HELENA, MONT., April 22, 2019—Spring has sprung in Helena and we invite you to join us on Saturday, May 4th at the Helena Valley Regulating Reservoir to celebrate birds at our 16th annual World Migratory Bird Day festival! The event is free and open to all!
The Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, Montana Discovery Foundation, and Birds and Beasleys are partnering to bring World Migratory Bird Day to Helena. This year’s theme is “Be the Solution to Plastic Pollution.”
The main Bird Day event begins at 9 a.m. on Saturday, May 4th at the Helena Valley Regulating Reservoir, and runs until 1 p.m. If you’re an early riser, though, you can start your Bird Day experience at 6:30 a.m. with guided early bird hikes around the Reservoir for some bird watching. Hikers have a chance to see up to 60 different species of birds at the Reservoir.
Participants can spend their time doing numerous hands-on activities and interactive games, birding art, face painting and temporary bird tattoos, guided bird hikes, viewing birds in their natural habitat, and enjoying live music and entertainment from local talents. Festival visitors will also learn about how to prevent plastic pollution to help save the birds! The Montana Wildlife Rehabilitation Center will also bring some special “guests” (raptors!) to the event as well.
The partners plan to celebrate World Migratory Bird Day all week, leading up to the main event, which includes:
- Now: Check out our displays! Helena’s Hike it Baby family club created birds out of found plastic items and their artwork is featured in the Lewis and Clark Library bookcase displays through the month of April! Also, be sure to catch the bird-themed display alighting the window of U.S. Bank in downtown Helena!
- May 1st & 2nd: Honker the Blue Goose and Woodsy Owl will welcome children to story hour at the Lewis & Clark Library. The Library will celebrate Bird Day by hosting one 30-minute storytelling sessions about birds each day.
- Saturday, May 4th: World Migratory Bird Day!!
For more information about Helena’s 2019 World Migratory Bird Day festival, contact Kathy Bushnell at 406-495-3747.
