21st Annual Northwoods Bird & Wildlife Festival

Celebrate the wild heart of the Northwoods at the 21st annual Bird and Wildlife Festival! This family-friendly event brings together birders, nature lovers, artists, and outdoor enthusiasts for a full day of discovery and fun. Enjoy guided birding walks, bird banding demonstrations, wildlife presentations, hands-on activities, and opportunities to learn from local experts. Whether you’re an experienced birder or just curious about the natural world, the festival offers something for all ages—highlighting the incredible birds, wildlife, and habitats that make the Northwoods so special. 

The Festival Guidebook will be available soon! 

Festival Schedule: 

5:00-7:00am – Breakfast & Check-in

5:30-6:30am – Sunrise warbler walk on NLDC campus - Greet the day the Northwoods way—on foot, in the quiet glow of sunrise, surrounded by birdsong. This early-morning hike invites you to experience the forest surrounding the Discovery Center when birds are most active. We’ll move at an easy pace along woodland trails, listening and watching for warblers, thrushes, woodpeckers, and other Northwoods favorites while learning tips for identifying birds by sight and sound.

6:00-11:00am – Bird banding with Bruce Bacon on NLDC campus - Drop in at the Bird Habitat Enclosure to see Bruce Bacon demonstrate techniques for live bird banding. See birds up close and learn about how banding research is important for survival, productivity, and distribution of birds. You may even have an opportunity to release a bird once it’s been banded!

7:00am-11:00am: Fallison Trail Field Trip with Colleen Matula (Boulder Junction) - This trail rolls through a mixed coniferous-deciduous forest, bogs on the southwest and northeast sides, and a hemlock glade on the south side. Watch for signs of beaver activity along the trail and along the shore, as well as loons, osprey and eagles that can be seen on or around Fallison Lake. 

7:00am-11:00am: Iron County Hotspots Field Trip with Zach Wilson (Iron County) - Head deep into the wilds of north central Iron County with Zach Wilson to visit an amazing diversity of forest types from old growth hemlock hardwoods to tamarack keg swamps to early succession aspen stands. Zach will lead you on the hunt for gray jays, spruce grouse, northern goshawk, and more!

7:00am-11:00am: Bearskin Trail Field Trip with Frank Schroyer (Minocqua) - This former railroad corridor surfaced with compacted granite is a trail suitable for all ability levels with several scenic spots that traverse a sparsely populated area known for dense forests and a proliferation of lakes. This variety of habitat offers a chance to see woodland, semi-aquatic, and aquatic species of birds. 

7:00am-11:00am: Deadhorse Trail Field Trip with Lydia Dobberstein (Mercer) - The Deadhorse Trail is located in a special management unit dedicated to intensive management for ruffed grouse. Winding through dense forests, wetland areas, and along the shores of pristine lakes, the trail offers a chance to see a variety of woodland and wetland species.

11-11:45am – Lunch at NLDC

12-1pm – Presentation: John Bates - Birding in the Birdiest Country in the World - With its diverse landscapes, Colombia is home to a great number of endemic species and offers the greatest bird diversity in the world. More than 2000 bird species have been recorded here – over 160 species of hummingbirds alone - holding almost 20% of the worlds bird diversity. Come enjoy many of the birds seen and heard on a nine-day trip through the three spines of the Andes in western Colombia, from 1,000 feet to 13,000 feet. 

1:15pm-2:00pm – Concurrent Workshops

• Snakes of the Northwoods: Discover the secret lives of snakes found in the Great Lakes region in this engaging program that explores their habitats, behaviors, and unique adaptations. Learn how to identify common species and gain a new appreciation for these often-misunderstood reptiles. 
• Owl Pellet Dissection: Ever wonder what owls really eat? In this hands-on workshop, we’ll dive into the fascinating world of owl ecology by dissecting real owl pellets. Participants will carefully examine and identify bones and other remains to reconstruct an owl’s meal and learn how these incredible nocturnal hunters fit into the Northwoods ecosystem.
• The Underworld Exploration: Salamanders, centipedes, and worms, oh my! This hands-on program covers the importance of life under the Earth's surface and the animals and fungi that help fuel the circle of life in the Northwoods. Attendees will be guided into the woods where we'll search for living things under logs and leaf litter. Who knows what we might find! 

2:00pm – Raffle drawing, grand bird tally, and closing remarks

All field trip groups will meet at and leave from the North Lakeland Discovery Center. If you sign up for a field trip and plan on meeting at the location, please contact Hannah Thorpe (email hannah@discoverycenter.net, or call 715-543-2085).

Dont forget to bring your binoculars! 

Can't make the festival but still want to show your support? Donate here!