| If you're in the market for a great way to spend a day, | | | | Horicon Marsh Bird Festival, Wisconsin. Bird banding, |
| check out your local birding festivals. Most states have | | | | birding by pontoon, hikes, talks, and the "big sit", where |
| several fairs and festivals going on during the year, and | | | | participants try to observe as many species as |
| they are an excellent way to get outside, learn | | | | possible from a 17-foot observatory platform from |
| something new, make new friends and have fun. | | | | midnight Friday till dark on Saturday. |
| Birding festivals last from a simple one day event to a | | | | Festival of Birds, Detroit Lakes, Minnesota. Over 170 |
| full month of outings, activities and lectures. The most | | | | species seen last year, field trips, frog/toad outing, |
| common are over a weekend, and can range from | | | | workshops, exhibitors. |
| small local events at a nearby park, to large-scale | | | | Cape May Spring Weekend, New Jersey. 200+ bird |
| events that bring visitors from all over the globe, with | | | | species, field trips, workshops, boat trips and more at |
| events spread throughout an entire region. Depending | | | | the migration mainline capital of North America. |
| on the specific event, you will have the opportunity to | | | | Mountain Lake Migratory Bird Festival, Pembroke, |
| hear knowledgeable speakers, observe live birds up | | | | Virginia. Visit the beautiful Mountain Lake Hotel, with |
| close, take guided walks, get pointers on better wildlife | | | | 2600 acres of pristine woodlands to take part in |
| photography, sharpen your identification skills, share | | | | dozens of activities - field trips, workshops, fun for the |
| experiences with like-minded folks, and even take | | | | kids. |
| more exotic outings, such as birding by boat or on | | | | Kirtland's Warbler Festival, Roscommon, Michigan. |
| horseback. Often there are artists, vendors, children's | | | | Guided tours to see the Kirtland's Warbler, nature |
| activities, and the like. | | | | presentations, crafts, kids' activities, photography and |
| Many birding festivals center on a specific event taking | | | | more. |
| place in the local area, migration being a particular | | | | Bar Harbor Warblers & Wildflowers, Bar Harbor, Maine. |
| favorite. Another popular theme is the celebration of | | | | Bird walks, peregrine watches, boat rides, garden and |
| specific species found only locally, or perhaps in a | | | | forest tours, art exhibits. |
| particular abundance, such as warblers, shorebirds, | | | | Potholes and Prairie Birding Festival, Jamestown, North |
| cranes or hawks. Many blend other interests with | | | | Dakota. Guided tours, workshop, wonderful prairie |
| birding, such as butterflies, flowers or even music. | | | | birding. |
| Here is a sampling of some of the larger events that | | | | The Feliciana Hummingbird Celebration highlights |
| take place each spring and summer: | | | | hummingbirds in the St. Francisville area of Louisiana, |
| Birds, Blossoms & Blues Festival, Norfolk, Virginia. Field | | | | including banding and workshops on how to build a |
| trips, walking tours, boat tours, plant sales, blues | | | | hummingbird habitat in your garden. |
| concerts, family festival. | | | | Southwest Wings. Arizona's longest running birding |
| Florida's First Coast Birding and Nature Festival, St. | | | | festival celebrates its 15th year in Bisbee. Natural |
| Augustine, Florida. Kayaking, walking tours, photography | | | | history tours, birds and butterfly tours, exhibits and |
| expeditions. Learn about outdoor photography, birding, | | | | programs. |
| wildlife, butterflies, and much more. | | | | You can find these birding festivals and fairs by |
| Spring Wings Bird Festival, Fallon, Nevada. Field trips, | | | | checking birding magazines such as "Birders World" |
| including a birding by horseback safari, airboat tour, | | | | and "Audubon", by contacting your local Audubon |
| ranch tour, photography contest, and much more. | | | | chapter, and by searching the Internet, but the quickest |
| Great River Birding and Nature Festival, Lake City, | | | | way to get a comprehensive list is by scanning the |
| Minnesota. 3 days of birding and nature events held | | | | Birding Event Calendar at |
| throughout the Mississippi River Valley of Southeast | | | | Join the flock at your local birding festival, or migrate to |
| Minnesota and Southwest Wisconsin around Lake | | | | a more distant event. Either choice promises a great |
| Pepin. Birding by motorboat, mini-railcar, hikes along | | | | day of birding! |
| shorelines, forests, bluff tops, lectures, and more. | | | | |