Alan Hopkins is a native of the Bay Area, and moved to San Francisco in 1972 to work on a theatrical production and then later to attend the San Francisco Art Institute where he earned a B.F.A. in painting. Hopkins found the City culturally stimulating but also discovered that San Francisco offered many opportunities for a young birdwatcher.

In 1985 when Patricia Johanson’s art installation "Endangered Garden" was proposed to go through fragile wetlands at Candlestick Cove, Golden Gate Audubon Society (GGAS) sought out Alan’s expertise in both art and local birds. He became a member of the GGAS Board of Directors at this time. From 1998 to 2000 he was the chapter’s president.

Alan is a cofounder of the San Francisco Christmas Bird Count, and founder of Save the Quail! He is presently Shipyard Trust For the Arts Naturalist in Residence at the Hunters Point Shipyard and does wildlife monitoring for NOAA on the Cordell Bank Marine Sanctuary .In 1991 he, with other GGAS directors, proposed Pier 98 become what is now Heron’s Head Park. Alan has led field trips for Audubon, the Academy of Sciences, Shearwater Journeys and Kids in Parks.

Alan’s chapters on Bay Area birds are published in: 100 Birds of Heron’s Head, A Birders Guide To Metropolitan Areas of North America and San Francisco Peninsula Birdwatching. His photographs have appeared in :Images of America, San Francisco, A Natural History, A Birders Guide to Metropolitan Areas, Ocean Birds of the Nearshore Pacific and in periodicals such as: American Birds, Bay Nature, Birding, California Wild and Western Birds.

While deeply involved in conservation issues Alan took a hiatus from art making, however he is now creating new art that is informed by his work with birds and conservation.