BUFFALO, N.Y. — Western New Yorkers always enjoy a good festival.
Add to that a chance to celebrate our rich natural heritage, and you've got the makings of a fantastic event!
The annual "Birds On The Niagara" festival runs from February 17 to 20. Michelle Lockett is Community Engagement Director for Niagara River Greenway. She says the event promises to be both exciting and educational.
"One of our missions is to get people outdoors and understand the significance of this freshwater resource that we have. And, view some beautiful birds."
Jay Burney is International Chair for Birds on the Niagara.
"Birds on the Niagara is the only international bird festival in North America. We have a great bi-national partnership, we have 30 or 40 groups in Canada and 30 or 40 groups in the United States, and we work together to promote this beautiful birding experience."
The 4-day event will be feathered with a flock of interesting programs.
"We have outdoor events, walks, hikes, tours. We have indoor events, places like the Burchfield-Penney Art Center where we're going to have conversations and presentations. It's a wonderful event, with a lot of conservation groups from both sides of the border and a lot of things going on."
The message of this festival is also one of inclusion.
"What we want to do is make sure that everyone can enjoy the experiences of the outdoors. And so, our inclusion involves everyone from the LGBTQ community to people of color, to indigenous people.
"We're also looking very strongly at what the future is. What's the future of conservation? What's the future of birds? What's the future of social justice and inclusion, how is that all going to work together? "
For bird lovers, there are a few better seasons! The Niagara attracts birds from all across the globe in the winter.
"The reason is, the river doesn't freeze. So it's a great source of food, water, and habitat for the birds all throughout the winter. " Lockett explains.
"We're family-friendly." Says Burney. "So if you're a novice, brand new, you want to learn about birds, we have programs, if you're an advanced birder, we have professional tours that can take you to the right places to see rare birds, because we have a lot of rare birds here."
There will be a little something for everyone at Birds on the Niagara, and if you'd like to learn more, here is a link to the BON website.
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