Reston resident Dorli Bokel doesn’t consider herself a birder, but she loves the Barred Owls that she often hears nearby – especially the young ones.

The previous Reston National Golf Course (RNGC) owners fought against Reston residents for the right to develop the golf course into a townhome community. A four-year court battle resulted in a ruling to preserve the golf course as provided in the Reston Comprehensive Plan.

Barred Owls are some of our most intriguing local birds. Most people will recognize their hoot-sequence call that sounds like, “Who cooks for you, who cooks for you all?” Unlike many other owls, they are semi-nocturnal. Their name comes from their striped plumage, or “bars.” They are the only eastern owls with deep brown eyes, which can appear blue-black in certain light. Females are larger than males, and only females incubate chicks, or owlets.

In 2018, Reston became part of the worldwide Biophilic Cities Network. To help residents identify specific actions that will protect Reston's natural resources, Reston Association's Environmental Advisory Committee is now deploying a Reston Biophilic Pledge.

In July, 2015, two Peregrine Falcon chicks were found on Market Street in Reston Town Center (RTC). They were taken to the Raptor Conservancy of Virginia and safely released into the wild.  No one realized Peregrine Falcons nested in Reston but the chicks prompted a discovery that two adult peregrines were nesting in RTC.