Birding Festival of the South

06/19/2026

You know what time it is, it's Field Guide Friday! 🐦 Our weekly series where we feature the incredible birds that can be found in the Natural State! Today we're celebrating a popular bird seen year-round in Arkansas, the Northern Cardinal. ❤️

While we see them so often it’s easy to take them for granted, the brilliant crimson red of the male and the soft, warm fawn-brown of the female, both sporting that iconic pointed crest and coral-red bill, make them absolute showstoppers to birders visiting from around the world.

As we reach mid-June, our local cardinals are in the absolute thick of their nesting season. Cardinals are prolific parents, often raising two to three broods a summer in the South. Right now, pairs are working hard to feed hungry nestlings hidden deep in dense shrubs or backyard thickets. You'll likely see high-energy activity at your feeders as busy parents stock up on sunflower seeds to keep up with their demanding chicks.

In Arkansas, cardinals are everywhere! From the deepest ravines of the Ouachitas to suburban gardens. They're are also incredibly vocal right now, as both males and females sing to defend their territories. During the breeding season, male Cardinals may sing 200 or more songs per hour in the early morning hours, and mated pairs will often sing duets together.👂🎶 Listen for their loud, cheerful, whistling song that sounds like a fast-paced cheer, cheer, cheer or birdie, birdie, birdie!

📸 Tim Kauffman

06/18/2026

🦉 Next Thursday at Garvan Woodland Gardens!

🦉🐦 Calling all young nature explorers!
ONE WEEK FROM TODAY!

Join us for Birding & Birds of Prey, a special program presented by the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission at Garvan Woodland Gardens!

Learn how to identify local birds, discover the important role birds of prey play in our ecosystems, and meet a special ambassador animal up close. This hands-on program is perfect for curious kids who love wildlife and the outdoors.

📅 Thursday, June 25
⏰ 1:00–2:00 PM
📍 Magnolia Room
🎟️ Free with Garden admission

Come spread your wings and discover the fascinating world of Arkansas birds! 🦅🌿

06/17/2026

Register for the Birding Festival of the South, presented by Oaklawn Hot Springs, by August 8 and you'll receive a Festival Pass Package! 🐦

The Birding Festival of the South Pass Package includes an official festival laminate, tote bag, metal tumbler, Field Guide, access to the vendor hall, workshops, panels, keynote speakers, kids’ activities and meet-you-there-field trips.

🦉 Please note, registration is required for the field trips and capacities may vary. The festival pass does not include participation in exclusive field trips where transportation is provided.

🎟 Passes are $35 for the full weekend of birding activities and may be found at: hotsprings.org/events/birding-festival-of-the-south/

06/14/2026

🐦🎸 The Birding Festival of the South, presented by Oaklawn Hot Springs, is thrilled to welcome birding advocate and singer-songwriter, Bonner Black!

Bonner Black not only loves to sing about birds, but she also tirelessly advocates for their protection and conservation. Black will perform her songs on Friday, October 9, at the Hot Springs Convention Center. She will also lead a morning Birds on the Brain Meditation and Bird Walk at Garvan Woodland Gardens. The musical performance is included as part of the festival weekend pass, but the bird walk has a limited capacity and requires separate registration.

In April she released her fourth studio project, a five-song EP titled “Little Bird In A Big Sky,” which was inspired by the incredible endurance of migrating birds. It draws a powerful parallel between the epic thousand-mile journeys of small birds over the ocean and overcoming personal struggles.

Bonner Black's schedule below! ⬇️
Friday, October 9
8 a.m. to 10 a.m. - Birds on the Brain Meditation and Bird Walk at Garvan Woodland Gardens
7 p.m. - A 40-minute musical performance at the Hot Springs Convention Center

Those who register for the festival weekend by August 8 will receive a full package including an official festival laminate, tote bag, metal tumbler, a Birding Festival of the South Field Guide, access to vendor hall, workshops, panels, keynote speakers, kids’ activities and meet-you-there-field trips. Weekend passes are $35.

📍Please note, separate registration is required for the field trips and capacities may vary. The festival pass does not include participation in exclusive field trips where transportation is provided.

🎟 Passes are available now at: hotsprings.org/events/birding-festival-of-the-south/

06/12/2026

It's Field Guide Friday, our weekly series highlighting the incredible birds found right here in the Natural State! 🦉💫 Today, we are shifting our focus to the twilight skies to highlight the ultimate apex predator of the Arkansas woods, the Great Horned Owl.

Often called the "tiger of the air," this massive owl is famous for its fierce yellow eyes and the signature feather tufts on its head that look exactly like horns.

Why head out tonight? As we move into mid-June, Great Horned Owls are wrapping up a long parenting season. They nest incredibly early, often back in January, which means their large, fluffy fledglings are now out of the nest but still learning to hunt. Just after sunset, you have a unique chance to hear the harsh, raspy begging calls of these teenage owls following their parents through the canopy.

