About Us
San Diego Bird Festival is put on by the San Diego Bird Alliance
Our Mission
Together we defend our region's birds, unique biodiversity, and threatened habitats through advocacy, education, and restoration.
Who We Are
For 75 years, San Diego Bird Alliance, formerly known as San Diego Audubon Society, has been dedicated to protecting and appreciating our local wildlife and their habitats. From the tidal flats of the Tijuana estuary to the fir stands on the crest of Palomar and from the foggy sycamore and oak groves of the coastal canyons to the sun-parched Borrego badlands, we actively work to preserve San Diego’s birds, wildlife, and habitats.
We serve a diverse population, with community-based habitat restoration projects, environmental education programs, and recreational offerings in North County, Metro, East County, and South Bay communities. Programs include conservation, education, recreation, and sanctuary operations.
San Diego Bird Alliance and our annual bird festival leads the way in fostering knowledge and appreciation of the natural world and seeks to become an even more significant resource for our communities through our education, environmental recreation, and numerous conservation programs. San Diego County has more animals and plants on the endangered species list than any other county in the U.S. This is one of the many indications of the threats faced by our region. And yet our focus is one of hope and enthusiasm – we believe we can make a positive difference for the future of our wild places and the creatures that live there.
Jen Hajj
Bird Festival Coordinator + SDBA Public Programs Manager
When Jen Hajj attended her first bird festival in Farmington, Utah, she never guessed that she would someday coordinate one of the biggest festivals on the West Coast! Jen has spent her career welcoming people into the world of birds and conservation. She began working with San Diego Audubon (now San Diego Bird Alliance) in 2013, shadowing the coordinators at the time, and gradually earned her wings as Festival Coordinator. Her work has introduced her to many wonderful people in the birding industry: optics dealers and retailers, amazing field guides, authors, big year birders, shop owners, festival producers, and volunteers, as well as folks who feed and watch the birds in their backyards.
Welcome to the family of people who love birds.