Olivia Carvalho, Urban Outreach and Events Coordinator, Birds Canada
The end of another winter means that 50 million birds have begun to flock to the Greater Toronto Area, and migration season is on across the country! Experience our winged visitors this spring at the Toronto Bird Celebration, a series of virtual and in-person events happening May 11-25th.
Now in its 8th year, this diverse and friendly festival of events coordinated by Birds Canada invites emerging birders and seasoned pros alike into Toronto’s top birding hotspots to make the most of this yearly spectacle!
Join experts for guided walks, hone your skills through interesting webinars, and learn about ways you can support bird conservation at home. With more than 35+ events on the calendar, there is something for everyone to discover this May.
Virtual Event Highlights
- Birding by Ear Webinar with Justin Peter [May 16 – 7-8pm] Join Justin Peter, Director of Programs and senior naturalist of Quest Nature Tours, for a fun and informative webinar on identifying birds by their calls.
- Rediscovering the Magic of our Common Birds Webinar with Julia Zarankin [May 20 – 7-8pm] Julia Zarankin is the author of the bestselling memoir, Field Notes from an Unintentional Birder. In this webinar, she’ll highlight why the often overlooked common birds deserve our respect (and awe!) and how they teach us to feel more present and connected to our local environment.
- Loons and YOUR Lake Webinar with Kathy Jones [May 15 – 7-8pm] Kathy Jones, Canadian Lakes Loon Survey Volunteer Manager & Biologist is back with an interactive webinar and Q&A about Common Loons, including how they are doing in Canada and the positive actions that YOU can take to help them – even while you are in the city.
More to Discover
For family-friendly activities, don’t miss the return of the Tommy Thompson Spring Bird Festival on World Migratory Bird Day on May 11th, and the Colonel Samuel Smith Spring Bird Festival on May 25th. Make sure to register for returning favourites including the “Lunch with Birds in Queens Park” walk series, and be sure to catch the beginner-friendly “Urban Big Sit” events in Toronto, Vaughan, and Brampton.
Attending events isn’t the only way to get in on the fun! The Celebirdy Contest is on now until May 27th. Be sure to head over to @Birds.Canada on Instagram with your migration sightings and enter the contest for a chance to win binoculars from Kowa Optics, Fjällräven gear, Firefly books and more.
The Toronto Bird Celebration is coordinated by Birds Canada, delivered with the support of 20+ partner organizations in the GTA, and made possible with the generous support of TD Friends of the Environment Foundation, Kowa Optics, and Fjällräven Toronto.
Visit torontobirdcelebration.ca to find a full calendar of events and free online resources such as multilingual gardening guides for bird-friendly gardens and an interactive map of birding hot spots in Toronto. Birds Canada offers many more opportunities to learn and participate at birdscanada.org.
Media Contact
Olivia Carvalho, Urban Outreach and Events Coordinator, Birds Canada: ocarvalho@birdscanada.org
