Many May birding festivals are timed for participants to experience the best that spring songbird migration has to offer. How many different warbler species will you find? (Blackburnian Warbler photo by Paul Konrad).
Several May birding festivals take place during prime shorebird migration and stopover periods (Whimbrel photo by Paul Konrad).
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With a remarkable number of birding festivals scheduled during May, including some of the most popular events being held during the peak of spring migration, it’s a great time of year to attend a birding festival near you, or in another state or province. For many birders the exciting variety of songbirds is a big draw, and 2 premier birding events with extended schedules stand out during the first part of May – the Point Pelee Festival of Birds in Ontario (just east of Detroit), and The Biggest Week in American Birding in Ohio (east of Toledo, west of Cleveland). The schedule of events is exceptional, but it’s the birds that make these locations “lifetime must experience” sites during warbler migration.
There are still many Birding Festivals on tap during this last week of April, as reported in the March 26 issue of The Birding Wire. And here we provide the first of 2 installments of May birding festivals, from Tennessee to Alaska, with British Columbia hosting the most events. The second list of events taking place during the second half of May will follow in the next issue. Birding Festivals are truly celebrations of birds and birding, shared by participants that range among every age and every level of interest in birds. And to experience spring migration at its best among other birders is something everyone should celebrate.
At birding festivals you can see new species of birds on field trips with accomplished birders to increase your ability to identify birds and learn more about bird behavior. There will be a variety of programs, workshops, and keynote presentations to attend, and there is often a vendor area where representatives from optics companies and other businesses give you a chance to see, handle, and buy binoculars, spotting scopes, field gear and clothing, books, and get an idea of birding tour opportunities on local, national, and international levels. Of course, there are children’s activities and family fun too; and best of all, you have the chance to meet and enjoy spending time with others who share your enthusiasm for birds and birding!
For more information about each of the birding festivals being held during the first half of May, you can refer to the links provided below. And festivals taking place during the second half of May will be listed in next week’s issue.
May 1 to 4 – Alaska – Copper River Delta Shorebird Festival – Cordova, Alaska; see Copper River Delta Shorebird Festival (coppershorebird.com)
May 1 to 4 – Texas – Texas Midcoast Birding Festival, Port Lavaca, Texas; see Texas Mid-Coast Birding Festival – "Where Coastal Wings Meet Nature's Wonders" (texasmidcoastbirdingfestival.com)
May 1 to 20 – Ontario – Point Pelee Festival of Birds, Point Pelee National Park, Lemington, Ontario; see Festival of Birds – Point Pelee National Park
May 1 to 4 – Texas – Birding the Border, Del Rio, Texas; see Birding the Border 2025 - AgriLife Extension Wildlife & Fisheries (tamu.edu)
May 2 to 4 – Tennessee – Tipton County Museum BirdFest, Covington, Tennessee; see Home | Tipton County Museum (kmarkley62.wixsite.com)
May 7 to 10 – Arizona – Southwest Wings Spring Fling, Sierra Vista, Arizona; see Southwest Wings Birding and Nature Festival -Sierra Vista | Sierra Vista Birding and Nature (swwings.org)
May 7 to 11 – Alaska – Kachemak Bay ShoreBird Festival – Homer, Alaska; see Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival – 33rd Annual, May 7-11, 2025 (kachemakshorebird.org)
May 7 to 11 – Utah – Ute Mountain Mesa Verde Birding Festival – Cortez, Utah; see Ute Mountain Mesa Verde Birding Festival
Pick Hit for May!
May 9 to 18 – Ohio – The Biggest Week in American Birding, Black Swamp Bird Observatory, “The Warbler Capital of the World!” Oak Harbor, Ohio; see BWIAB - Home (biggestweekinamericanbirding.com)
May 9 to 18 – Wisconsin – Brew City Birding Festival, Milwaukee, Wisconsin; see Brew City Birding Festival | Celebrate Birds in Milwaukee (visitmilwaukee.org)
May 9 to 25 – British Columbia – Greater Vancouver Bird Celebration, Vancouver, British Columbia; see Home - Vancouver Bird Celebration
May 9 to 11 – Wisconsin – Horicon Marsh Bird Festival, Horicon Marsh National Wildlife Refuge, Horicon, Wisconsin; see Bird Festival – Horicon Marsh Bird Club
May 9 to 11 – Ohio – Birds in the Hills Festival, Hocking Hills State Park, Ohio; see Birds in the Hills (appalachianunderstories.com)
May 9 to 11 – Ontario – Spring Birding Festival, Prince Edward Point Bird Observatory, Milford, Ontario; see Spring Birding Festival — PEPtBO
May 9 to 12 – British Columbia – Creston Valley Birding Festival, Creston, British Columbia; see Creston Valley Bird Festival – Wildsight
May 10 – North Dakota – Fargo Birding Festival, Audubon Great Plains, Fargo River Park, Fargo, North Dakota; see Fargo Birding Festival | Fargo Parks
May 10 – British Columbia – Squamish Bird Festival, Squamish, British Columbia; see (2) Squamish S?wx?wú7mesh Bird Festival | Facebook
May 10 to 17 – British Columbia – Victoria Bird Week, Rocky Point Bird Observatory, Victoria, British Columbia; see Events Calendar - Rocky Point Bird Observatory (rpbo.org)