The 25th Annual Great Salt Lake Bird Festival

The Great Salt Lake Bird Festival is one of the most unique bird festivals in the U.S. The field trips are held at some of the most amazing wildlife areas in the world and are abundant with bird life!

The annual Great Salt Lake Bird Festival first started in 1999 and has grown over the years to be a medium-size birding festival. Discover Davis, the tourism department for Davis County, Utah organizes this event with the help of a dedicated and passionate Committee that is made up of Utah birding experts. In addition, the Festival has many community partners that provide support and resources year after year.

Each year hundreds of attendees flock to the Great Salt Lake Bird Festival to experience one-of-a-kind field trips, participate in hands-on learning workshops, and enjoy opportunities to listen to world-renowned keynote speakers and expert field trip guides. But most importantly, for 4 days a group of passionate birders get together and celebrate the beautiful array of birds that migrate to our region, while sharing unforgettable moments and experiences.  

At the Great Salt Lake Bird Festival you can expect to see hundreds of different species of birds, rare access to property and areas that are typically closed off to the public and to top it all off, attendees experience the beautiful outdoor playground Utah offers. The GSL Bird Festival’s utmost responsibility is respecting the habitat in which these wonderful creatures live, even if for some, it may only be a resting or pit stop as they head to their next destination.

Mission Statement:
To increase awareness and conservation of the Great Salt Lake ecosystem through education and nature tourism

Schedule of Events:

May 18, 2023

7am - 1pm: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge - Behind the Gates
7am or 9am: Mist Netting and Bird Banding at Farmington Creek
7am or 10am: Birding by Kayak at the Ecctes Wildlife Education Center
7am - 12pm: Jordanelle Wetlands and Heber Fields
8am - 12pm: Photography at Farmington Bay
8am - 3pm: Birding Rockport by Canoe/Kayak
9am - 1pm: American Kestrel
2pm- 5pm: Burrowing Owls of Antelope Island
5pm - 9:30pm: Antelope Island Owl Prowl
8pm-11:59pm: Mountain Owls

May 19, 2023

6am - 1pm: Antelope Island Birding
6:30am-11:30am: Wetland Birding at Farmington Bay WMA
7am or 9am: Mist Netting and Bird Banding at Farmington Creek
7am - 1pm: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge: Behind the Gates
7am or 10am: Birding by Kayak at the Eccles Wildlife Education Center
7am - 11am: Swaner Preserve and EcoCenter, Sandhill Cranes, and More
7am - 1pm: Inland Sea Shorebird Reserve
7am - 2pm: Birding Diamond Fork Canyon
7am - 3pm: Utah County Daytime Hotspots
7:30am - 11:30am: Mantua Reservoir and Surrounding Area
7:30am - 2pm: Morgan County Backyard Birding
8am - 1pm: Sage-Steppe Birding at Promontory Point
10am or 1pm: Research Boat Tour on the Great Salt Lake
2pm - 5pm: Burrowing Owls of Antelope Island
5pm - 9:30pm: Utah County Evening Hotspots

May 20, 2023

6am - 1pm: Ogden Bay: Behind the Gates
6:30am - 11:30am: Antelope Island Causeway
7am - 9am: Mist Netting and Bird Banding at Farmington Creek
7am - 12pm: Behind the Gates at Legacy Nature Preserve
7am - 12pm: Birding by Ear
7am - 2pm: Cache Valley Hotspots
7am - 3pm: Utah County Daytime Hotspots
7:30am-10am: Bountiful Pond
7:30am - 2pm: Morgan County Backyard Birding
8am - 10am: Birding by Electric Bike
9am - 11am: Birding for Families
2pm - 5pm: Beginning Birding: Farmington Bay

Schedule of Events:

5am - 12pm: East Canyon State Park
6am - 3pm: Bird the West Desert & Pony Express Trail
6am - 11:59pm: Marathon Birding
6:30am -11:30am: Antelope Island Causeway
7am - 8pm: Birds of the Great Salt Lake
7:30am- 10am: Bountiful Pond
8am - 10am: Birding by Kayak/Pad die board on Andy Adam's Reservoir
8am - 4pm: Spiral Jetty Adventure
9am - 11am: Birding for Families
2pm - 4pm: Kaysville Ponds and USU Botanical Center
6pm - 7:30pm: Kaysville East Mountain Wilderness Park

Date: May 18-21, 2023

Timing:

May 18, 2023 from 7:00am to 11:59pm
May 19, 2023 from 6:00am to 9:30pm
May 20, 2023 from 6:00am to 5:00pm
May 21, 2023 from 5:00am to 11:59pm

Location: Various Venues in Farmington, UT 84025

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