Bird Fest raises awareness, educates public as to ways of fostering avian health
Awareness for Wisconsin's feathery friends took flight at the Oshkosh Bird fest. The event started at 6 am and then continued until noon at Oshkosh’s new location, the Lakeshore Park Pavillion, with no entrance fee. The day included bird watching and other fun activities such as looking at the birds of prey up close, a bird walk, and plenty more. The bird watching extravaganza drew in crowds on May 4th, and will continue to attract bird lovers in upcoming years as the event plants roots in Oshkosh.
The event focused on the World Migratory Bird Day, which is celebrated on May 11 and October 12, to help raise awareness of the habitats of birds around the world and how to save them. The origin of World Migratory Bird day started in 1933 as the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center, and kicked off in 1995 to 2006, and ever since Environment for the Americas came around in 2007, communities all over have begun to celebrate the national day, including Oshkosh. World Migratory Bird Day has been in the works since 2003, but in 2009 Wisconsin finally got the “okay” to plan out and celebrate the national day in Oshkosh. Ever since 2024, World Migratory Bird Day has been celebrated, with many more years to come.
“We work on it all year, several times, but in the morning, we’re here by 5:30,” Tom Ziebell, a member of the Save Our Songbirds (SOS) organization, said.
The bird activities included petting a live owl, educational exhibits where sponsors would talk about the World Migratory Bird Day, filling up hummingbird feeders, and even a live banding demonstration. The community had fun while learning about birds and how sacred and important they are for the environment. One of the ways the community could learn while having fun was the live birds of prey exhibit, where guests saw a barred owl, barn owl, peregrine falcon, red-tail hawk, American kestrel, and more. Kids in the community listened to Aves Wildlife Alliance as they taught them about birds, especially Jack, the one-eyed American Kestrel, who is the smallest in the falcon family.
“Because he only has one eye, when he wants to look up, he has to turn his whole head,” an anonymous viewer said.
If people wanted to take a small break from learning and wanted to enjoy nature, the community could go to the Big Sit event, which centers the Oshkosh Bird Fest. The Big Sit event is where the community came together with binoculars and watched for birds while enjoying the sunny Oshkosh weather. However, watching birds fly around wouldn't be for nothing, since every year this event ends up banding and helping the birds live on. After the big event, Bird Fest ambassadors place all the findings onto the website, where fellow watchers can see the different birds Oshkosh found that year.
The community also learns how they could help the cause. During the event, multiple organizations speak and give out pamphlets to help the national day’s clause. What the community itself can do is buy windows, bird safe coffee, and plant native plants around gardens and backyards so the birds can live safely
“If each person would take a few steps, plant a few native plants in their yard, and protect their windows, it would save a lot of birds,” Ziebell said.
by Kayden Brandt
Published May 20 2024
Oshkosh West Index Volume 120 Issue VIII