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 14th Annual Festival of Birds is scheduled for May 19-22, 2011. Joining us will be a Minnesota favorite - Al Batt! Check back for updates on featured presenters, workshops and fieldtrips.

During the 2010 Festival, 170 species of birds were recorded on 11 field trips. The Sunday field trip to Glacial Ridge National Wildlife Refuge and Agassiz Dunes logged 106 species.

From the Early Bird registrants by May 7th, Dave Fieldler from Buffalo, MN won a Raven 6.5 x 32 binocular from Eagle Optics!

Nearly 200 species are recorded annually at the festival. Field trip leaders and naturalists for the 2010 festival included Kim Eckert, Denny and Barb Martin, Sharon Stiteler, Charlie Walcott, Becky Esser, Mike Murphy, Jeff Gordon, John Voz, Wayne Brininger, Lowell Deede, Teresa Jaskiewicz, Judd Brink, Connie Cox, Greg Hoch, Dan and Sandy Thimgan, 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. 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.

Detroit Lakes is now part of North America's newest International Birding Trail! The Pine to Prairie Birding Trail continues north another 300 miles into Manitoba.

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.

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

2010 Festival of Birds Program

2010 List of Recorded Birds (PDF)

Cumulative List of Recorded Birds (PDF)

Species Checklist (PDF)