San Francisco Nature Education's Sixth Annual Bird Calling Contest
Mercy High School - May 19, 2006

View the full Program for SFNE's Bird Calling Contest - 2006: One | Two

Bird calling contest cover page
Each year San Francisco Nature Education (SFNE) sponsors a Bird Calling Contest for third or fourth grade classes that participate in the School Program. Over the course of a year, students study natural history and avian biology and participate in field trips to local parks. Teams of students then choose a local bird, learn its call and plumage, and make their own costumes. They are also pick cool facts about their bird and then weave them into a skit. Their efforts are featured in SFNE's annual bird calling contest. Judges from the Bay Area community (including ornithologists, environmental educators, and bird lovers) select the winners.

This year's flocks of local birds, presented by third graders from Jose Ortega and John Yehall Chin Elementary Schools, included Canada Geese, Red-shouldered Hawks, Allen's Hummingbirds, California Quails, Golden-Crowned Sparrows, Mourning Doves, Belted King Fishers, Black Phoebes, Common Raven, and Great Horned Owls.

This year's first place winners were the Common Ravens from Jose Ortega and the Black Phoebes from John Yehall Chin.

  • John Yehall Chin Elementary School: Photos
  • Jose Ortega Elementary School: Photos
Special Thanks to the following: Dorothy McCrea and Dora Cortez, Administration, Mercy High School, - Mrs. Kathy Lund, teacher, Jose Ortega Elementary School - Ms. Rachel Kaufman, teacher, John Yehall Chin Elementary School - Jack Laws, wildlife biologist, & environmental educator - Mary Hackenbracht, Attorney - Claudia Jeung, retired principal, SFUSD - Sharon Pretti, naturalist - Matt Zlatunich, naturalist - Andy Kleinhesselink, naturalist - Jim Sullivan, photographer - Jim Elliot, photographer - Peter DiBono, accordianist