Fall Songbird Banding at the Beaverhill Bird Observatory (2025)

This annual fall migration of songbirds occurs from late July until late October, with early September being the peak in songbird abundance. Birds captured include warblers, nuthatches, woodpeckers, thrushes, sparrows and more! Join our biologists for a morning in the woods to learn about the research being conducted on our feathery friends and see live birds up close and personal! *

 *We do not guarantee that a bird will be captured during your visit. They are wild animals and are influenced by the time of year and weather patterns. However, there is a high chance of seeing one if you are willing to put in the time and arrive early!

Hot drinks and light snacks will be provided and between net checks our biologists will lead discussions about our research initiatives and projects.

Nets open 30 mins before sunrise and run for 6 hours, weather permitting.

You may arrive at any point during the 6 hours of banding, however, the earlier you arrive, the greater your chances are of seeing birds being banded as songbirds are most active in the first couple hours after sunrise. 

TICKET CANCELLATION POLICY

Tickets are non-refundable but are transferable to someone else. otherwise, the ticket cost will be considered a donation. Please note that our ticketing platform has a self-serve option where you can transfer or move your tickets if needed.

If the weather decides to rain on our parade (or nets), don’t worry—we have an exciting lineup of activities to keep things lively! You can join us on a our daily census, explore our interactive specimen display, play birdsong bingo, get up close and personal with our educational ambassador birds, and participate in a presentation on our research, brought to life by one of our enthusiastic biologists. Rain or shine, there’s plenty to discover! 

Weather that would prevent us from opening or force us to shut down our nets include: rain/snow, wind >20km/hr, and temperatures below freezing. The weather forecast for Tofield, Alberta can be found here. If the overnight temperature is freezing, we will open the nets once the on-site temperature is 0C and warmer.

DIRECTIONS on how to get to the BBO can be found HERE  or on our website. 

We ask that you please park in the Visitor Parking Lot and hike into the observatory via Harrier Highway and Warbler Way unless otherwise arranged with the Head Biologist via email at biologist@beaverhillbirds.com

No Pets allowed at events. Thank you for your understanding. 

TICKET PRICES (website fees included in price) - LIMIT of 20 tickets per morning

Family Pass (2 adult, 2 youth): $50

Adult (18+ years): $20 each

Youth (6-17 years): $10 each

Children age 5 and under are FREE

Seniors (65+ years): $15

WHAT TO BRING:

• Warm clothing and water-resistant footwear– dress for the outdoors!
• A thermos/travel mug for a warm beverage 
• Binoculars if you have them!
• Cash to purchase merchandise 

MERCH FOR SALE!

• BBO Toque - $25 (cash or card)
• BBO Hats - $25 (cash or card)
• Bird Friendly Coffee - $20 (cash only)
• Window Writing Pens - $2 (cash only)
• Milkweed Seeds (for Monarch Butterflies) - $5 (cash only)
• Wildlife of the North Book (co-written by BBO chair) - $30 (cash or card)