Birds in the Hills Festival

Welcome to the Birds in the Hills Festival!

About the Festival:

Come join us on Friday, May 9, 2025, at 5 p.m., at the beautiful Camp Oty'Okwa in Hocking Hills for a fun-filled weekend celebrating the natural world and the spring migration.

Birds in the Hills welcomes individuals of diverse ages and backgrounds, providing a chance to explore the biodiversity of the Appalachian region through interactive nature activities led by local guides and naturalists. In addition to a variety of birding excursions, the festival provides family-oriented programming, food, camping, interactive workshops, live music, nature inspired vendors, an off-the-charts silent auction, and more!

Whether you're a seasoned birder or just starting out, there's something for everyone at this family-friendly festival. Grab your binoculars and get ready to immerse yourself in nature at the Birds in the Hills Festival.

Bird species that attendees may encounter include various warblers such as worm-eating, hooded, cerulean, black-throated green, prothonotary, blue-winged, magnolia, and blackburnian. Other notable species include the hermit thrush, rose-breasted grosbeak, and wood thrush.

*Ticket prices do not include meals. Meal tickets are available as an add on option and must be purchased two weeks in advance of the festival. No meal tickets will be available after April 21st. Participants are welcome to bring their own food and alcoholic beverages into the festival. Glass is not permitted.

Dontate: Your contribution to the 2025 Birds in the Hills Festival will help Appalachian Understories continue its mission to preserve local knowledge, create a sense of place, benefit human health, and bring revenue into our region. Click here to dontate today.

Volunteer: Contact us at Madison@ruralaction.org to learn more

Merch: 2025 Birds in the Hills Festival

2025 Schedule

Friday May 9th

5-6:30 p.m. – Check in & camping set up

6:30-9 p.m. – Bonfire and movie night

• Enjoy a relaxing evening with a cozy bonfire, a nature-themed movie, and popcorn!

8-9 p.m. – Bird Banding Bracelet Crafting

• Bird banding, or bird ringing, is an important method used to identify and monitor individual birds, aiding in the study and conservation of various species. Join Caroline Beers to create your own personalized bird band bracelet to wear throughout the weekend. As you participate in different activity stations during the festival, you'll collect unique beads to add to your bracelet, making it a special keepsake of your experience!

​

Saturday May 10th​

6:30-7:30 a.m. – Dawn Chorus Bird Walk

• Start your day off right with an early morning walk around camp catching the first songs and calls of the day as the canopy of the forest wakes up.

7:30 a.m.-11 a.m. – Morning Birding Outing

• More to come!

8-9 a.m. – Breakfast in Dining Hall

9:30 a.m.- noon – Birding for all! A guided bird walk with Nandini Stockton

• We will explore a variety of habitats to look and listen for birds and will identify them by sight and song. Bring along your binoculars if you have them and your best pair of listening ears. This walk is for all level borders and hikers!

11 a.m.-12 p.m. – A Discussion About Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza by Timothy McDermott DVM

• Abstract: The Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza outbreak is now in its third year and has had profound effects in Ohio. Come learn about how it started, what is going on right now in Ohio, and how you can keep your birds safe.

12-1 p.m. – Meet Owl Capone the Barred Owl

• That's right, a real Owl will be making an appearance at the festival! Join Hocking Hills State Parks to get up close and personal with Owl Capone the Barred Owl

12:30-1:30 p.m. – Lunch in Dining Hall

2-3 p.m. – Flying Heron Chi Gong

• Chi Gong is the art of restoring balance and harmony to one's life through movement and breath. Flying Heron is a series of exercises modeled after the Great Blue Heron, while its overall effects are far reaching, it is specifically beneficial to the circulation of energy through the scapula, upper spine, neck and head. A positive mindset and applied intention towards physical, mental and spiritual well being are most important. The movements are gentle, done in a standing position and are appropriate for all body types and skill levels. This will be an outdoor session.

2-3:30 p.m. – Warblers and Cowbirds

• A fun game for families that demonstrates nest parasitism and its impact on bird populations.

3-5 p.m. – Kids Jam Session & Crafted Instruments

• In this fun-filled session, kids will craft their own instruments such as drums and shakers, and join in a lively jam session. We'll play, sing along to bird songs, dance like birds, and even try mimicking bird calls with their own unique "tweets" instead of regular singing. It’s all about creativity, movement, and having a blast while celebrating our feathered friends!

5:30-6:30 p.m. – Dinner and Keynote in Dining Hall

8-11 p.m. – Cucks, Whips, and Moths, Oh My!

• Come along as we explore the mysteries, sights, and sounds of the nighttime forest. Beneath the moonlight, we'll uncover the intricate patterns and fascinating behaviors of moths, while listening to the calls of the Chuck-Will's-Widow and Whippoorwills—nocturnal birds that belong to the Nightjar family.

Sunday May 11th

6:30-8a.m. – Dawn Chorus Birding with Kevin Fung

• Start your day off right with an early morning walk around camp catching the first songs and calls of the day as the canopy of the forest wakes up.

7-11 a.m. – Bird Banding

• Try your hand in collecting scientific data and have a chance to handle and get a closer look at a variety of bird species. Bob Scott will be leading the bird banding session to help in monitoring migration patterns of several bird species.

8-9 a.m. – Breakfast in Dining Hall

8:30-10:30 a.m. – What Song Is That?

• Join Kyle Artist for a bird ID hike with an emphasis on songs/calls. Learn the many vocalizations of songbirds and how to distinguish them from each other.

9-10 a.m. – DIY Upcycled Bird Feeders

• Using upcycled materials like milk cartons and plastic bottles, participants will construct and decorate their own DIY bird feeder to take home! A great way to provide for your feathery friends while reducing household waste!

10:30-11:30 a.m. – Camouflage, a fun tag game!

• Feeling like you need to blow off some steam? Come join us for an exciting tag-based game that teaches the importance of camouflage in the natural world!

11:30 a.m.- noon – Homing Dove Release by Pete Thompson

• Experience the grand finale of our birding festival with a homing dove release. Discover the remarkable navigation skills of these birds and seize the opportunity to engage with them before they take flight, marking the culmination of our celebration of nature's wonders.