Yellowstone Insider Your Complete Guide to America's First National Park
Come celebrate International Migratory Bird Day (Saturday, May 14) in Yellowstone country!
Yellowstone National Park, in conjunction with the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center in West Yellowstone, Montana, will be hosting a set of free events centered on Yellowstone’s migratory bird population.
Saturday afternoon (between 1 and 4 p.m.), the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center will be hosting a live raptor program and a presentation on birds commonly seen around the region. Children will be able to participate in a variety of arts and crafts projects—making bird masks, origami, etc.—as well as a special game centered on teaching the tenets of migration entitled “It’s A Risky Journey.”
Further, Yellowstone will be hosting a “bird-watching car caravan” from 8 a.m. to noon in the Park. Visitors are encouraged to meet at Madison Junction to join the caravan. Note: you will have to pay the entrance fee to participate in the caravan.
International Migratory Bird Day is a special time in Yellowstone National Park, a time to celebrate the Park’s diverse host of birds—from cranes to warblers to Rocky Mountain bluebirds to rosy black finches. Indeed, Park officials have kept consistent records of migratory bird species since Yellowstone’s establishment in 1872. You can read migratory bird data from 1999-2014 here.
It’s worth noting: while International Migratory Bird Day is a celebration of our feathered friends across the world, it’s also a reminder that these friends are creatures, not ornamentation. You should keep your distance while bird watching, as they are easily stressed. Most birds will even abandon their nests—out of perceived danger.
Yellowstone policy prohibits the use of audio bird/wildlife calls; feeding of birds and wildlife is also prohibited. Remember: they have their own lives to lead!
For more information on the International Migratory Bird Day celebrations, please call National Park Service volunteer Katy Duffy at 307-699-2696.
