Coastal Virginia Wildlife Observatory is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit, established in 1994, that strives to welcome and include everyone in our programs.
Our mission is “Protecting wildlife through field research, education and habitat conservation.”
We conduct and support studies of birds and butterflies and we contribute our findings to databases that share the information with our partners, other researchers, decision-makers and the public. We also share information on our website, Blog, Facebook and monthly eNewsletter.
We have five teams: Songbirds, Raptors, Butterflies, Waterbirds and Education. We also provide small grants to graduate students. Our Board is all-volunteer and we hire seasonal biologists and have a dedicated corps of volunteers and donors.
To learn more, please explore our website and sign up for our eNewsletter.
Click on the logo to subscribe to the CVWO monthly newsletter.
From CVWO President, Brian Taber,
Our organization has grown into a great combination of seasonal biologists, citizen scientists, Board members, Advisors, educators, social media sharers and conservation grant awarders for graduate students and for deserving non-profits. The data you see in this Report contribute to such significant databases as Hawkcount.org, eBird, eButterfly, North American Butterfly Association, Monarch Watch, iNaturalist and more. Sharing through social media and our website reaches an ever-growing audience of people with an interest in wildlife and conservation.
Our newer partnerships, like the Finch Research Network and Veracruz River of Raptors join our older ones like Department of Wildlife Resources, Center for Conservation Biology, Kiptopeke State Park, Eastern Shore of VA National Wildlife Refuge, Hawk Migration Association, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Winter Wildlife Festival, American Birding Association, VA Master Naturalists, Williamsburg Bird Club and VA Society of Ornithology...great company!
CVWO also supported fourteen partner organizations in 2024, totaling $18,499! These funds are made possible by the support of YOU throughout the year! Our organization has been able to support ornithological research projects for students and give grant donations for partner projects that support conservation efforts. Thank you to everyone who has supported CVWO in the past, during 2024 and for your future support!
Thanks to the many, many people who make all this possible!
~Brian Taber
You can reach Brian at this email
Click on the image to read and download the digital version of the annual report.
Join the birding craze! Where else can you enjoy the beautiful outdoors, witness the majesty of migrating birds, and support an important conservation organization all at the same time.
The Observatory awards grants annually to graduate students studying birds at William and Mary and Old Dominion University, in honor of Bill Akers, Joy Archer, Ruth Beck and Bob Ake.
The Observatory has documented more than 101 species of butterflies and skippers in coastal Virginia, where little butterfly work has been previously conducted.
Since 1995, CVWO has conducted raptor research during fall migration at Kiptopeke State Park located on Virginia's Eastern Shore.
The Observatory conducts its own surveys and also helps with those of other organizations to document the movements of waterbirds in coastal Virginia. From climate change to development to commercial fishing to pollution to habitat loss, coastal areas are under pressure.
The Observatory participates in the study of Prothonotary Warblers, as part of the Virginia Prothonotary Network, monitoring nest boxes in spring and summer by canoe at various sites. This is a species of special concern. See the General Blog for updates about this work.
A major part of the Observatory's mission is environmental education. Seasonal research staff, an Environmental Educator and volunteers provide on-site presentations about our programs and about migration in the Chesapeake Bay area of coastal Virginia.
Find out CVWO's latest announcements, newsletter archives and upcoming events!
Check out our scholarship programs and how you can make a tax-deductible donation
Shop our Cafe Press store and find clothing and gifts to share your CVWO spirit!
Download the CVWO Bird Coloring book for free!
Check out Anna Strunkels artwork honoring CVWO's Prothonotary Warbler research projects! You can purchase this beautiful design on many Cafe Press items, including tote bags, mugs, and t-shirts below.
Riding the Wind, by CVWO's president, Brian Taber, is a celebration of birds, birding and conservation. The book - released in honor of CVWO's 25th anniversary this year - features essays, some previously published in magazines. Twenty illustrations by award-winning artist Julie Zickefoose accompany the birding stories inside and the cover art is by CVWO Hawkwatcher, Anna Stunkel. The book is a fundraiser for CVWO.
You can purchase a copy of Riding the Wind with the PayPal link below, or visit local Williamsburg bird stores, Wild Birds Unlimited and Backyard Birder, for signed copies of the book.
"Brian writes engagingly of his birding life over the years with essays on his experiences in Arizona, Costa Rica and many other places and times and of course, Virginia. Has two cover color paintings by Anna Stunkel, 19 black and white sketches by Julie Zickefoose and a Foreword by Pete Dunne. " Harry Armistead
"I'm proud and glad to be a part of it!" Julie Zickefoose
Thank you for supporting CVWO's wildlife research!
Many species of birds and butterflies across Virginia and North America are in decline due to habitat loss, pollution and other factors. Our paid seasonal biologists and our dedicated volunteers work to solve those conservation problems by gathering data and providing public education. Your donations support that important effort.
Your welcome donations are tax-deductible, and supporters receive our e-newsletters and our annual report.
Support our nonprofit work securely by credit or debit card using Paypal. No paypal account is required. Simply click the Donate button below, enter the amount when prompted, and click "Continue" at the bottom of the page.
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