Birding Festivals
Ever see a vast field of birds erupt into flight, blanketing the sky and filling the air with cries?
What are you waiting for? For a cheap natural thrill, visit a bird festival. National
wildlife refuges make stellar festival sites - or field trip destinations - because many protect bird habitat along major fly routes. For the best show, choose from a flock of festivals that coincide with spring or fall migration.
Wichita Mountains Eagle Watch
Wichita Mountains National Wildlife Refuge, OK
An interpretive program at refuge headquarters is followed by a bus tour of the refuge's special use area to search for bald and
golden eagles.
Eagle Watch
Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge,
OK
Guided field trips begin with an orientation at the refuge office and include a bus ride to see nests through scopes. Call refuge
for details.
Spacecoast Birding and Wildlife Festival
Titusville, FL
One of the largest birding and wildlife festivals in the United States, the festival includes field trips to
Merritt Island and
St. Johns National Wildlife Refuges.
Sparrowfest
Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge,
TX
Expect to see more than 15 species of sparrows in one day. This sparrow
workshop includes classroom sessions and field trips on the refuge.
Florida Scrub-Jay Festival
Oscar Scherer State Park, Osprey, FL
The festival celebrates the only bird species unique to Florida. Scrub-jays are found at
Hobe Sound,
Lake Wales Ridge and
Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuges.
San Francisco Bay Flyway Festival
Mare Island, CA
This annual festival includes field trips to
San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge.
Bald Eagle Day
Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, UT
Family festivities here are among eagle celebrations taking place this day around the state. The refuge will offer eagle-viewing guides,
maps to other eagle locations and eagle education.
Klamath Falls Winter Wings Festival
Klamath Basin, OR and CA
More than 80 percent of birds that use the Pacific Flyway stop over in the
Klamath Basin. The basin's six national wildlife refuges attract a wide variety
of waterfowl and raptors, many in astounding numbers. Popular festival events
include an "owl prowl" at
Klamath Marsh National Wildlife Refuge and field trips to other
Klamath Basin refuges.
San Diego Bird Festival
San Diego, CA.
This annual festival features field trips to three coastal
San Diego National Wildlife Refuges. Birds to
see include: Brandt's cormorant, pied-billed grebe, black-vented shearwater.
Tundra Swan Day
Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, UT
See hundreds of migratory tundra swans at this free event, hosted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Utah Division of
Wildlife Resources. Watch swans from your car as you drive along the refuge's auto tour route.
Eagle Festival
Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, MD
The Eagle Festival features live raptor programs, kids' activities, a photography workshop, a guided bird walk, exhibits and the popular Eagle
Prowls.
Prairie Chicken Festival
Attwater Prairie Chicken National Wildlife Refuge,
TX
Enjoy tours of the refuge, native plants and Attwater prairie chickens on their booming grounds.
Bayou Teche Black Bear and Birding Festival
Franklin, Louisiana
The annual festival celebrates species found in
Teche National Wildlife Refuge, along with a photo show, music and fireworks.
Santee Birding and Nature Festival
Santee National Wildlife Refuge, SC
Join birders and naturalists at one of the state's only nature festivals. Take
field trips throughout the midlands of South Carolina. Learn about wonderful
natural places and their inhabitants.
Balcones Songbird Festival
Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge,
TX
Enjoy refuge tours and workshops.
Birding and Crystal Festival
Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge, OK
The annual festival typically features guided tours, workshops, decoy-carving demonstrations and selenite crystal digging contests.
Cache River Birding Blitz
Southern Illinois
Teams compete to see which team can identify the most species of birds in 24 hours. Favorite birding spots include
Cypress Creek National Wildlife Refuge and
Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge.
South Bay Bird Fest
Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Alviso, CA
This family-friendly annual festival features guided walks, games and live bird demonstrations.
Grays Harbor Shorebird Festival
Grays Harbor, WA
The festival coincides with the peak of spring shorebird migration on the Washington coast.
Grays Harbor National Wildlife Refuge is a festival sponsor.
The Biggest Week in American Birding
Northwest Ohio
This major bird festival takes place at the peak of spring warbler migration in the Lake Erie Marsh region of the state. The festival features field trips to
Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge.
Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival
Homer, AK
The festival includes workshops, tours, hikes and field trips to
Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge. Birds to see include: Rufous hummingbird, horned puffin, red-necked stint.
Horicon Marsh Bird Festival
Horicon National Wildlife Refuge, WI
Enjoy guided birding hikes, bus and boat tours, bird banding demonstrations and more.
Spring Wings Bird Festival
Fallon, NV
The annual festival, which celebrates shorebird and waterfowl migration through the Lahontan Valley Field, includes field trips to
Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge.
Wings over Muscatatuck Bird Festival
Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge, IN
The festival features guided bird tours of the refuge, bird walks, live birds of prey programs, kids' birding activities and many wildlife-related interpretive programs.
Klamath Falls International Migratory Bird Festival
Klamath Falls, OR
The festival features field trips to
Tule Lake and Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuges.
Great Dismal Swamp Birding Festival
Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge,VA
Enjoy guided bird walks, owl prowls, refuge bus tours, photography and birding workshops. Free event registration begins mid-March. To register, call 757-986-3705.
Cache River Nature Fest.
Henry N. Barkhausen Cache River Wetlands Center, IL
Annual festival celebrates the kaleidoscope of birds found in the Cache, including barn owls, snowy egrets, American avocets and prairie warblers. Festival includes field trips to
Cypress Creek National Wildlife Refuge.
International Migratory Bird Day, observed on or about the second Saturday in May, calls attention to the remarkable journeys of some 350 species of migratory birds between nesting habitats in North America and wintering grounds in South and Central America. Many refuges will host public events. Learn more about
International Migratory Bird Day. As the date approaches, check the Refuge System
special events calendar for more IMBD event listings.
Kenai Birding Festival
Kenai Peninsula, AK
This three-day festival features thousands of birds, children's activities, discussions and field trips to
Kenai National Wildlife Refuge.
Detroit Lakes Festival of Birds
Detroit Lakes, MN
This birding festival features field trips to
Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge,
Hamden Slough National Wildlife Refuge,
Detroit Lakes Wetland Management District and
Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge.
Minnesota Festival of Birds
Detroit Lakes, MN
Fields trips to
Glacial Ridge and
Agassiz National Wildlife Refuges are especially popular.
Great Salt Lake Bird Festival
Farmington, UT
This birding festival features field trips to
Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, a festival sponsor. Birds to see include the burrowing owl.
Tualatin River Bird Festival
Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge, OR
Enjoy nature photography workshops, a bike ride, river paddle trips, native basketry, nature journaling workshops, art and music
Down East Spring Birding Festival
Near Calais, ME
The annual festival includes guided hikes, boat tours, expert presentations and field trips to
Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge, one of the event sponsors.
Cape MayGration
Cape May, NJ
The former weekend festival, now a month-long event, features pelagic boat trips, photo expeditions, bird banding demonstrations and workshops. Many come to see migratory red knots feed on their eggs of horseshoe crabs that come ashore to spawn in spring. The festival traditionally features field trips to
Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge in New Jersey.
Burke County Birding Festival
Lostwood National Wildlife Refuge, ND
Free birding festival focuses on grassland species, especially sparrows. Includes youth activities and prairie wildflower walk.
Cape May Autumn Birding Festival
Cape May, NJ
The annual birding festival is a Mid-Atlantic favorite that coincides with the migration of shorebirds, waterfowl, raptors and warblers. The festival features field trips to
Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge in New Jersey.
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