Volunteering at the National Aviary
Now accepting applications!
Do you want to be part of a dynamic team that inspires visitors to appreciate animals, nature, and community? National Aviary Volunteers help provide our visitors with an outstanding experience by sharing our knowledge and love of birds, creating an unforgettable experience for all. Join our flock to give back to the community, meet like-minded people, teach visitors, and learn new bird fun facts yourself! Volunteers who reach a certain number of hours per year are eligible for a National Aviary Membership!
Volunteer Application-
Additional Volunteer Perks
- Yearly meeting with catered hot breakfast
- Yearly Volunteer Appreciation dinner
- Opportunity to become Volunteer of the Year
- Attendance at annual National Aviary holiday party
- Yearly summer picnic with National Aviary staff
- Ongoing opportunities for continuing education
Teen Volunteers
Our 2026 Teen Volunteer application period has closed. Stay tuned for future opportunities!
Are you a teenager (or do you know a teenager) with a passion for animals and conservation? Look no further than our Teen Volunteer program! Designed to give teens a glimpse into what it’s like to work in a zoo setting, all National Aviary Teen Volunteers develop valuable communication, customer service, and educational skills as you help us continue our mission to save species and protect habitats.
This program is tailored for teens ages 14 – 17 who are interested in animal-related professions (a unique opportunity to kick-start your future career). Emphasis is placed upon the customer service side of zoo and aquarium careers.
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Teen Volunteer Requirements
Teen Volunteer Requirements
- Must be 14-17 years of age as of June 1, 2026
- Must commit to at least 8 of the 10 days in the chosen session
- Teens accepted for an interview must attend an in person group interview on either Saturday, April 11 or Saturday, April 18 from 1 – 3 pm.
- Teens accepted into the program must attend an orientation with a parent or guardian on Saturday, May 30 from 2 – 5 pm.
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Teen Volunteer Responsibilities
Teen volunteers will help with a large variety of National Aviary needs. These may include items such as:
- Live Immersive Bird Show usher
- Rainbow Lorikeet Feeding usher/line management
- Summer Camp Junior Assistant for 6 – 12 year old camp sessions
- Education cart activities
- Play space facilitation
- Commissary clean-up, dishes
- Enrichment-making for our birds
- Prepare craft materials for upcoming events
- Help with group check-in and support with our Visitor Services team
- Junior Interpreters in habitats
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Education and Career Development Opportunities
Education and Career Development Opportunities
- Daily mentoring and debrief – meet Aviary staff, reflect on the work, share what they learned, etc.
- Daily meetings with a variety of staff to learn about the variety of different tasks each department has.2
2024 Volunteer of the Year
Linda Fetchen is the National Aviary’s 2024 Volunteer of the Year! We’re honored to recognize Linda, a long-time Volunteer, for her incredible leadership and generosity in sharing her talents to help our team deliver our mission.
View Linda’s Story!Past Honorees
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2023 Volunteer of the Year
Sarah Jones is the 2023 National Aviary Volunteer of the Year! Having served more than 3,000 hours, Sarah is recognized for her strong teaching capabilities, excellence in visitor engagement, and ongoing commitment to connect the community with the Aviary’s mission to inspire a respect for nature through an appreciation of birds. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you Sarah!
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2022 Volunteers of the Year
Fran Reichl (top) and Reed Williams (bottom) are the National Aviary’s 2022 Volunteers of the Year! Both of these long-time volunteers are recognized for their incredible leadership and generosity in sharing their talents to help our team deliver our mission.
Volunteers play an essential role in that work, and we are so proud to call Fran Reichl and Reed Williams our Volunteers of the Year for 2022. We thank them for their incredible contributions to the National Aviary!
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2021 Volunteer of the Year
Our Volunteer of the Year for 2021 is Janet! Volunteering at the National Aviary since 2009, she has completed more than 10,000 volunteer hours, sharing her wealth of National Aviary knowledge as a docent throughout our habitats as well as during daily programming and Animal Encounters! Thank you for everything, Janet!
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2019 Volunteer of the Year
Our 2019 Volunteer of the Year: Elaine Steffenauer! Visitors will remember seeing Elaine in the Wetlands and Tropical Rainforest habitats, where she spends time answering questions about the different bird species living there. Elaine has been with the National Aviary for 9 years, and we are lucky to have her. Thank you, Elaine, for all of your time and dedication to the birds and to us!
“One of the most delightful things that could happen to you is to be in an immersive experience with birds. Sit down, watch how they behave, notice their personalities. You don’t rush past the ‘Mona Lisa’ in the Louvre.”
2022 Volunteer of the Year Fran Reichl.
Current Volunteers
Current Volunteers LoginTo learn more about volunteering, please contact [email protected].