20th Rookery Bay Festival of Birds
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January 12, 2024 – January 21, 2024
Join us for our 20th Annual event, Festival of Birds! Swamp tromp through Fakahatchee Strand or hear from local experts about their bird-related research during a 45-minute lecture. The annual Festival of Birds includes guided field trips to wildlife hotspots around Southwest Florida, bird-featured activities, such as photography, watercolor painting and decoy making, and lectures by birding experts at the Rookery Bay Environmental Learning Center. Pre-registration is required for all activities. Register now at rookerybay.org or by calling 239-530-5972. Field trips include birding walks, car caravans, boat trips, kayaking adventures and swamp buggy excursions to locations such as Big Cypress National Preserve, Bunche Beach, Clam Pass, Corkscrew Swamp, Eagle Lakes Park, Fakahatchee Strand, Rookery Bay Reserve and Tigertail Beach.
Rookery Bay Eco Kayak & Boat Tours – Get out on the water with US!
Join Rookery Bay Research Reserve for a guided boat tour or kayak adventure into the beautiful waters of Rookery Bay Reserve. With our kayak tours, guests paddle through beautiful mangrove tunnels, teeming mudflats and intricate oyster reefs while searching for amazing wildlife like sea stars, large snails, birds, dolphins and manatees! Our boat tours are small 6-passenger boats and offer a comfortable and informative ride. Guests can choose from different tours including a shelling trip to a deserted a barrier island or a sunset tour. Find out more at RookeryBay.org or call 239-530-5972.
The Festival of Birds and eco-tours leading up to the festival will be held at the Rookery Bay Environmental Learning Center. The Center features aquariums, touch tanks with marine critters, natural history, environmental and wildlife exhibits art gallery, picnic area, and walking trails. Hours are 9 a.m.- 4 p.m. Monday – Saturday. Admission of $8 for adults and $5 for children ages 6-12 benefits the Friends of Rookery Bay, a nonprofit that supports the Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. Guests may apply their admission fee toward Friends of Rookery Bay membership on the day of their visit. Active and retired military personnel and family members are free year-round, as are guests on kayak and boat ecotours booked through the Friends of Rookery Bay.
