Every year at the Kansas State activities carnival over 500 clubs pitch their organizations to interested students. This year, the carnival was Thursday, Aug. 28th at the Student Union.  A niche club, which not many know of, hosted a booth: the Birding Club. The Birding Club provides students with the opportunity to pursue their passion for recreational bird watching. As members, they strive to be mindful of their surroundings while also pursuing their passion. 

Mia Mullins, senior in social transformation studies, is vice president of the Birding Club. Since a traumatic childhood experience sparked a fear of birds, Mullins has changed her perspective.

“My love of birds actually started as a hatred for them when I was four or five and I got attacked by a peacock at my great-grandfather’s farm,” Mullins said. “Last year, I found the Birding Club at the club fair in January, 2024 and joined immediately. I have been birdwatching since then.” 

The community she built through this club has made her love for birds grow stronger and taught her about the art of bird-watching. 

“My favorite thing about the Birding Club is the community we have built and the friends I have made from it,” Mullins said. 

The club does more than just go outside and observe — they also participate in activities to get to know each other better. Mullins has many creative ideas to enhance the club, but one stands out as a strategy to expand their club.

“An activity I want to see the club do is an all Spanish-speaking bird walk,” Mullins said. “For us to be able to reach a bigger audience and include Spanish speakers from our community, not just students at K-State.”

The Birding Club welcomes all students regardless of their background. Whatever your specific interest in the birding community is, they are eager to hear your ideas and integrate them into their club.

“The area of birding I am most interested in is the Window Strike Initiative, where people work to make all windows visible to birds by giving them distinct dots or features so birds do not run into them,” Mullins said. “I have been looking more into general identification through sight and sound, and that is what I am most interested in.” 

If you are interested in the Birding Club, they meet on Tuesdays at 7 p.m. in Ackert Hall 232. You can find them on Instagram and TikTok for more information.

Instagram: @ksubirding

TikTok: @ksu.birding.club