Sebastian Casarez, deeply passionate about birds and birdwatching from a young age, founded The Texas Blue Jay Project to educate communities on the significance of backyard birds and native plant cultivation. He shared, “I’m helping to make Austin Net-Zero by educating communities throughout Texas and beyond about the importance of backyard birds and how to plant native plants to help birds thrive in a healthy habitat.” Casarez organizes birding presentations in rural and urban areas, giving schools recycled bird field guides and encouraging young people to appreciate birding.
His interest in birdwatching began at seven, teaching himself bird identification and behavior. He started participating in community bird walks, noticing a lack of diversity and young participants. This observation inspired him to organize birding presentations across Texas. “There should never be any obstacles for people to learn about birds and birdwatching,” Casarez stated. At nine, he began presenting at community events and later co-founded the Travis Audubon Young Birders group.
He continues to make significant contributions to bird conservation efforts. “I felt motivated to share my passion for birds, birdwatching, and bird conservation with everyone,” he remarked. His Texas Blue Jay Project aims to educate on birds and donate used bird books to schools. Casarez also collaborates with The Texas Invasive Bird Project to monitor the impact of invasive bird species.
The joy of watching others identify their first bird is immensely rewarding for Casarez. “The most rewarding thing is seeing the excitement and joy on people’s faces when they identify their first backyard bird!” he expressed. However, he faces challenges in funding, expressing a desire to expand his project into a business reaching wider audiences.
Casarez’s favorite migratory bird is the endangered Golden-cheeked Warbler, and he enjoys birding at San Gabriel Park. He believes birds can encourage people to care about climate change: “When we educate and introduce people to the types of birds they have in their backyards… people will begin to care about what type of habitat they can provide for their feathery friends.”
For those interested in learning more about birding, Casarez authored a guidebook titled “Common Feeder Birds of Texas” and invites people to follow his birding activities on Instagram. His advice for others is simple: “I encourage everyone to share their talents to help build a stronger and better community.”
Casarez offers to present at organizations or events by invitation via email. As the bird migration season progresses, conservation efforts such as turning off unnecessary nighttime lights are encouraged. Resources are available through platforms like Lights Out, Texas! and the Austin Climate Equity Plan.
Share Net-Zero contributions using #NetZeroHero, or nominate someone who exemplifies these efforts via climate@austintexas.gov.
