Birds on the Niagara 2026

North America’s only international bird festival is proud to announce the 9th Annual Birds on the Niagara, February 13-16, 2026

Birds on the Niagara 2026 (BON26) will be held from Friday, February 13 through Monday February 16 and on Sunday, February 22.  North America’s only international birding festival, BON26 celebrates winter birds in the Niagara region with free walks, presentations, and family-friendly activities exploring the intersections between birds, conservation, social justice, and inclusion. Programs are scheduled throughout the weekend all across the Niagara River Corridor for all ages, abilities, and interests!

Birds on the Niagara is a not-for-profit event focused on collaborating with organizations, agencies, and individuals from both sides of the border and dedicated to promoting conservation and enjoyment of the Niagara River Globally Significant Important Bird Area and the Ramsar wetland of International Significance.

Festival Events

Please Register for any of these events at niagarafallsnatureclub@gmail.com. A waiver is required for hikers.

The festival kicks off on Friday Feb 13 at 4.30, with a short walk along the Lake Erie shore, starting at the parking lot on the Niagara Boulevard across from Old Fort Erie. Led by Jeremy Bensette, we will be looking for swans, ducks and gulls at we travel north along the Niagara River.

The walk will be followed at 6:00 pm with a Beers and Bird event at Brimstone Brewing in Ridgeway. Register by email to niagarafallsnatureclub@gmail.com. Jeremy Bensette, a professional birder and naturalist in the Point Pelee Birding Area will speak on his adventures in following Ontario birds.

On Saturday February 14, BON will host two bird hikes.

At 9.00am, Naturalists Marcie Jacklin and Jeremy Bensette will explore birds at Dufferin Island and the Niagara River above the Falls. This is a family-friendly, accessible location. A good variety of winter birds and ducks can be found here. Park in the last section of the parking lot. Remember to get a Niagara Parks pass before this event. An annual pass is a bargain https://www.niagaraparks.com/visit-niagara-parks/plan-your-visit/niagara-parks-annual-pass/.

At 1.00pm, Missy Acker, also a well-known Niagara birder and artist, will be at the Adam Beck Overlook.  She will have her telescope ready for better looks at the varied and unusual gulls that are often here.

On Sunday, February 15, beginning at 9.30am, Bob Highcock and Jean Hampson of the Peninsula Field Naturalists will lead a hike along the Lake Ontario Shoreline.

Join us in our search for waterfowl, gulls and winter woodland bird species along the Lake Ontario shoreline and Niagara River.  Dress warmly and bring your binoculars.  Meet at Newark Park, 1501 Old Lakeshore Rd. in Niagara-on-the-Lake (Immediately south of Lakeshore Rd/Niagara Shores).  Walking and some driving involved.

Marcie Jacklin and Jeremy Bensette team up again on Sunday for an afternoon of birding. Starting at the Adam Beck Overlook at 1:00pm, Jeremy will give pointers and tips for digiscoping, a versatile technique that uses the camera on your cell phone to take pictures through a spotting scope! Free parking.

At 2:00 pm, Marcie and Jeremy will leave to visit some local hot spots. And at 4:30, they will be at the Nelson Park in Niagara-on-the-Lake to watch the evening fly-by, where the gulls that have been on the river all day fly out to the lake to roost for the evening. There may be thousands of gulls flying by, and this is a great way to spot a Little gull! Free parking.

At 4:30 pm, they will be at Nelson Park in Niagara-on-the-Lake to watch the fly-by. This is the time of evening when Bonaparte’s Gulls head out to the Lake to roost overnight. If the conditions are right, it is possible to see thousands of these beautiful gulls and who knows, maybe a Little Gull or something unusual. Dress warmly.

On Monday, February 16 there will be a Family Day Open House at the Niagara Glen Nature Centre from 10 to 4.00 pm, with lots of fun activities and nature display tables from various organizations. The feature event will be live birds of prey from the Canadian Raptor Conservancy. The Parkway Artist Guild will also present an Art Demonstration by Artist Missy Acker. Free parking.

Sunday, February 22 will feature the PAG Paint Battle from noon to 4.00 p.m. at the Canadian Corps Unit 104, 4674 Ferguson Street, Niagara Falls. Come out to join or cheer on our exciting competition for live artists to paint birds and celebrate the Birds on the Niagara Festival. The event features 20 incredible artists who will go head-to-head in 3 rounds of live painting with the winners determined by audience vote. As a BON warming station, there will also be vendors and opportunities to buy a unique piece of art during the silent auction.