Sure to be a hoot

Photo Courtesy U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Several events scheduled for Nebraska bird month

Whoooo is ready to celebrate bird month? 

This May, The Wild Bird Habitat Store and Nebraska Game and Parks Commission are sponsoring Nebraska International Migratory Bird Month. 

International Migratory Bird Day is officially on the second Saturday of May but, in order to host more events and create more awareness, Nebraska celebrates the whole month of May as bird month, according to Nebraskabirdmonth.org. 

All month, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission will be hosting a bird month bioblitz. Using a smart phone, people can report a bird sighting by uploading a photo or a video a bird seen in Nebraska. Scientists will then work to identify the bird in the photo, this will help create estimates of bird populations. 

The Schramm Educational Center, birding center is inviting new birders to come visit the center and rent a birding backpack with all the tools a birder needs. 

Several birding hikes and walks will be happening across the state. The first of several birding hikes in the state, will take place May 1, one at the Heron Haven in Omaha. The other at the Rowe Sanctuary in Gibbon is happening on both May 1 and 2. May 8 Lauritzen Gardens in Omaha is hosting a warbler walk to look for 23 warblers in the area. The Mother’s Day Bird Walk is on May 9 at Pioneers Park Nature Center in Lincoln. Fort Robinson State Park in Crawford is hosting a bird walk on May 15 and the Wildcat Hills Nature Center near Gering is hosting a bird hike on May 22. 

Virtual informational meetings will also occur throughout the month. Fontenelle Forest is hosting Zoom meetings May 3-7 at 12:00-12:15 p.m. on different raptor species. On May 22 they are hosting another raptor event from 10-11 a.m. with Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. At 10-10:45 a.m. on May 8 on zoom, discussions will be centered around how to feed wild birds safely. Nebraska Game and Parks is hosting a Flying WILD workshop on May 11 from 6-8 p.m. On May 20, Coffee and Cardinals will be discussing how to choose coffee that supports birds.  

In person celebrations are happening on May 8 at Ponca State Park, May 15 at the Prairie Loft in Hastings and Riverside Discovery Center in Scottsbluff and May 22 at Spring Creek Prairie Audubon Center near Denton.  

More information, registration costs and links can all be found on Nebraskabirdmonth.org.