Exploring the World of Birds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology is, hands down, one of my favorite spaces in Ithaca. I spent many a morning there writing my dissertation when I was a graduate student, enjoying the gorgeous views, calm atmosphere, and constant birdsong.

Now I’m excited to be able to share my love of birds, bird watching, and the Cornell bird lab with my kids — and you, if you’re not yet familiar with this wonderful place.

I recently took my daughter for what I thought would be a short visit to the ornithology lab. Two hours later, I had to drag her out with the promise that we’d be back soon. Which turned out to be the next day. When we spent another 2.5 hours exploring every nook and cranny. (Pressing the button on the elevator was admittedly also a main attraction for Miki. Sorry to anyone who actually wanted to travel up or down that day…)

Even after years of visiting, I discovered a few secret spots and new features that I’m going to share below, so read on!

What is the Cornell University Lab of Ornithology?

The Cornell ornithology lab has its beginnings in 1915, when Arthur A. Allen arrived at the university as one of the first professors of ornithology in the country. According to a more detailed history on the website, he posted a sign on his office door that said “Laboratory of Ornithology.”

Since then, the Lab has grown to include hundreds of faculty, staff, and students and has been making its mark as a nonprofit conservation organization and a renowned center for the study of birds and biodiversity.

Thanks to a huge offer of publications, webpages, courses, and the Cornell bird cams and feeder cams, the Lab even reaches people worldwide.

Originally, the Lab was housed at a smaller building by the pond. Since 2003, we’re lucky to have the Visitor Center in this region, along with the 230-acre Sapsucker woods. (I’ll write about Sapsucker Woods and its 4 miles of trails, ponds, and boardwalks in a separate post.)

Inside the Lab of Ornithology

Inside the spacious Imogene Powers Johnson Center there’s lots to do for the whole family.

If you’re here for the first time, you may want to stop by the visitors desk, right as you enter. You’ll get information on trail conditions, current bird sightings (there’s also a white board where you can check), and activities. 

You can borrow binoculars to take out onto the trail during your visit grab a map and flyers with information and activities for kids. The free “Youth Guide to the Visitor Center,” for example, asks kids to interact with a variety of exhibits and art work by sketching birds, creating a bird list, watching a nature video, listening to animal sounds, and hunting for information. That’ll keep them busy for a while!

Many chairs by the glass wall (the “observatory”) invite you to sit and watch the bird feeders and pond. There are several spotting scopes you can use.

I was surprised by how much Miki loved the sound studio. She listened to almost every single one of the 150 animal and bird sounds and watched them on the spectrograms. Her comment: “It’s funner sitting here hearing birds singing than watching movies.” (High praise!)

The lovely Cornell Lab of Ornithology store is also a favorite stop for my kids. The Wild Birds Unlimited gift shop sells books, gifts, bird feeders, binoculars, and all things bird. Members of the Lab of O receive a 10% discount.

There’s no way to miss the giant murals on the Lab’s main indoor walls. On the one side, the Wall of Silhouettes by James Prosek shows silhouettes of birds from around the world, and on the other, the Wall of Birds by Jane Kim traces the 350-million-year evolution of birds, which you can also explore here. 

Then head up to the second floor on Miki’s favorite fun ride, the elevator to the left, or take the stairs straight ahead. You’ll find more beautiful bird art and nature displays upstairs. 

Now for one of my new discoveries: If you go into the Adelson Library, walk straight ahead to the far wall by the windows. You’ll have one of the best views in the building onto the bird feeders below — and it’s right next to a book shelf stuffed with children’s books featuring birds, explaining birds, celebrating birds, identifying birds…you get the idea. You’re welcome to grab any of these or one of the bird puzzles or games (Birdopoly!) and have a seat on one of the comfortable chairs to read or play.

And here is something Leo, the librarian I chatted with, wanted to make sure I told you: Any New York State resident can apply for a free “Privilege Card” for short-term loans of books at several land grant Cornell libraries — which includes the Cornell University ornithology library.

So you can see how the Cornell University Lab of Ornithology would be a fun place to visit in any weather. You can explore the trails and pop inside to cool off on a hot day, or you can find plenty to do indoors on a rainy day.

More information for your visit to the Lab of Ornithology

• Accessibility: The Visitor Center is fully accessible, and you can borrow a wheelchair. The trails in Sapsucker Woods are all covered in wood chip mulch, with occasional muddy or uneven spots. You can check Birdability for a review of the Wilson trail, the main, 0.75 mile loop around the pond that also has the most benches.
• Food & drink: There’s a coffee dispenser next to the elevator but not other food services.
• Nursing room: Ask at the front desk for a key to the private mother’s room for nursing moms.
• Events: Check the website for regular events that may be starting up again, including guided Cornell birding walks on weekends, exploration stations with activities for kids, story times (some videos are on the website), and the wonderful annual Migration Celebration. (It will be a live, in-person event in September 2022!)
• Online resources: Even if you can’t visit anytime soon, there are lots of ways to explore what the Lab of Ornithology has to offer:
  • Check out the more than a dozen live nest and feeder cams of birds around the world. It’s fun to watch the joys and drama in the lives of various birds through the seasons. (My son’s school class, for example, has been checking in on the Red-tailed Hawks every day.)
  • Participate in citizen science by supporting various bird counting projects, Cornell Feederwatch, or reporting on nests you see. This is a great way to introduce the kids to birdwatching!
  • Become a member to support the Lab of O and receive the beautiful Living Bird Magazine.
  • There are resources available for teachers or homeschoolers.
  • Dive into the Cornell All About Birds website. The name sums it up: it’s a Cornell bird ID resource and a place to learn how to best feed them, garden to create good habitats, you name it.
  • There you can also find the Cornell Lab of Ornithology app, Merlin, for step-by-step bird identification. 
  • Submit your observations to Cornell eBird, or if you want to go really deep into global bird data, check out Birds of the World.

What are your favorite features of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology? Let us know in the comments below!

Things to do nearby

• If you enjoy science and nature, also check out the Museum of the Earth and the Sciencenter and the Lime Hollow Nature Center.
• A bit farther afield, you may enjoy the Cumming Nature Center in Naples or the lovely Holden Arboretum in Kirtland, OH.
• Find inspiration for more rainy day activities on the rainy days page and in the post on indoor play areas in Ithaca.

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