Bird Fest 2026 Returns to Burien with Family-Friendly Birding, Science Activities, and Live Raptors

Bird Fest 2026 is back on February 14th from 10:00 am- 2:00 pm at the Burien Community Center, 14700 6th Ave SW. This local family-friendly event is hosted in partnership between the Environmental Science Center (ESC) and the City of Burien. It offers families, friends and neighbors an opportunity to learn about local birds and plants while participating in the annual Great Backyard Bird Count.

This national community science project encourages everyone to go outside to search for birds and submit what you find to help scientists better understand and protect bird populations.

During ESC’s festival, folks can participate in facilitated bird walks in Dottie Harper Park to learn how to identify species by sight and sound, to build birding skills, and contribute to the national dataset. This festival also offers a variety of presentations, community organizations, hands-on science activities, and live raptors! There is something for everyone to experience.

Last year’s festival saw almost 300 community members from all over King County who came to celebrate birds. Folks of all ages joined for a day of learning, connecting to nature, and building excitement for environmental stewardship. This year’s festival will feature local speakers, including Ed Dominguez, recently retired from the Seward Park Audubon Center, presenting on topics such as
falconry, owls in Seattle, and American Dippers.

In addition to the facilitated bird walks for birders of all knowledge and skill levels, we will be hosting family nature walks and family bird walks designed to give families with kids ages 2-13 an age-appropriate experience to practice birding together. All participants can connect to over dozen local organizations that host bird programs, stewardship events, or nature education to find new opportunities to get involved in our area. Lastly, the festival offers raffle prizes, provided by Wild Birds Unlimited Burien, light refreshments, and the chance to engage with your community in a whole new way. We invite you to join us at the Burien Community Center for this year’s event and look forward to connecting with you!

ESC hosts free, nature-based events throughout the year if you are looking to get involved and learn more about how you can be a nature hero. For more information about ESC and our programs please visit: EnvScienceCenter.org or call 206-248-4266. For questions, accommodations, and more information reach out to our Community Engagement Director at katy@environmentalsciencecenter.org.

The event’s presentation schedule features:

• “Birds of Flaming Geyser State Park” from 10:15 to 11:15 a.m.
• John the Falconer with Live Raptors from 11:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.
• “Owls in Seattle… and Beyond!” from 1 to 2 p.m.

While Bird Fest is open to the public and does not require registration, advance sign-ups are available for select activities. Half of the available spots are reserved for walk-up participants on the day of the event.

For community members interested in nature, conservation, or simply discovering what birds share their backyard, organizers say Bird Fest offers something for everyone.

Information in this article was provided by Environmental Science Center.

This article is shared as a free service to the community. No payment or sponsorship was received by The Highline Journal.