Resaca de la Palma Volunteer Opportunities

The World Birding Center
The World Birding Center, consisting of nine nature sites, has a wide range of opportunities for everyone! Volunteers will assist us in fulfilling our mission,

"To significantly increase appreciation, understanding and active conservation of the habitat, birds and other wildlife for current and future generations through education, community involvement, and sustainable nature tourism.”

Your skills are needed to help us accomplish our mission of preserving our natural habitat while increasing the understanding and appreciation of birds and wildlife.

Hope to hear from you. If you would like to volunteer with the World Birding Center, please download and fill out the volunteer application below. Email the completed volunteer form to the site of your choice.

  Making new friends
 Doing your part to making the RGV a better place to live
 Educating the public on birds and conservation
 Teaching children the joy of birding and nature
  Working in a professional, office environment
 Providing customer service to the public
 Planting native trees and plants
 Guiding groups on birding tours

State Park Hosts
Park Hosts support park staff and assist park visitors in a variety of ways from collecting fees, leading bird/nature walks through the park, and performing some maintenance duties.

Docents
Docents are trained volunteers whose primary responsibility is to teach the public about the conservation of habitat, birds and other wildlife. Docents do this through a variety of opportunities from interpreting exhibits to visitors, leading school groups on bird/nature tours, and providing educational programs to children and adults in the community.

Program Speakers/Presenters
The World Birding Center will offer a menu of programs for beginner, intermediate and advanced birders and nature enthusiasts. Topics will include our natural and cultural heritage in the Rio Grande Valley, as well as “birding” hot spots around the world.

Hawk Watch Volunteers
The Hawk Watch happens during the peak of spring and fall raptor migration at the World Birding Center Headquarters – Bentsen State Park. Volunteers count and identify migrant raptors and record the data. This data is submitted to the Hawk Migration Association of North America (HMANA). Volunteers also provide interpretation of the hawk watch for park visitors.

Field Volunteers
Conduct scientific research projects such as Bird Point Count Surveys, Breeding Bird Surveys, Specific-Species Surveys and events such as the Christmas Bird Count and International Migratory Bird Day.

Revegetation Volunteers
Revegetation volunteers perform a variety of tasks from field collection of native plant seeds, plant and care for germinating seeds and seedlings, remove exotic grasses, and conduct plant surveys at revegetated sites.

Interns (College)
The World Birding Center offers unpaid internships for students who are interested in gaining practical experience or receiving academic credit from the college/university. Internships are available in a wide range of areas from reforestation, biology, wildlife management, interpretation/education, communications/public relations, fundraising, and computer science.

Community Projects (High School)
The World Birding Center offers students in high school opportunities to fulfill community service hours, Boy Scout Eagle projects, Girl Scout projects, and more. Projects may include building bird feeders, benches, trail plant identification and signage, design/guide an educational class, “bird” art projects and more.

Gift Shop Volunteers
Volunteers in the gift shop are responsible for stocking and displaying merchandise, being knowledgeable about merchandise, assisting visitors and answering questions, handling sales/transactions.

Office Volunteers
Office Volunteers work behind the scenes and provide administrative support to the World Birding Center staff through activities such as filing, copying, faxing, mailing, and other various duties.

Resaca de la Palma Volunteer Interest Form is
found HERE!

Currently accepting Park Host applications for persons interested in hosting this year.

Nine Unique Locations

• Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley (Mission)
• Edinburg Scenic Wetlands
• Estero Llano Grande (Weslaco)
• Harlingen Arroyo Colorado
• Old Hidalgo Pumphouse
• Quinta Mazatlan (McAllen)
• Resaca de la Palma (Brownsville)
• Roma Bluffs
• South Padre Island Birding
  and Nature Center

Volunteer Contacts