Hummingbird Festival of Cook County Forest Preserve

Will County Audubon Society (a chapter of Illinois Audubon Society) and the Forest Preserves of Cook County co-sponsor a hummingbird festival at Sagawau Environmental Learning Center in Lemont, Illinois.

The highlight of the festival will be the capture and banding of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, our smallest North American bird. This hummingbird banding will be conducted between the hours of 9:00 AM and 12:00 PM only. Vern Kleen, one of only three licensed hummingbird banders in the state of Illinois, will conduct the capture and banding operations. Vern will provide details about the life history of hummingbirds and why they are banded. This festival is one of many that Vern conducts throughout the state.

As you enter Sagawau Environmental Learning Center, you will experience the hummingbird migration route from Mexico to Sagawau. If you complete this route, you will be given a raffle ticket which makes you eligible to win a hummingbird feeder. There will also be hummingbird arts and crafts for kids, hummingbird photo booth, viewing the World of Hummers (the hummingbird slide show), hummer movies, and live hummer viewing.

Food vendors will not be present at the Hummingbird Festival but you are welcome to bring snacks and beverages (no alcohol), and water. Seating is limited. Clean, indoor restrooms are available.

Directions: 150 yards east of Archer Ave., or 4 miles west of LaGrange Rd. on Rt. 83 near Lemont, Illinois.

Sagawau Environmental Learning Center has permanent exhibits on geology, human and natural history, and habitat management. Visitors can also enjoy the center’s four walking trails.

The festival is regularly held on the third Saturday of August. Check our website in June for confirmation of this date and for more details about the festival.