Join us for the 8th Annual Eagle Creek Park Birding Festival! Get ready for a weekend of celebrating all the birding opportunities Eagle Creek Park has to offer during the height of migration season. We will offer FREE guided hikes, raptor programs, crafts, workshops, and more. No birding experience required! For the free guided hikes and activities, park admission is $6 for in county residents and $7 if you live out of Marion County. All activities are at the Ornithology Center (6515 Delong Rd. Indianapolis, IN 46278) unless otherwise noted in the location.
SATURDAY, MAY 10th
Ornithology Center open 10:00 am – 5:00 pm – Crafts, coloring, scavenger hunts, and interactive tables will be set up at the Ornithology Center (moved indoors if it’s raining) for all ages! Visit the raptor ambassadors, try the Migration Obstacle Course (ages 6-12), learn about the birds that visit the feeders, and explore our exhibits. We will also have special hands-on bone specimens, feathers, furs, and more on display today! Guests such as the Amos Butler Audubon Society, Indiana Audubon, International Crane Foundation, Bird Safe Indy/Renewal by Anderson, and other Eagle Creek Park Partners will have booths as well. Thank you so much to our event sponsor, the Eagle Creek Park Foundation!
8:00-9:30 am Warbler Watch Location: Marina
Join Aidan at the Marina for an early morning warbler watch! This is a fantastic opportunity to observe and hear multiple migrant warbler species. We will plan to meet in the parking lot and will be birding the road leading to the marina, and the peninsula for migrant warbler flocks. Bring your own binoculars if you have them! If not, we will have a limited supply.
10:00 am – 12:00 pm Open Water Birding Location: Earth Discovery Center
Pre-registration required at indyparks.org - Canoe Rental #35581 or Bring Your Own Boat (BYOB) #35580
Get ready for an open water birding extravaganza on Eagle Creek Reservoir. This event will focus on enjoying, finding, and identifying birds from a canoe or kayak. Participants can rent equipment ($25) or bring their own ($15). Binoculars provided if you do not bring your own. Find more information and register at indyparks.org.
10:00 am – 12:00 pm Coffer Dam Hike with Donna McCarty Location: Ornithology Center
Hike the Coffer Dam loop around the Bird Sanctuary with long-time park volunteer and experienced birder Donna McCarty.
Trail: 2 miles, moderate with one hilly portion
10:15-10:30 am Vulture Visit Location: Ornithology Center
Scavengers, such as vultures, get a bad rap, but they’re really nature’s immune system! Come visit Matilda the Turkey Vulture in her flight aviary and learn about how vultures are important for healthy ecosystems. She may even do a flight demonstration for us!
11:00 am – 2:00 pm Campfire Lunch Location: Ornithology Center
Bring your own lunch and join us around the campfire! We will also be selling hotdogs, chips, and s'mores while supplies last. All proceeds go to our Eagle Creek Park Foundation Ornithology Center Fund, which helps care for our birds!
11:00 am – 12:00 pm EGGstravaganza: Shapes and Sizes Location: Ornithology Center
From soft and slimy to big and blue, animals lay all sorts of different eggs. Who lays these eggs? How do different types of eggs help animals survive in different environments? What are the strangest looking eggs in the animal kingdom? Come find out and meet some egg-layers up-close during our Egg-stravaganza!
12:00 – 12:30 pm Egg Hunt Location: Ornithology Center
Join for an Egg-citing adventure! Explore the campus of the Ornithology Center for hidden, colorful eggs full of surprises and prizes! Designed for 3–5 year-olds accompanied with their guardians, this rainbow egg scavenger hunt will be memorable & fun!
12:00-2:00 pm Birding with Don Gorney Location: Skating Pond
Join Indy birder, Don Gorney at the Skating Pond to have a chance at seeing multiple spring migrants. This could include migrant warblers, thrushes, flycatchers and more! Meet at the Skating Pond Parking area to start the hike! Bring your own binoculars if you have them! If not, you can pick up a pair to borrow before the hike at the Ornithology Center.
