Winter Wings Festival is Back in 2022
The Klamath Basin is unmistakably bird country. Located along the Pacific Flyway, the largest flyway in North America, it is one of the top birding locations in the nation and is one of the largest migratory stopovers for birds in the western United States. Birding in Klamath is a year-round activity with natural high-elevation valleys surrounded by mountains. The region contains diverse habitats from desert lakes, wetlands and rivers to rain forests along the edges of the Cascade Mountain range making this area a birder’s paradise.
In winter, you are likely to view the largest concentration of Bald Eagles in the lower 48 states – which is highlighted by the annual Winter Wings Festival. The festival is a celebration of the thousands of eagles, hawks, swans, geese, and other waterfowl that flock to the area every winter. This incredible concentration of wildlife can be viewed from nearly anywhere in Klamath. Upper Klamath Lake, Link River, Lake Ewauna, Miller Island, and all six of the USFWS National Wildlife Refuges surrounding Klamath are some of the most renowned hotspots to view this winter spectacle.
About the Winter Wings Festival
Bald eagles are one of more than 300 different species of birds that can be seen in Klamath County.
The Winter Wings Festival had an unusual beginning, prompted by the plight of Bald Eagles in the 1970’s. With help from the Portland and Eugene Audubon chapters and the Klamath Basin Wildlife Refuges, the first Bald Eagle Conference was held in Klamath Falls in 1980. Professionals and conservationists discussed how to maintain the Bald Eagle’s habitat consistent with the politics of the day and the economy of the area. The Klamath Basin Audubon Society (KBAS) began sponsoring the Bald Eagle Conference in 1984, which continued annually until in 2005 it was expanded and renamed the Winter Wings Festival. Today the Festival draws hundreds of visitors from all over the country throughout Presidents’ Day weekend each year. Headquartered at the Oregon Tech campus, festival activities take place in the city of Klamath Falls and around the Klamath Basin. It takes over 100 volunteers to produce the Festival, which is known across the birding world for its excellent organization.
What Can You Expect
It’s common to see large flocks taking flight.
Winter Wings Festival in Klamath Falls, Oregon, will be held over Presidents’ Day Weekend, February 18-20, 2022. You will find reduced sizes for field trips, more walking tours, remote activities, and new destinations, allowing you to appreciate the important of the Pacific flyway. In 2022, the festival will focus on many entry-level activities to help newcomers to the birding world.
Two top-notch nationally known keynoters will be present on Friday and Saturday evenings; Jennifer Leigh Warner and Richard Crossley. You will also find additional featured speakers, Christine Elder and Isabelle Edwards, and a photo contest.
Dianna Samuels and Anne Wenner are the Coordinators for the Winter Wings Festival and local Audubon experts. They can be reached by email at dsamuels@charter.net & aewenner@gmail.com More information about the festival can be found at www.WinterWingsFest.org
