Birding

Highlands Biological Station (HBS) is a multi-campus center of WCU made up of the Highlands Nature Center, Laboratory, and Botanical Gardens. Their mission is to foster research and education focused on the rich natural heritage of the Highlands Plateau.

During odd-number years, HBS offers Biology and Conservation of Birds, a 4-credit summer ornithology field course through WCU or UNC-Chapel Hill.

HBS also participates in numerous ongoing bird-related initiatives, which are linked below. 

Photo credit: Mandy Choie

Death Parade (2022) is a painting by WCU alum Amber Rousseau (‘23). It was inspired by research Rousseau completed for the Bird Friendly Campus, a project led by WCU biology professor Dr. Barbara Ballentine that collected data on windows that birds fatally struck across WCU’s campus. It hangs on the 4th floor of the Apodaca Science Building.