Venice Area Audubon Society serves south Sarasota County, including the communities of Venice and surrounding areas from Osprey to North Port with activities including:
– Bird watching at the famous Venice Rookery in Sarasota County’s Venice Area Audubon Rookery Park
– Audubon Florida award-winning Venice-area elementary school avian education programs
– Monthly programs highlighting avian and conservation topics from September through March
– Birding field trips from October through April
– Conservation and community science projects
– Support for birds and wildlife with a pollinator garden and native plants and trees at Venice Area Audubon Rookery Park
Whether you’re in the Venice area year-round, seasonally, or occasionally, there are many ways to be involved to experience and learn about local birds, participate in hands-on projects, or actively volunteer. For up-to-date information about upcoming bird walks, programs and events, please see our website CLICK HERE.
Venice Audubon Rookery Day is February 21, 2026 from 9am-12pm
Venice Audubon Rookery Park
Open every day from dawn to dusk (6:00 am to 9:00 pm), Venice Audubon Rookery Park hosts an active roosting and breeding site for several species of wading birds, a Purple Martin breeding colony and numerous species of birds and wildlife that use the Rookery Park and surrounding County property for nesting and foraging throughout the year. Venice Audubon Rookery Park is an ideal location to observe and photograph birds and wildlife as part of the Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail. Venice Area Audubon Society members serve as caretakers and docents of Venice Audubon Rookery Park in partnership with Sarasota County Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources.
Venice Audubon Center
The Venice Audubon Center is located at 4002 S. Tamiami Trail, behind the Sarasota County Anderson Administration Center. It is currently used as our administrative center and for education programs. The Pollinator Garden in front of the Center features more than 40 native and “Florida-friendly” plants. The plants provide nectar and act as larval hosts for more than 22 species of adult butterflies, such as Monarch, Gulf Fritillary, Zebra Long-wing, Giant Swallowtail, Pipe vine Swallowtail, Cassius Blue, Julia, Common Buckeye, Dainty Sulphur, Cloudless Sulphur, Viceroy, and Queen. Three racks of Purple Martin houses stand to the west of the Center. From January through July, Purple Martins scout sites, mate, build nests, and raise chicks. Volunteers for VAAS’ Purple Martin Project monitor the nests and collect scientific data throughout the season.
Monthly Programs
Monthly programs take place from September to May. Throughout the year, our invited speakers offer a variety of interesting topics related to avian conservation and associated subjects. Our monthly programs take place at Venice United Church of Christ’s Naar Hall (620 Shamrock Blvd., Venice) on the third Tuesday of the month. Light refreshments are available at 6:00 PM, followed at 6:30 PM with brief announcements and the evening’s presentation. The public is cordially invited to attend our monthly programs. Information about each program and speaker is available on our calendar. Please join us! Recordings of past educational programs can be viewed on the Venice Audubon YouTube Channel.
Rookery Park & Center: 4002 S Tamiami Trail, Venice, FL 34294
Mailing address: PO Box 1381, Venice, FL 34284
