A virtual archery booth, sketches of nature scenes and a bird cake walk are among the new features of a long-standing festival.
The 18th annual Wings Over Muscatatuck Migratory Bird Festival is set for Friday and Saturday at Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge east of Seymour and Sunday at Big Oaks National Wildlife Refuge near Madison.
Hundreds of people attend the annual festival celebrating birds and the natural environment. It’s Muscatatuck’s most popular event of the year.
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“I think it’s the good programs and opportunities to learn about birds,” Muscatatuck park ranger Donna Stanley said of the popularity of the festival. “The kids’ activities have been very popular and always the programs with live birds.”
This year’s festival celebrates 100 years of bird conservation with the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. At one time, there were no regulations for the taking of birds, and they were pretty much decimated by feather collectors, Stanley said.
Once the act passed in 1916, birds were protected.
“Education about birds is very important,” Stanley said. “These days, they have different problems, and we talk about them and how people can help birds.”
The festival will kick off Friday with a guided birding trip from 8 a.m. to noon. Advance registration is required, and space is limited. Other activities that day include Big Tree Walk, Calls of Indiana Frogs and Toads and Owl Prowl.
Saturday is packed full of activities, starting with a continental breakfast at 7 a.m. outside the visitor center.
Birders of all abilities are invited to participate in a bird identification walk from 8 to 10 a.m., and Ron Weiss of Chipper Woods Bird Observatory will do a bird banding program in the morning.
Also, four guided tours of the refuge’s closed area will be conducted throughout the day. People may bring binoculars while checking out interesting birding spots.
One of the most popular events is the live bird programs. Hawks and Eagles of Indiana will be from 9:30 to 11 a.m., and Owls of Indiana will be from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Those birds are from Dwight R. Chamberlain Raptor Rehabilitation Center in Scott County.
“They give excellent programs about how birds, hawks and owls live in the wild,” Stanley said. “It’s fascinating the information they give.”
For children, birdhouse building will be from 8:30 to 10 a.m. Inside the visitor center from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., there will be critter face painting, crafts, exploring owl pellets, life cycle of butterflies and live Indiana snakes. Also during that time, Southern Indiana Center for the Arts will conduct a Paint the Wild event with all supplies provided. A $15 fee and advance registration are preferred.
Other activities Saturday include Hover Ball archery, a bird cake walk, a bird calling contest, a monarch butterflies program and an Indiana Junior Duck Stamp awards ceremony.
Also, a plant sale will run from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. outside the visitor center, a silent auction will end at 3:45 p.m., lunch will be served from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., vendors will offer wildlife-related items for sale and the nature bookstore will be open.
On Sunday, a guided tour of Big Oaks, a 50,000-acre refuge home to many uncommon birds and plants, will be conducted from 8 a.m. to noon. The trip will leave from the Big Oaks office. To register, call 812-522-4352, ext. 12.
The festival is sponsored by the Muscatatuck Wildlife Society, Jackson County Visitor Center and Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge.
“We couldn’t do it without our wonderful friends group and volunteers,” Stanley said. “We’re looking forward to a fun festival, and we hope everybody can come out.”
Muscatatuck and Big Oaks are among three national wildlife refuges in Indiana. The other is Patoka River near Oakland City.
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What: 18th annual Wings Over Muscatatuck Migratory Bird Festival
When: Friday through Sunday
Where: Friday and Saturday at Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge, 12985 E. U.S. 50, Seymour; Sunday at Big Oaks National Wildlife Refuge, 1661 W. JPG Niblo Road, Madison
Information: Email [email protected] or visit fws.gov/refuge/muscatatuck
Schedule of events
Friday
8 a.m. to noon: Guided birding trip; advance registration required, and space is limited
2 to 3 p.m.: Big Tree Walk
8 p.m.: Calls of Indiana Frogs and Toads
9 p.m.: Owl Prowl
Saturday
7 a.m.: Morning muffins continental breakfast
8 to 10 a.m.: Morning bird walk
8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.: Native plant sale
Morning: Bird banding with Ron Weiss
8:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 2:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.: Guided van tours of the refuge’s closed area (with pre-registration or day of event when available)
8:30 to 10 a.m.: Birdhouse building for kids
9:30 to 11 a.m.: Hawks and Eagles of Indiana with live birds
10 a.m. to 2 p.m.: Paint the Wild with Southern Indiana Center for the Arts (all supplies provided; $15 fee and advance registration preferred)
10 a.m. to 2 p.m.: Children’s activities, including critter face painting, crafts, exploring owl pellets, life cycle of butterflies and live Indiana snakes
10 a.m. to 2 p.m.: Hover Ball archery
10:30 to 11:30 a.m.: Bird cake walk
11 a.m. to 2 p.m.: Lunch
11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.: Bird calling contest with prizes awarded
12:30 p.m. to 1:15 p.m.: Indiana Junior Duck Stamp awards ceremony
12:30 to 1:30 p.m.: Flying Flowers, All About Monarch Butterflies
1:30 to 3:30 p.m.: Owls of Indiana with live birds
Sunday
8 a.m. to noon: Guided van tour of Big Oaks National Wildlife Refuge near Madison (call 812-522-4352, ext. 12, to register)
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