Nebraska Bird Month Events
Celebrate Nebraska Bird Month throughout May by attending a bird-themed event near you.
Nebraska Bird Month is an annual celebration throughout the month of May — a time when birders and nature lovers come together to appreciate the more than 400 bird species that live or pass through Nebraska. During May, bird-focused events will be hosted across the state by a variety of organizations, including the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission and many collaborative partners.
Every bird counts!
The theme for World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD) 2026, “Every Bird Counts – Your Observations Matter” highlights the role of public participation in collecting data on migratory bird populations and their habitats and factors that impact their populations and contribute to our knowledge about how to protect them.
2026 events
Nebraska Game and Parks and its conservation partners will be hosting events across the state during Nebraska Bird Month. Check back for event updates as May approaches!
| Event | Date & time | Location | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nebraska Birding Bowl | May 1-31 | Statewide | See details below |
| Birding Walk | May 9, 8-10 a.m. MT | Morrill Sandpits, Morrill | View details |
| Songbird Stroll | May 9, 8:30-10:30 a.m. CT | Fontenelle Forest Nature Center, Bellevue | View details |
| Super Bird Saturday | May 9, 9 a.m.-noon CT | Spring Creek Audubon Center, Denton | View details |
| Birds of the Great Plains: Through our Lens | May 9, 10-11:30 a.m. CT | Hitchcock Nature Center, Honey Creek, IA | Preregistration required. View details |
| Learn About Birds at a Nature Center | May 9, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. CT | Platte River State Park Nature Center, Louisville | View details |
| Learn About Birds at a Nature Center | May 9, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. CT | Eugene T. Mahoney State Park Nature Center, Ashland | View details |
| World Migratory Bird Day | May 9, 2-4 p.m. MT | Scottsbluff National Monument, Gering | View details |
| Birding at the Bluff | May 9, 5:30-7 p.m. MT | Scottsbluff National Monument, Gering | View details |
| Lower Loup NRD Annual Bird Watch | May 16, 9-11 a.m. CT | Arboretum, Ord | View details |
| Breakfast and Birds | May 16, 8-10 a.m. CT | Rowe Sanctuary, Gibbon | View details |
| Bird Kite Making Workshop | May 16, 10-11:30 a.m. CT | Schramm Education Center Treehouse, Gretna | Preregistration required. Register online. |
| Ash Hollow Birdy Blitz | May 16, 8:30-11:30 a.m. MT | Ash Hollow State Historical Park, Lewellen | View details |
| Guided Bird Outing | May 19, 8-10 a.m. CT | Spring Creek Audubon Center, Denton | View details |
| Nature Music Bingo: Birds | May 20, 6-8 p.m. MT | Papa Moon Craft Ciders, Scottsbluff | View details |
| Birding at Ponca State Park | May 23, 8 a.m.- 5 p.m. CT | Ponca State Park, Ponca | View details |
| Bird Month Celebration | May 26, 9 a.m.-9 p.m. CT | Lewis and Clark State Recreation Area, Crofton | View details |
| Sunset Bird Hike with Nick Salick | May 26, 7:30-9 p.m. CT | Hitchcock Nature Center, Honey Creek, IA | View details |
| Modern Day Dinosaurs: Story Time & Bird Excursion | May 27, 10:30 a.m.-noon CT | Eiseley Branch Library, Lincoln | View details |
| Bird Watching at Nine Mile Prairie | May 29, 10-11:30 a.m. | Meet at Williams Branch Library, Lincoln | View details |
| Night Out with Nightjars | May 30, 8-10 p.m. CT | Hitchcock Nature Center, Honey Creek, IA | View details |
| Free as a Bird | May 30, 1-4 p.m. CT | Prairie Pines Nature Preserve | View details |
| Nebraska Ornithologists’ Union Meeting | May 29-31 | Fort Robinson State Park, Crawford | View details |
| Backyard Birding Basics Summer Camp (Grades K-5) | June 8, 12:15-4 p.m. | Lincoln Lutheran Campus, Lincoln | View details |
Additional events
May plant sales
The Nebraska Statewide Arboretum hosts weekend plant sales during spring, with a fantastic variety of native and pollinator plants.
Nebraska Birding Bowl
Celebrate Nebraska Bird Month this May by getting outside and tracking birds during the Nebraska Birding Bowl. You can help contribute data for bird research during this free, statewide birding competition. Registered participants will have the chance to win prizes such as birding gear or a $1,000 cash prize.
History of World Migratory Bird Day
International Migratory Bird Day — now coined World Migratory Bird Day — was launched in 1993 by the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center to bring attention to birds, bird migration, and bird habitat needs. This international event, organized by Environment for the Americas, is officially celebrated on the second Saturday in May (May 9th in 2026) as migratory birds journey to nesting sites and on the second Saturday in October (October 10th in 2026) as they return to wintering areas. As many as 700 events and programs within the world’s major migratory pathways are hosted annually to connect the public with birds and ways to conserve them.
