Take Flight: Bird Watching Festivals Across the World.Got wanderlust? Read this list of 8 incredible bird watching events ranging from Europe to South America and dedicated to conserving, protecting and celebrating this diverse and vital species. As you probably already know, Birds & Beasleys is a BIG fan of birds. If you have not been into Birds & Beasleys before, we would like to meet you…and…of course, to talk about your backyard birds. Happy birding!
1. Batumi Birdwatching Festival, Georgia
September 24 to October 1, 2024, Batumi / Kobuleti – Eagle week offers, daily organized visits and excursions to raptor watchpoints and the regions best birding sites.
Besides the special programme of the festival, the end of September marks the passage of thousands of eagles through Batumi. Steppe Buzzards reach their peak, with over 100,000 in a single day. Join the Batumi Eagle Festival Week to witness this spectacle.
If you’re keen to take part, organisers can arrange for you to stay with local families and supply you with what you need to help out. You will stay in the area of Batumi or Chakvi, where stations and other birding destinations are not far. One step away from cultural activities and sites, which Georgia’s tourist capital offers. These come with the full board, traditional but varied meals with vegetarian options.
More information: batumiraptorcount.org
2. Indian Birding Fair, Jaipur
The Indian Birding Fair is held every February at Man Sagar Lake in Jaipur and is as colourful and exciting as the city itself. Thousands of birdwatchers from around India and the world descend upon the lake, a popular migratory spot for waders. Nearly twenty schools actively participate in its open-air sessions. Each Fair is dedicated to a species or a habitat or a conservation problem. It is a roaring event and best be experienced by joining it.
For international birders, the fair offers the chance to experience birdwatching in a totally unique environment – in the shadow of the lake’s famous water palace, the Jal Mahal.
More information: birdfair.org
3. September 25-29, 2024 Kakadu Bird Week, Australia
Kakadu National Park is a bird lover’s paradise – home to more than a third of Australia’s bird species, Kakadu is the perfect place to discover and learn all about the unique species of birds living in this magical part of the world, which is dual World Heritage-listed for both its natural and cultural values.
During Bird Week, visitors and viewers are treated to specialist lectures, cultural events and some of Australia’s best birdwatching.
More information: parksaustralia.gov.au
5. February 13-16, 2025 Feria Internacional de Aves de Colombia, Cali
Colombia has the highest avian diversity in the world, so it should come as no surprise that one of the newest and most exciting events on the international birdwatching calendar is the Feria Internacional de Aves de Colombia, the Colombia Bird Fair.
The fair is in Cali. Known as Colombia’s very own ‘City of Birds’. Sitting at the crossroads of three major biogeographic regions, Cali is home to 562 species of birds, more than the whole of Europe.
More information: colombiabirdfair.com
6. October 3-6, 2024, Sagres Birdwatching Festival, Algarve, Portugal
The Sagres Birdwatching Festival is the biggest nature event in Portugal. Timed to coincide with the autumn migration, it is a celebration of the area’s biodiversity and landscapes.
It’s in its 15th year! There’s a range of offers 2024: field trips, boat tours, workshops, talks, environmental education activities, bird ringing sessions and much, much more. There will also be hikes, photography courses, history-themed guided tours or dolphin-watching.
More information: birdwatchingsagres.com
7. October 26, 2024 – October 27, 2024, Borneo Bird Festival, Sabah
The Borneo Bird Festival takes place in the Rainforest Discovery Centre in Sandakan. It’s is one of the largest nature festivals in Malaysia, a celebration of the magnificent birds of Borneo and its surrounding nature. This event has also created bonds among participants, both local and international, and is an overall excellent platform where nature enthusiasts gather.
The objective of the Borneo Bird Festival is to create public awareness of nature conservation, to promote birdwatching, and to encourage ecotourism. Lastly, to showcase the 568 bird species that call this part of Borneo home, including four that are found nowhere else in the world.
Expect talks, guided bird walks, a bird race and a bird-watching competition. How many Bornean Bristleheads, Bornean Falconets and Black-Crowned Pittas will you see?
More information: Borneo Bird Festival
8. November 6-10, 2024, Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival, USA
Mention the Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival to an American birdwatcher and they’ll give you a knowing smile. With a whopping 659 species, South Texas is home to many species of birds, some that are found nowhere else in America. There’s a massive trade fair, of course. As well as presentations and lectures and a hoe down or two.
Whether by foot, vehicle, or boat the Birdiest Festival in America is sure to have something for everyone’s birding pleasure.
More information: rgvbf.org
In conclusion, visit Birds & Beasleys for all your bird watching gear, including books, binoculars and more! It’s Take Flight and visit Bird Watching Festivals Across the World!