Cornell Lab’s Bird Academy currently offers a Take Flight assistance program that lets participants receive one online birding course of their choice completely free. After you complete the assistance form, Cornell says you will receive a coupon that can be applied to one Bird Academy course during the year at no cost. Only one course may be redeemed per person per year.
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1. What Is the Free Bird Academy Course Offer?
Cornell Lab of Ornithology runs Bird Academy, an online learning platform for people who want to build birding, identification, photography, conservation, and natural-history skills. Through its Take Flight course assistance program, Cornell says participants can fill out a form and receive one course of their choice completely free. This makes the offer more valuable than a short sample lesson because many Bird Academy courses normally have a listed purchase price. The program is designed to make bird education more accessible to people who want to learn but may not want to pay the regular course fee.
2. How the Take Flight Program Works
The Take Flight page explains the process in a simple way. First, choose a course from Bird Academy’s course list. Then complete the assistance form on the official page. Cornell says that once the form is submitted, you will receive a coupon code that allows you to enroll in one course of your choice at no cost. The coupon is applied during checkout before completing enrollment. The page does not describe a purchase requirement for receiving the coupon, and it states that only one course can be redeemed per person per year.
3. Which Bird Academy Course Can You Choose?
Bird Academy offers a wide range of online courses, so the best choice depends on your interests. Current examples include bird identification, birding by ear, feeder birds, owls, raptors, gardening for birds, bird photography, shorebirds, and beginner birding skills. Some courses are already free on their own, such as eBird Essentials, while others normally have a listed price. If you are using the Take Flight coupon, it makes sense to compare the available paid courses and choose the one that would be most useful or interesting to you.
4. How to Request Your Free Course
Use the button above to open the official Take Flight course assistance page. Review Bird Academy’s course list first so you know which course you want. Then complete the form shown on the assistance page. Cornell says that is all you need to do to request access. If the form does not display properly, the page suggests trying a different browser or device and reloading the page. Use only the official Bird Academy site so you are not giving personal information to an unrelated third-party page.
5. What Happens After You Submit the Form?
After the form is submitted, Cornell says you will receive a coupon that can be used to enroll in one course of your choice during the year at no cost. At checkout, enter the coupon code in the Coupon code box and select Apply Coupon before proceeding. Make sure the discount is reflected before you finish enrollment. If you have trouble receiving the coupon or applying it, Bird Academy directs users to its customer service page for help. Keep the coupon email until your course enrollment is complete.
6. Are the Courses Self-Paced?
Bird Academy course pages describe the courses as online and self-paced. Many current courses also say there is no deadline to complete them and that enrolled students can return to course materials for reference or practice. The exact content varies by course, but typical materials can include instructional videos, lessons, quizzes, discussions, practice tools, and downloadable resources. Because the courses are online, you will need internet access and a modern web browser. Nothing needs to be shipped for the course itself.
7. Important Limits to Know
The most important limit is that only one course can be redeemed per person per year through the Take Flight assistance program. The offer is for a course, not an unlimited Bird Academy membership. If you choose a course that is already free, such as eBird Essentials, you may want to save your Take Flight selection for a course that normally has a fee. Course availability and prices can change over time, so review the current catalog before submitting the form. The official Take Flight page is the best source for current program details.
8. Final Thoughts
If you enjoy birds, this is one of the stronger educational freebies available online. Cornell Lab’s Take Flight program can give you access to one Bird Academy course of your choice without paying the regular course price. Start by browsing the current catalog, choose the course that best matches your interests, and then complete the official assistance form. Since the program is limited to one redemption per person per year, take a little time to compare your options before using the coupon.