Trail: 1 mile, easy, grass and forest, could be wet/muddy
12:30-1:30 pm Birds & Blooms Location: Ornithology Center
Join the Nawrocki Family for a spring wildflower and bird walk. The exposed bluffs around the OC are home to shooting stars, fire pink, and other ephemerals that like living on the edge! The Beech-Maple forest also stays moist and shaded, providing a great home for ostrich fern, spring beauties, and wood poppies.
Trail: 0.5-1 mile, easy, partly paved & gravel
1:00-1:30 pm Skunk Saturdays Location: Earth Discovery Center
Get up-close and personal with our sweet and stinky skunk! Each Saturday at 1pm, Stinkerbell the Skunk comes out for a training session with one of her trainers. Ask questions, learn about skunks in Indiana and beyond, and discover how we train our animal ambassadors. This program takes place indoors in the Earth Discovery Center's main exhibit hall at Eagle Creek Park. The skunk will be in a pen with her trainer, and NO touching or handling by the public is permitted.
2:00-3:00 pm Hike Location: TBD
Check back later for a description of the hike at this time!
2:00-4:00 pm Bird Bones and More! Location: Ornithology Center
Meet renowned forensic anthropologist and vertebrate anatomist Dr. Stephen Nawrocki in the classroom to explore bird bones, dinosaur skulls, fossils, and more! This is an informal display so drop-ins are welcome anytime from 2-4 pm.
2:30-3:00 pm Raptor Feeding Time Location: Ornithology Center
Watch one of the naturalists feed the birds of prey in their enclosures. They eat quickly so don't be late!
3:00-4:00 pm Back from the Brink: Bald Eagles & Peregrine Falcons Location: Ornithology Center
Back in the mid-1900s, Bald Eagles and Peregrine Falcons were in serious trouble—a chemical called DDT was thinning their eggshells, and their numbers were crashing. When DDT was finally banned in 1972, Bald Eagles & Peregrine Falcons were still on the brink of extinction in the lower 48 states. Today, these birds, and their populations, are soaring again! Join OC Assistant Manager, Donna, for a discussion about Bald Eagle & Peregrine Falcon conservation, featuring both Carson the eagle & Freyja the falcon!
4:00-5:00 pm Bird Song Stroll Location: Ornithology Center
Have you ever listened to the birds singing in your yard and wondered what they are saying? What about the loud birds that wake you up in the morning? Come to this program to learn some common bird song mnemonics and how to identify some spring migrant calls as well with birders Aidan Rominger and Dr. Stephen Nawrocki. We will start on the deck and take a leisurely stroll along the paved paths by the Ornithology Center.
Trail: 0.5-1 mile, easy, paved
4:00-5:00 pm Raptor Enrichment Party Location: Ornithology Center
All of the birds we care for at the Ornithology Center are non-releasable due to previous injuries or imprinting. Because they have to live their lives in captivity with us, we work really hard to keep their days interesting! One way we do this is by giving them “enrichment,” which usually involves treats hidden inside cardboard, paper, and anything that they can tear up. Come help us create fun toys and puzzle feeders for our raptors out of everyday recycled, bird-safe materials! We will also make tissue paper “spring flowers” to decorate their enclosures and hide treats inside, or you can take the flowers home with you. Available while supplies last in the classroom starting at 4pm.
5:00-5:20 pm Enrichment Feeding Time Location: Ornithology Center
After the Raptor Enrichment Party, we will put some tasty treats (raw meat, bones, fur, etc.) inside some of your enrichment creations and watch one of the naturalists give it to the birds of prey in their enclosures. Matilda the Turkey Vulture and Carson the Bald Eagle especially love tearing up enrichment!
