Join FLIGHT PATH, STAR Net and HHMI Tangled Bank Studios’ Latest Collaboration to Help Libraries Learn About Local Birds and Protect Them as They Migrate

Overview: Flight Path 

HHMI Tangled Bank Studios and STAR Net invite you to swoop into an engaging and educational suite of free materials with FLIGHT PATH, the first campaign in the Spark of Science@ My Library initiative that focuses on the science of birds and bird migration.

With more than one billion birds killed by window strikes each year in the United States alone, FLIGHT PATH taps into the popularity of bird watching and provides local communities with fun activities to get to know their local birds and promote bird health and safety. 

Inspired by HHMI Tangled Bank Studios’ award-winning series Wild Hope, which highlights changemakers from around the globe and features two films that shine a light on efforts to protect birds from window strikes and prevent them from getting confused by city lights when they migrate, Flight Path offers a robust set of materials to create fun and educational events that give communities the opportunity to learn about bird migration and local and regional birds, and to become local science explorers themselves.

Pre-Application Webinar 

An optional pre-application webinar where we will discuss the application and answer any questions will be held on May 21st, 2025 at 2pm PT/3pm MT/4pm CT/5pm ET. You may register for the webinar at this link. 

View the Pre-Application Webinar Recording Here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wI9l6MO8XE

Selection Criteria  

Our goal for this initiative is to be as inclusive and diverse as possible, with opportunities and participants from all backgrounds and in all parts of the country. Priority will be given to libraries that form strong partnerships with other local organizations–relationships that we hope will last beyond this campaign. Libraries and partners should work together to develop meaningful and creative ways to engage their communities in exploring local and migratory bird species and behaviors, and creating bird safe environments in their towns. Ideal candidates are committed to growing their communities’ connection to nature and using science as a fun, effective tool for hands-on engagement. 

200 Chosen Libraries Will Each Receive – BIRD SAFE MATERIALS  

• $500 honorarium to help cover the cost of events and program outreach  

• Bird friendly tape  

• Regional bird ID cards  

• Bird watching kit (binoculars, magnifying glass) (final item TBD) 

• “Lights Out” stickers that glow in dark (final itemTBD) 

• Bookmarks with bird-friendly tips/facts (final item TBD) 

• Informal Activity Guides – Created by STAR Net including curated materials provided by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, including  

• How-To Guide for hosting Bio Blitzes (Merlin)  

• Promotional Materials (print and digital) to publicize your events  

• Digital Copies of Wild Hope episodes , Wild Hope: Building for Birds; and Wild Hope: Puffling Patrol

*English and Spanish resources available. 

All Interested Libraries Will Receive – FREE DIGITAL  

• Informal Activity Guides – Created by STAR Net using curated materials provided by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, including  

• How-To Guide for hosting Bio Blitzes (Merlin)  

• Promotional Materials (digital) to publicize your events  

• Digital Copies of Wild Hope episodes, Wild Hope: Building for Birds and Wild Hope: Puffling Patrol 

Selected Libraries Will Be Expected To…  

• Host a minimum of two public engagement events in Fall 2025/Spring 2026.   

• Make their facilities bird-safe!  (To the best of your abilities and allowability) 

• Collaborate with at least one local partner (Nature Center, Bird-watching group, Local Audubon Chapter, Local PBS Station, School, Summer Camp, National Park, etc.) on your events.  

• Curate and display a collection of books on birds, migration, and local ecology.   

• Participate in an online community to brainstorm ideas and share updates about your events and outcomes.  

• Record and report information about event attendance, engagement demographics, and community activation.  

• Participate in a post-program survey about their community engagement and resource uptake.  

To apply, please follow this link to the brief application. All forms are due by July 10, 2025. We look forward to your applications and to working with you on a fun and impactful outreach initiative! 

Instructions

• Your application will be submitted through the Survey Monkey platform (link).  

• The following link contains the questions that you will encounter on the application form. We recommend that you type these in a word document ahead of time and enter all at once into the application form. Questions HERE. 

• We have also included in a separate document the rubric with which your application will be reviewed, as well as an application FAQ. Please review these documents closely. Our intention is to provide you with all the tools necessary to write a compelling proposal. Rubric HERE. FAQ HERE 

Flight Path is a Spark of Science@ My Library Program.