A Florida Scrub Jay will be one of the top finds for birders attending the Space Coast Birding & Wildlife Festival at Cape Canaveral, Florida.

As we begin a new year of exciting birding events, Birding Festivals are a great opportunity to learn more about the variety of birds and their varied surroundings at a given location, while connecting with others interested in birds and birding. During January there are 12 birding festivals from Alabama to Arizona and California to Florida, and 5 of them feature wintering Bald Eagle populations. Even so, every birding festival is different, but all provide activities with novice and experienced birders in mind including a variety of exciting events – and along the way you are sure to learn more about how to be a better birder.

Every birding festival is different, but they all provide activities with novice and experienced birders in mind including a variety of exciting events: There may be field trips, featured speakers, children’s activities, photography-oriented hikes, seminars, workshops, a banquet or luncheon, and a birding marketplace – each festival has its own schedule of events.

Birding festivals provide excellent opportunities to learn more about birds and other wildlife, while connecting with birders. You can take a look at the variety of January Birding Festivals and where they will take place below, and you can get more information about each birding fest by using the link provided for each one.

January 9 to 11 – Alabama – Festival of the Cranes, Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge, Decatur, Alabama; see Festival of the Cranes 2026 — Wheeler Wildlife Refuge Association

January 10 – Illinois – Eagle Watch, Four Rivers Environmental Education Center, Channahon, Illinois; see Soar into Four Rivers for 2026 Eagle Watch | Forest Preserve District of Will County

January 15 to 19 – California – Morro Bay Birding Festival, Morro Bay, California; see Morro Bay Bird Festival – Where world-class birding meets small-town hospitality

January 15 to 18 – Arizona – Wings Over Wilcox Birding & Nature Festival, Wilcox, Arizona; see Wings Over Willcox Birding and Nature Festival

January 17 – California – Salton Sea Bird Festival, Sonny Bono National Wildlife Refuge, Mecca, California; see Sea and Desert Interpretive Association – A 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization founded in 1977

January 17 and 18 – Tennessee – Tennessee Sandhill Crane Festival, Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge, Birchwood, Tennessee; see Sandhill Crane

January 17 and 18 – Kansas – Eagle Days, Kansas City, Kansas; see 23rd Annual Eagle Days | Kansas City, Kansas Public Library

January 21 to 25 – Florida – Space Coast Birding & Wildlife Festival, Cape Canaveral, Florida; see Space Coast Birding & Wildlife Festival Jan 22-26, 2025 Cape Canaveral

January 22 to 25 – California – Snow Goose Festival of the Pacific Flyway, Durham, California; see Snow Goose Festival of the Pacific Flyway

January 23 – 24 and January 30 – Feb 1 – Alabama – Eagle Awareness Weekends, Lake Guntersville State Park, Guntersville, Alabama; see Eagle Awareness Weekends | Alapark

January 30 and Feb 1 – California – Winged Migration Expo, Mare Island, Vallejo, California; see Winged Migration Expo | Pacific Flyway | Vallejo, CA

January 30 and Feb 1 – Tennessee – Reelfoot Lake Eagle Festival, Reelfoot Lake State Park, Tiptonville, Tennessee; see Event Details — Tennessee State Parks