Get to Know Us
We are one of many Feminist Bird Club Chapters that are based in North America. Though we operate completely on our own, we share our parent organization's principles and mission. Our approach is unique but our goal the same: to make birding and the outdoors inclusive and affirming to people who may not have safe access to it on their own. We also leverage people's passion for the environment and social justice to help create lasting social change in our community.
Our Logo
The Common Loon was chosen to represent our state and draw attention to the strength that nature has given all females. Loons are fierce protectors of their chicks and will use their spear-like bill to impale any attacker. Loon chicks ride on their parents' backs for about 1-3 weeks after hatching to keep them warm and safe from predators. While warrior-like, loon parents are also gentle, taking great care in feeding their young fish and invertebrates that are small enough for them to eat. Common Loons are also a symbol of the wilderness. Their haunting calls at sunrise and sunset are an indication of a healthy ecosystem, and for many, the song of summer.
Art and illustration by Sydney Kakuk
Our Mission
We are aiming to create a space that is filled with joy for the natural world while learning about the land we live on and the creatures that find a home among us. Like birds, we come in a myriad of sizes and shapes and colors and songs. The diversity of nature is reflected back at us as a mirror. It is our mission to uplift and celebrate one another and create a flourishing community that helps us to build connections with our friends and neighbors.
Blue-Gray Gnatchatcher
Barn Owl
Our Vision
We strive to host a robust and diverse community of people who frequently come together to enjoy nature and support one another during this uncertain era. We look to build a ring of positivity and protection where we can have fun and watch birds but also uphold our most cherished beliefs in equity, justice, and change. We are a collective where each person is identified by their kindness, compassion, and commitment to their community over any other measure.
Land Acknowledgment
As a part of the Feminist Bird Club, our goal is to bring joy to our exploration of the natural world, as well as create a welcoming environment for birders. We acknowledge and prioritize the traditional knowledge systems of Indigenous peoples, who were the first inhabitants and caretakers of the land. These knowledge systems include histories, relationships with the natural world, and expertise in medicine, ecology, and community.
The Feminist Bird Club - Twin Cities Metro acknowledges that the Twin Cities Metro area sits on the traditional and ancestral home and treaty land of the Dakota people who, along with the Ojibwe people, are the Indigenous peoples of the land now called Minnesota. We hope to recognize this fact and honor our Indigenous neighbors by welcoming them to our events and inviting them to share knowledge with us. We will strive to prioritize events focused on Multiple Ways of Knowing and Two-Eyed Seeing. We understand that we can learn from both historically driven Indigenous and mainstream knowledge sources, to the benefit of all.
Written by Kassandra Ford