Enjoy Birding in November With These Festivals
Late fall is a spectacular season for birds, just when cool weather and the peak of fall migration converge to bring a wide range of many birds species to areas that might have less avian diversity throughout much of the year. Birding festivals in November are often scheduled to take advantage of fall migration, either focusing on a single bird species as it passes through an area or arrives at its wintering range, or else to celebrate all the area's autumn migrants.
The November bird festivals listed below offer multiple activities including field trips, lectures, speakers and other features, but events can vary from year to year – check each festival’s updated website or contact its organizers for specific information, schedules, registration details and costs. Note: Only a few features of each festival are mentioned below; many more are on each festival’s complete schedule!
Festivals are listed in chronological order according to the date they begin; scroll down or check additional pages for festivals later in the month.
Don’t see your favorite November birding festival listed? Email me to have it added to the directory!
One of the most well known birding festivals in North America, the Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival not only features the target birds of south Texas, but also the tremendous influx of seasonal autumn migrants. Many different field trips are offered around the Valley, as well as multiple informational seminars and keynote speakers, a large trade show, butterfly trips, bird photography workshops, a quiz show and live raptor exhibitions.More »
A celebration of the region's wintering sandhill cranes, the Sandhill Crane Festival includes highlighted birding tours for morning and evening fly-ins of huge flocks of these spectacular birds. Other festival activities include a featured artist, music, eco-friendly winery tours (with samples!), informational workshops and other field trips including birding boat and kayak tours.More »
Be a part of the largest gathering of bald eagles in the world at the Alaska Bald Eagle Festival. In addition to special trips to see the 3,000-4,000 bald eagles congregating to feed on salmon, other festival activities include photography workshops, featured speakers, informational lectures, carving workshops and a deliciously decadent Chocolate Extravaganza.More »
Though it is a multi-weekend event, this first weekend of the Fraser Valley Bald Eagle Festival celebrates these beautiful birds with several eagle-viewing trips and boat tours, wildlife displays, walking tours, featured speakers, arts and crafts workshops, an exhibitors' hall and more. Events are family-friendly and eagle viewing continues through mid-December.More »
Enjoy not only wild birds but live bird ambassadors at Raptor Rapture. A museum tour, the opportunity to dissect an owl pellet, a birding treasure hunt, educational presentations and different crafts and drawing workshops are all part of this fun event.More »
Organized by the Israel Ornithological Society, the Hula Valley Bird Festival highlights the outstanding autumn migration birding in Israel and includes not only typical field trips but also trips featuring a mobile hide to provide outstanding, intimate views. Other activities include featured speakers and bird banding demonstrations, and all festival profits help support local conservation efforts.More »
A celebration of autumn's arrival of the sandhill cranes, the Festival of the Cranes not only includes field trips to see these stately birds, but also a photo contest, optics expo, wildlife art show, waterfowl banding opportunities, informational workshops and a silent auction. Multiple family and kid-friendly activities are also scheduled, along with a specialized horseback birding tour.More »
Enjoy a range of autumn birds in central California at the Central Valley Birding Symposium and its multiple field trips visiting a wide variety of habitats. Other festival activities include keynote speakers, workshops, bird sketching classes, bird carving, multiple vendors and a wine and cheese reception.More »
The North West Bird Watching Festival is a highlight of fall at the Martin Mere Wetland Centre of the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust. Not only are guided walks available, but guests will enjoy workshops and informational talks, vendors and booths, guest speakers and more.More »
A collaborative event organized by different birding organizations in Asia, the Asian Bird Fair provides phenomenal opportunities to see the best of Asia's birds. Guided tours, photography contests, youth coloring contests, a poster contest and storytelling events are all part of the itinerary.More »
A one-night event, this fundraising evening is part of the Hungry Owl Project. While there are no owl prowls scheduled, there will be live owls, hawks and bats at the event, as well as a silent auction, raffle, artwork, refreshments and multiple speakers focusing on owl rehabilitation, attracting owls for natural rodent control and similar issues.More »
The November bird festivals listed below offer multiple activities including field trips, lectures, speakers and other features, but events can vary from year to year – check each festival’s updated website or contact its organizers for specific information, schedules, registration details and costs. Note: Only a few features of each festival are mentioned below; many more are on each festival’s complete schedule!
Festivals are listed in chronological order according to the date they begin; scroll down or check additional pages for festivals later in the month.
Don’t see your favorite November birding festival listed? Email me to have it added to the directory!
1. Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival
- Dates: November 5-9, 2014
- Location: Harlingen, Texas
One of the most well known birding festivals in North America, the Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival not only features the target birds of south Texas, but also the tremendous influx of seasonal autumn migrants. Many different field trips are offered around the Valley, as well as multiple informational seminars and keynote speakers, a large trade show, butterfly trips, bird photography workshops, a quiz show and live raptor exhibitions.More »
2. California Swan Festival
- Date: November 7-9, 2014
- Location: Marysville, California
3. Sandhill Crane Festival
- Dates: November 7-9, 2014
- Location: Lodi, California
A celebration of the region's wintering sandhill cranes, the Sandhill Crane Festival includes highlighted birding tours for morning and evening fly-ins of huge flocks of these spectacular birds. Other festival activities include a featured artist, music, eco-friendly winery tours (with samples!), informational workshops and other field trips including birding boat and kayak tours.More »
4. Alaska Bald Eagle Festival
- Dates: November 10-16, 2014
- Location: Haines, Alaska
Be a part of the largest gathering of bald eagles in the world at the Alaska Bald Eagle Festival. In addition to special trips to see the 3,000-4,000 bald eagles congregating to feed on salmon, other festival activities include photography workshops, featured speakers, informational lectures, carving workshops and a deliciously decadent Chocolate Extravaganza.More »
5. Fraser Valley Bald Eagle Festival
- Dates: November 15-16, 2014
- Location: Mission, British Columbia
Though it is a multi-weekend event, this first weekend of the Fraser Valley Bald Eagle Festival celebrates these beautiful birds with several eagle-viewing trips and boat tours, wildlife displays, walking tours, featured speakers, arts and crafts workshops, an exhibitors' hall and more. Events are family-friendly and eagle viewing continues through mid-December.More »
6. Raptor Rapture
- Date: November 15, 2014
- Location: Albany, New York
Enjoy not only wild birds but live bird ambassadors at Raptor Rapture. A museum tour, the opportunity to dissect an owl pellet, a birding treasure hunt, educational presentations and different crafts and drawing workshops are all part of this fun event.More »
7. Hula Valley Bird Festival
- Dates: November 16-23, 2014
- Location: Kfar Blum, Israel
Organized by the Israel Ornithological Society, the Hula Valley Bird Festival highlights the outstanding autumn migration birding in Israel and includes not only typical field trips but also trips featuring a mobile hide to provide outstanding, intimate views. Other activities include featured speakers and bird banding demonstrations, and all festival profits help support local conservation efforts.More »
8. Festival of the Cranes
- Dates: November 18-23, 2014
- Location: Socorro, New Mexico
A celebration of autumn's arrival of the sandhill cranes, the Festival of the Cranes not only includes field trips to see these stately birds, but also a photo contest, optics expo, wildlife art show, waterfowl banding opportunities, informational workshops and a silent auction. Multiple family and kid-friendly activities are also scheduled, along with a specialized horseback birding tour.More »
9. Central Valley Birding Symposium
- Dates: November 20-23, 2014
- Location: Stockton, California
Enjoy a range of autumn birds in central California at the Central Valley Birding Symposium and its multiple field trips visiting a wide variety of habitats. Other festival activities include keynote speakers, workshops, bird sketching classes, bird carving, multiple vendors and a wine and cheese reception.More »
10. North West Bird Watching Festival
- Date: November 22-23, 2014
- Location: Lancashire, England
The North West Bird Watching Festival is a highlight of fall at the Martin Mere Wetland Centre of the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust. Not only are guided walks available, but guests will enjoy workshops and informational talks, vendors and booths, guest speakers and more.More »
11. Asian Bird Fair
- Dates: November 29-30, 2014
- Location: Langkawi, Malasia
A collaborative event organized by different birding organizations in Asia, the Asian Bird Fair provides phenomenal opportunities to see the best of Asia's birds. Guided tours, photography contests, youth coloring contests, a poster contest and storytelling events are all part of the itinerary.More »
12. Evening With Owls
- Dates: No event scheduled in 2014; future dates will be posted as available.
- Location: Mill Valley, California
A one-night event, this fundraising evening is part of the Hungry Owl Project. While there are no owl prowls scheduled, there will be live owls, hawks and bats at the event, as well as a silent auction, raffle, artwork, refreshments and multiple speakers focusing on owl rehabilitation, attracting owls for natural rodent control and similar issues.More »
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