North America’s Only Birding Festival is Coming To New York

Ornithophiles, unite! There's only one birding festival in the entire United States (and Canada), and it's right here in New York.

It's always welcome to have another reminder to outsiders that our state is more than just New York City. The sentence, "I'm from New York", is almost always greeted with comments on traffic, noise, and crime that non-New Yorkers seem to assume comes with living anywhere in the Empire State. But you certainly can't take a yellow cab to this event...

Birds on Niagara in Buffalo, NY and Beyond

Birds on Niagara, hailed as "North America's only international birding festival", is coming to the Niagara River Corridor, joining both New York State and Canada in a unified celebration of our feathered friends. Here's what to expect.

Birds on Niagara Details

The festival kicks off Friday, February 17th and runs through Monday, February 20th. The numerous programs and activities are happening on both sides of the border, including events at Burchfield Penney Art Center in Buffalo, NY, Blackburn Brew House in Ontario, Canada, and Goat Island at Niagara Falls State Park.

Read More: Mind-Blowing: Did You Know How Big Eagle's Nests Can Be?

Events include scavenger hunts, activities at the Aquarium of Niagara, and an introduction to birding novices explaining the basics of the beloved hobby. You can find program guides for events in both New York and Canada here. But northern New York isn't the only place to find majestic Aves.

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The Hudson Valley is a hotbed for Bald Eagle activity, with many amazing places to catch sight of our national bird. Check out the fascinating photos of eagles fighting over fish on the Hudson River below, and keep scrolling for the 9 best spots to see them for yourself.