Seabird Watching Course
Discover the fascinating world of seabird watching with this specialized course. You will learn to identify seabirds in their natural habitat, understand their behavior and contribute to their conservation, gaining the tools and knowledge to become a skilled observer, from choosing optics and planning coastal and pelagic outings to recording your sightings for citizen science.
Prior knowledge check
These are the skills this program gives you. Tick the ones you already master and we will tell you which part of the syllabus is for you.
You are starting from scratch in this subject. The program is designed precisely for that.
What is the Seabird Watching Course?
This short course teaches you to find, identify and understand seabirds. You will study the main families, such as tubenoses, gannets and cormorants, gulls, terns and auks, their adaptations to life at sea, from waterproof plumage and salt glands to deep diving and dynamic soaring, and their long, slow life cycles; field identification by size, shape and jizz, plumage patterns by age and season, flight styles, feeding behavior and birds resting on the water; binoculars, telescopes, digiscoping and photography, radar and echo sounders and mobile apps for recording sightings; the best coastal watchpoints, the planning of pelagic trips, upwellings and fronts, responsible chumming and the influence of wind; and the observer's code of ethics and the threats seabirds face.
What sets this course apart: it combines ornithology with the practical craft of watching birds at sea, from steadying binoculars on a moving deck to reading the weather before a pelagic trip; it explains the oceanographic phenomena that concentrate birds, so you know where and when to look; it gives equal weight to identification skills and to ethics, with clear rules to avoid disturbing colonies and rafts; and it connects your observations with conservation through monitoring programs, censuses and citizen science platforms.
Program highlights
- Marine ornithology: main seabird families, adaptations to the ocean and life cycles.
- Field identification: size, shape and jizz, plumage, flight styles and feeding behavior.
- Optics and technology: binoculars, telescopes, digiscoping, photography and recording apps.
- Planning outings: coastal watchpoints, pelagic trips, upwellings, fronts and wind.
- Observer ethics: safe distances, colonies, rafts and responsible chumming.
- Conservation: bycatch, plastics, oil spills, invasive species and citizen science monitoring.
Syllabus of the Seabird Watching Course
5 modules. Select a module to see its content.
Marine ornithology and biological adaptations to the ocean ecosystem
- 1.1. Taxonomic classification of the main seabird families: Procellariiformes, Suliformes, Charadriiformes and Pelecaniformes
- 1.2. Analysis of external morphological adaptations: types of waterproof plumage, salt glands and wing structures
- 1.3. Physiological capacities for deep diving and long-distance dynamic soaring over the ocean
- 1.4. Differences between coastal, pelagic and inland seabirds according to how much they depend on the sea for food
- 1.5. The evolution of life cycles: late maturity, low reproductive rate and extreme longevity in oceanic species
Visual identification techniques and behavior of birds at sea
- 2.1. Identification by jizz: analysis of size, shape, proportions and silhouette in flight
- 2.2. Identification by color patterns and diagnostic plumage marks according to age and breeding season
- 2.3. Observing flight styles and take-off and landing techniques on the water surface as distinctive features
- 2.4. Analysis of feeding behavior, from pursuit diving to kleptoparasitism between species
- 2.5. Identifying seabirds resting on the water (rafts) and approaching them by boat without causing disturbance
Optical equipment and technology tools for specialized observation
- 3.1. Choosing waterproof binoculars and spotting scopes with optical coatings suited to salty environments
- 3.2. Stabilization techniques and the use of monopods or adapted supports for watching birds from moving boats
- 3.3. Introduction to digiscoping and bird photography: setting up cameras to capture fast-flying birds over the sea
- 3.4. Use of navigation radar and echo sounders to locate shoals of fish that attract large concentrations of birds
- 3.5. Mobile apps and digital databases for recording sightings and consulting distribution maps in real time
Geography of observation and planning of pelagic trips
- 4.1. Identifying the best coastal watchpoints, such as headlands, cliffs and estuaries, during migration periods
- 4.2. Planning pelagic trips: logistics, safety on board and choosing the best weather conditions for sightings
- 4.3. Oceanographic phenomena that concentrate birds, such as upwelling zones, thermal fronts and continental slopes
- 4.4. Responsible chumming: ethical techniques to attract oceanic birds to the boat without altering their diet
- 4.5. Analysis of prevailing winds and their influence on pelagic species approaching the coastline
Conservation, observer ethics and threats to seabird populations
- 5.1. The birdwatcher's code of ethics: minimum safe distances and protocols to avoid stress in breeding colonies
- 5.2. The impact of fishing on seabirds: bycatch on longlines and competition for food resources
- 5.3. Global threats: plastic pollution, oil spills and the effect of invasive alien species on islands
- 5.4. Taking part in seabird monitoring programs and censuses to collect scientific data for conservation
- 5.5. Designing educational materials and promoting sustainable birdwatching tourism as a tool for local development
Duration and format of the Seabird Watching Course
It is 300 hours. Tell us how many you can study each week and we will tell you when you will really finish.
