Detroit Lakes is nestled in the heart of a transition zone between tall grass prairie, northern hardwood and conifer forest ecosystems. That means there are lots of kinds of birds! Which, in turn, means a lot of serious birders flocking here each spring for the annual Detroit Lakes Festival of Birds.

The 27th annual Festival of Birds is scheduled for May 16-18, 2024.
This year the Festival is collaborating with the Gathering Partners Conference, which is hosted by University of Minnesota Extension Natural Resource volunteer programs and the Bell Museum. It is held May 17-19 at Fair Hills Resort. The close proximity creates a great opportunity for participants to attend both the Festival of Birds and Gathering Partners activities. Gathering Partners hosts concurrent sessions, field trips and special speakers on a wide range of natural resource topics. The conference even features special bird-themed sessions in honor of our partnership