5:30-6:30 pm Spring Evening Accessible Birding Location: Eagle’s Crest ADA Trail
Pre-registration required at indyparks.org - program #35635
Come join local birder Olivia Bautch for an evening of birding for every body! Evenings are a special time to observe many birds as they become active before roosting for the night. The prairie on the west side of Eagle Creek Park is the perfect habitat for many elusive species such as Henslow’s Sparrow and Blue Grosbeaks, as well as fan-favorites like Red-headed Woodpecker and warblers. This outing is open to all ages and all levels of birders. 12 people maximum, FREE with West Side gate admission ($6) but pre-registration is required. Find more information and register at indyparks.org.
SUNDAY, MAY 11th
Ornithology Center open 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm – Crafts, coloring, scavenger hunts, and interactive tables will be set up at the Ornithology Center (moved indoors if it’s raining) for all ages! Visit the raptor ambassadors, try the Migration Obstacle Course (ages 6-12), learn about the birds that visit the feeders, and explore our exhibits. We will also have Mother’s Day Crafts throughout the day so come celebrate with us! Guests such as the Amos Butler Audubon Society, Indiana Audubon, International Crane Foundation, Bird Safe Indy/Renewal by Anderson, and other Eagle Creek Park Partners will have booths as well. Thank you so much to our event sponsor, the Eagle Creek Park Foundation!
9:00-11:00 am Amos Butler Audubon Society Birdwalk Location: Starts at the Ornithology Center
Join a group of new and experienced birders for a brisk morning bird walk! Meets every Sunday morning at 9:00 am at the Ornithology Center, led by ABAS, rain or shine. Young birders welcome!
Trail: various, depending on the group size and preference
11:00 am – 12:45 pm Mindful Birding Location: Starts at the Ornithology Center
Pre-registration required at indyparks.org - program #35589
Mindful Birding is a nature-based wellness experience that blends mindfulness with the joy of bird observation through a slow, sensory, and immersive walk. Guided by Certified Association of Nature & Forest Therapy (ANFT) Guides, Donna Riner and Michelle Morton, participants will engage their senses to connect deeply with the natural world and the birds within it. Gentle prompts will encourage mindful, intentional observation without the pressure to identify species. This 1 hour and 45-minute walk includes short-distance wandering, sitting, exploring, and opportunities for group sharing, concluding with tea and snacks. The experience covers about half a mile and costs $15 per participant. Ages 10+. Youth need to be registered along with a registered adult.
11:30 am – 12:30 pm Birding with Nick Kiehl Location: Skating Pond
Join Indy birder, Nick at the Skating Pond to have a chance at seeing multiple spring migrants. This could include migrant warblers, thrushes, flycatchers and more! Meet at the Skating Pond parking area to start the hike. Bring your own binoculars if you have them! If not, you can pick up a pair to borrow before the hike at the Ornithology Center.
Trail: 1 mile, easy, grass and forest, could be wet/muddy
1:00-1:30 pm Owls of Indiana Location: Ornithology Center
Learn about the different owls that can be found in Indiana, see some owl taxidermy up close, and watch a feeding demonstration with our two Owl Ambassadors.
1:00-2:00 pm WFYI Hummingbird Video Showing Location: Ornithology Center
Spend Mother’s Day with WFYI Live at Eagle Creek Park’s Bird Fest on Sunday, May 11 for a screening of Nature’s Hummingbirds of Hollywood. Amid the glamour of Hollywood, a woman finds herself on a transformative journey as she nurtures wounded hummingbirds, unraveling a visually captivating tale of love, fragility, healing and the delicate beauty in profound acts of kindness. The one-hour screening will begin at 1 p.m. in the Ornithology Center’s classroom. Sign up for the screening and plan to enjoy the festival throughout the day at Eagle Creek Park. Pre-registration is required for this free event due to limited space. Save your spot today! https://www.wfyi.org/events/hummingbirds-of-hollywood-screening-at-eagle-creek-park-bird-fest
1:00-2:30 pm Mother Tree Hike Location: Ornithology Center
Park volunteer and retired ecosystems scientist, Marty Risch, will lead you to view “Mother Trees” of many species visible from the park trails. Learn about the Eagle Creek Park Big Tree Registry and discover how historic land use affected today’s forests.