This is the pace at which most students finish. It fits well with the installment plan.
Academic leadership and faculty
The Navalis teaching team: working professionals who teach and supervise the programs.
Dr. Marina AlcoverAcademic Director and Head of Quality Assurance
Eng. Diego CifuentesSenior Lecturer in Naval Welding and Non-Destructive Testing; Head of QA/QC for Welded Joints
Capt. Javier Abaroa (MCA)Senior Lecturer in Ship Handling, Electronic Navigation (ECDIS/Radar/ARPA) and GMDSS; STCW Compliance and Bridge Resource Management Coordinator
Dr. Pau FerrerSenior Lecturer in Naval Architecture and Simulation; Director of the Hydrodynamics and CFD Laboratory
Dr. Nuria LlobregatSenior Lecturer in Marine Meteorology, SAR and Operational Safety; Navigation Risk Management Coordinator
Eng. Javier BañulsSenior Lecturer in Electrical Engineering, Automation and ETO Engineering; Electronic Integration and Engine Alarms Coordinator
Eng. Sofía MarquinaSenior Lecturer in Materials, Composites and Corrosion Protection; Coordinator of the Advanced Paints and Coatings Line
Eng. Tomás RieraSenior Lecturer in Propulsion, Alternative Energy and Hybrid Systems; Energy Performance and Vibration CoordinatorObjectives of the Seabird Watching Course
Career opportunities after the Seabird Watching Course
Questions about the Seabird Watching Course
No. Basic knowledge of birds helps, but the course starts with the main seabird families and their adaptations and builds up identification skills step by step.
The overall impression of a bird given by its size, shape, proportions and way of moving, which experienced observers use to identify distant birds at sea before details of the plumage can be seen.
Coastal watchpoints such as headlands, cliffs and estuaries during migration, and pelagic trips to areas where upwellings, fronts and continental slopes concentrate food and birds.
Binoculars are the essential tool; a spotting scope, a camera and a recording app are useful extras. The course explains how to choose and use them, including on a moving boat.
The course is delivered online. It prepares you to plan and carry out your own coastal and pelagic outings safely and ethically and to record your observations.
By following the observer's code of ethics, taking part in monitoring programs and censuses and sharing well-documented sightings on citizen science platforms, all of which the course covers.
Fully online, through a virtual campus available 24/7 with active discussion forums, live sessions that are recorded and tutorials with the teaching staff.
The course comprises 300 hours of study across 5 modules of about 60 hours each. You can progress at your own pace within the schedule set when you enroll.
More programs in Biology and conservation
Admission process
No waiting for a call back. If your documents are in order, you can enroll in the same session.
- Profile: aimed at nature lovers and birdwatchers, nature photographers, students of biology, ecology or environmental sciences, tour guides and environmental educators, and travelers and sea lovers; basic knowledge of ornithology or a strong interest in birds is enough, together with patience and good observation skills, and binoculars and a seabird field guide are recommended for practicing.
- Language: sufficient command of English to follow the classes and the technical documentation.
- Technical resources: a computer with a stable internet connection, an up-to-date browser and software to view PDF documents.
- Admission: online application, review of your profile and a short interview with the academic team.
- 01ApplicationYour details, background and documents.
- 02Instant reviewWe check that everything is complete and in order.
- 03EnrollmentChoose full payment or instalments and reserve your place.
Admission is provisional until the committee validates the documents provided. If you do not meet the requirements, the full amount is refunded.
Ask us before you enroll
Leave your details and admissions will write to you to answer any questions. If you are already sure, you can apply and pay in the same session.