Festival Of Birds in Detroit Lakes Minnesota

Set the alarm. Grab the binoculars. Put on good walking shoes.

You don't want to waste any time in birders' paradise - Detroit Lakes, Minnesota. More than 250 species of birds live in Becker County. Why? Because the Detroit Lakes area is in the heart of a transition zone of tall grass prairie, northern hardwood and coniferous ecosystems. Serious birders flock here each spring for the annual Detroit Lakes Festival of Birds.

The 15th Annual Festival of Birds is May 17-20, 2012.
Download the program for the complete schedule. Contact the Detroit Lakes Regional Chamber of Commerce at 218.847.9202 or 800.542.3992 for event openings through Wednesday, May 16. Starting Thursday, May 17 stop at registration headquarters, M State College, to check on event openings.

To kick off the festival Thursday, May 17, Carrol Henderson returns to the site where Trumpeter Swans were released in a reintroduction program 25 years ago - Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge. Carrol's presentation will detail how the swans were brought back from dangerously low numbers and now grace many Minnesota lakes!
Our featured presenter on Saturday, May 19 comes from the University of Washington. John Marzluff will share the surprising similarities people have with birds in the crow family. Did you know crows can talk to dogs? Or, that magpies will ring a doorbell for a treat but only when a person they know and trust is home! Crows have been observed fashioning tools and using them to get food. Crows also recognize faces...find out what happens when they see a particular familiar face as Marzluff's presentation unfolds.
Naturalist Paula Grieef travels from Oak Hammock Marsh, north of Winnipeg Manitoba to tell us about this birding hotspot in North America on Friday, May 18 at Maplelag Resort. During the migration season, more than 400,000 waterfowl use the marsh daily!
Workshops in 2012 will help you learn more about Golden-Wing Warblers, Woodcock, Purple Martins, Trumpeter Swans and Greater Prairie Chickens. Your favorite field trip sites will be offered again as well as new locations!

If you would like to receive the Festival of Birds program and are not on the current mailing list, please contact us at dlchamber@VisitDetroitLakes.com or call toll free 800.542.3992. Early bird registrants by May 4 will be included among those who could win a free pair of binoculars from Eagle Optics!

Enjoy our small town hospitality while in Detroit Lakes, including several lodging options and wallet-friendly lodging specials.

Field trip leaders and naturalists for the 2011 festival included Al Batt, Drew Wheelan, Carrol Henderson, Denny and Barb Martin, Sharon Stiteler, Mike Murphy, Keith Corliss, Bob O' Connor, John Voz, Wayne Brininger, Lowell Deede, Betsy Beneke, Judd Brink, Greg Hoch, Ron Windingstad, Beau Shroyer, Rhett Johnson, Dave Bennet. In recent years, birders have checked these species off their list: Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher, Gray-cheeked Thrush, Rough-legged Hawk, Chestnut-collared Longspur, LeConte's and Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrows, Rock Wren, Golden-winged and Northern Parula Warblers, Alder Flycatcher and Black-backed Woodpecker.

During the 2011 festival, 175 species of birds were recorded on eight field trips. The Glacial Ridge National Wildlife Refuge/Agassiz Dunes fieldtrip topped the list with 105 species and 100 on the prairie trip to Blue Stem. The first ever out-of-state trip to Fargo recorded 93 species. Nearly 200 species are recorded annually at the festival.
On a previous field trip to Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge, birdwatchers were graced with a flock of Hudsonian Godwits numbering just over 90 birds. In just four hours, 135 different species of birds were sighted. Field trip leader Doug Buri exclaimed, "I've been looking at shorebirds for 40 years and I don't ever recall seeing 25 species in just 2 hours. What an amazing day!" The Eared Grebe, Willet, Long-billed Dowitcher, Bonaparte's Gull and Sharp-tailed Grouse were new sightings for the festival that day.

Any time of year, we welcome you to check out several sites along the Pine to Prairie Birding Trail that are near Detroit Lakes. Download the Bird Checklist of 275 species along the trail below. For more birding opportunities in Minnesota, see the MOU website.

Everywhere you go in Detroit Lakes' bird paradise, you're guaranteed to see birds to check off your bird list. Best of all, you'll hear the winsome call of the loon, Minnesota's state bird. Several Minnesota State Birds were fitted with transmitters during summer 2011 to track their migration locations and other habits. You may follow their daily location, including the three males fitted with the transmitters at Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge (TA, LM and BL) as they migrate to their winter locations.

We welcome you to Detroit Lakes, Minnesota. Happy birding!

2012 Festival of Birds Program (PDF)

Cumulative List of Recorded Birds (PDF)

Species Checklist (PDF)