birdwatching. Scott formed his Instagram page, Ike’s Birding Hikes, to reach out to a younger generation of birders and to show young people that birding is a valuable experience. Savannah’s Ogeechee Audubon chapter made him an honorary member for his commitment to birdwatching, and from there he went on to lead countless local hikes. Since the inaugural Black Birders Week, Scott, who currently studies environment and sustainability at Cornell, has gained even more Insta-attention.

Dexter Patterson, @wiscobirder 

Dexter Patterson identifies as a “Wisco birder” and is on a mission to spread as much joy as possible by making his new hobby of birdwatching welcoming for all birders around his home state. His Instagram followers respond enthusiastically to the energetic and exciting videos that feature Patterson singing and dancing in the woods, coming across unique birds, and taking captivating photos. Patterson believes birding is for everyone, and he hopes the BIPOC Birding Club of Wisconsin will help make birding more inclusive—not only in the greater Madison community, where it’s based, but also all across the Badger State.

Indigo Goodson, @indigoindaflow 

Brooklynite Indigo Goodson describes herself as a “pandemic birder” because she started birding in 2020, after she was laid off and subsequently decided to pursue endeavors that sparked joy in her. A Brooklyn Botanical Gardens member, Goodson started spending more time at Prospect Park once the public gardens closed its doors due to COVID-19. A friend of hers had gotten into birding, but Goodson says she didn’t have an immediate interest in the pursuit. She remembers hearing about what Christian Cooper was doing in Central Park—and being struck, because she’d never heard of a Black person birdwatching. Her friend bought her binoculars, and they headed to the park. Soon enough, she was studying field markers and reading birding books. “It’s like spotting a celebrity,” she told Sierra, describing how she eventually spotted in person some birds, like a wood duck, that she’d initially seen online. The real-life experience sent her into a state of profound disbelief and awe. Goodson describes herself as an “out loud birder,” and wants Black people in particular to know that birdwatching should include people from all walks of life.