Trail: 1 mile, easy, forest, old paved road with bumps but pretty accessible for strollers and wheelchairs
1:00 – 4:00 pm Campfire Lunch Location: Ornithology Center
Bring your own lunch and join us around the campfire! We will also be selling hotdogs, chips, and s'mores while supplies last. All proceeds go to our Eagle Creek Park Foundation Ornithology Center Fund, which helps care for our birds!
1:30-2:30 pm Feminist Bird Club Hike Location: Ornithology Center
Did you know that Indianapolis now has its very own chapter of the Feminist Bird Club? Find them on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/fbc.indy/ “Taking joy in birds and fostering community through nature. All genders, ages, levels of experience and interest are welcome.” Bring your own binoculars if you have them, but if not, you can pick up a pair to borrow before the hike at the Ornithology Center.
2:15-3:15 pm Youth Nature Writing Workshop Location: Ornithology Center
Imaginations Taking Flight: The Art of Bird Poetry - Art, storytelling, and nature come together in this youth writing workshop taking place during Eagle Creek Park's Bird Fest! During this workshop, students will learn about the art of Ekphrasis — poetry that describes a work of art and brings new meaning to it. After examining a selection of bird-themed paintings, students will pick a piece to work with and use their imaginations to expand upon what is on the page, creating a poem or story that brings new life to it. This workshop will be led by two published authors, Téa Franco and Zach Dankert, and will encourage students to embrace a love of storytelling, looking out for beauty in nature, and using their imagination to expand the possibilities of the world around them. Ages 8-13, FREE with park admission, no registration required, parents/guardians are encouraged to stay as well!
2:30-3:00 pm Meet a Raptor (& a Pigeon!) Location: Ornithology Center
Meet Freyja, the Peregrine Falcon ambassador! Learn about her and the peregrine conservation success story from her trainer and park volunteer, Donna McCarty. Outside, weather permitting. Afterwards, we will also go into the classroom to meet our newest ambassador, Albert the Pigeon!
3:00-4:00 pm Poisonous Plants Hike Location: Ornithology Center
Do you know the difference between poisonous and venomous? Join naturalist Frank Brown for this short hike to learn about some of the more “dangerous” plants in the forest.
Trail: 0.5-1 mile, easy, fairly accessible.
3:00-5:00 pm Poetry Workshop Location: Ornithology Center
Description and registration link coming soon! (Ages 18+)
3:00-5:00 pm North Loop Shorebird Hike Location: Ornithology Center
Join Aidan to bird the North Loop trail! We will focus on searching for any migrant shorebirds present on the north end mudflats, as well as any migrant songbirds we see along the trail. Bring your own binoculars if you have them! If not, you can pick up a pair to borrow before the hike at the Ornithology Center.
Trail: 2-3 miles, easy but muddy/wet.
3:30-4:00 pm Baby Bird Story Time Location: Ornithology Center
Flock to the Ornithology Center for a 30-minute family story time with Holliday Park Manager Allie Combs. We will listen to stories, sing songs, and play!
4:00-5:00 pm Mom & Me Birding Adventure Location: Ornithology Center
Join OC Manager Jenna, along with her mom and sister, for a kid-friendly birding adventure! All ages welcome, binoculars provided in all sizes. Although this adventure celebrates Mother’s Day, please join us no matter who your family is made of.
Trail: 0.5 miles or less, stroller friendly
5:00-5:20 pm Raptor Dinner Time Location: Ornithology Center
Join naturalist Donna for a four-course meal with the raptors! We're dishing out their favorite treats, raw meat, for a live-feeding demonstration with several bird of prey ambassadors. They eat quickly so don't be late! (No meals provided for non-feathered participants).
7201 Fishback Rd. Indianapolis, IN 46278