Great Horned Owls are highly adaptable, living everywhere from the Ouachita forests to local backyards. To spot one during the day, look for groups of crows or blue jays loudly "mobbing" a specific tree to drive a sleeping owl away. Otherwise, listen closely after dark for that classic, deep hoot: hoo-h'hoo, hoo-hoo.

Have you ever spotted the silhouette of a Great Horned Owl against the night sky? Or have you only heard their deep hoots echoing through the Arkansas woods?

📸 Tim Kauffman

06/05/2026

Happy Field Guide Friday! 🐦🌳 Each week we celebrate the amazing birds that make the Natural State a premier birding destination, highlighting different species to help you sharpen your ID skills.

Today we are stepping into the deep, shady understory to find a real hidden gem of the forest: the Kentucky Warbler. 💛 This heavy-bodied warbler looks like it ready for an elegant masquerade, sporting a rich olive-green back, a brilliant yellow belly, and a striking black "mask" that loops around its eyes like a pair of dramatic sideburns.

Early June is the absolute peak of their nesting season here in Arkansas! These Neotropical migrants arrived from Central America back in April and have now settled deep into their breeding territories. Because they nest on or very close to the ground, the parents are currently highly active, foraging through the leaf litter for insects to feed their newly hatched chicks.

In Arkansas, look for them in moist, dense deciduous woods - especially in rich bottomlands, ravines, and the shaded slopes of the Ouachita and Ozark mountains. They can be incredibly shy and love to hide in thick patches of ferns but they will give away their location with their song. Listen for a loud, rolling, musical chant that sounds like churry-churry-churry, closely resembling a Carolina Wren but echoing with a richer, more ringing tone.

📸 Tim Kauffman

05/29/2026

🐤 Happy - our weekly series where we celebrate the incredible birds that make the Natural State a premier destination for birders!

If you’ve visited any Arkansas marsh, pond, or roadside ditch lately, you’ve likely been greeted by the bold king of the cattails; the Red-winged Blackbird. While the males are unmistakable with their glossy black feathers and fiery red-and-yellow shoulder patches (called epaulets), the females are masters of disguise, looking more like large, heavily streaked brown sparrows.

As we head into late May, Red-winged Blackbirds are in the absolute height of their breeding season across Arkansas! These birds are famously territorial and high-energy right now. You’ll see males perched precariously on tall reeds or fence posts, puffing out their brilliant red shoulders and leaning forward to belt out their iconic conk-la-ree! song.

Because they are currently defending nests and feeding hungry chicks, they are incredibly active and easy to spot. Keep an eye out for their impressive aerial displays as they chase off much larger crows or hawks that get too close to their territory!

📸 Tim Kauffman

05/24/2026

🐦👂🏻 The Birding Festival of the South, presented by Oaklawn Hot Springs, is thrilled to welcome internationally acclaimed bird-sounds expert Alison Kondler of Birding By Ear!

Kondler will lead a field trip at Hot Springs’ Northwoods Trails lakes as part of the inaugural Birding Festival of the South, happening October 8 -10 in Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas.

Kondler is an Audubon Master Birder, keynote speaker, and creator of the social media platform . Through bird sound mimicry, creative mnemonics, and storytelling, she teaches people how to identify birds by ear using techniques that connect with different learning styles. Her talks make bird sounds approachable, memorable, and fun.

She will give one of the festival’s keynote talks Saturday, October 10, at the Hot Springs Convention Center.

Attendance is included as part of the festival pass, which costs $35. On Friday, October 9, Kondler will lead a field trip to the city’s Northwoods lakes region around Lakes Dillon and Bethel. 📍 Please note, participation in that field trip will require a separate registration.

🎟 Passes available at: hotsprings.org/events/birding-festival-of-the-south/

Her keynote at The Birding Festival of the South will be "Birds Heard in Words - A Creative Approach to Learning Bird Sounds." The field trip to the Northwoods will include a two-mile walk around Lakes Dillon and Bethel. The walk is easy to moderate and will last about two hours.

Kondler’s talk and field trip schedule below! ⬇️

🐦 Friday, October 9
8 a.m. - 11 a.m. - Northwoods Trails field trip with Alison Kondler
Approximately 2 mile hike, approximately 2 hours
Taking attendees around Lake Dillon and along Lake Bethel
Difficulty: easy to moderate
300 Pineland Drive Hot Springs National Park, AR 71901

🐦 Saturday, October 10
4 p.m. - Keynote - Hot Springs Convention Center

05/22/2026

It's Field Guide Friday! ✨🐦 Each week we celebrate the incredible birds that make Arkansas a premier destination for birders, highlighting a local species to help you sharpen your ID skills and find the best spots to see them in action.

If you see a bird that looks like a glowing ember drifting through the green leaves, you’ve found the Scarlet Tanager! 🔥 The adult males are famous for their almost impossibly bright red plumage, which contrasts sharply with their jet-black wings and tails. The females are just as elegant but far more subtle, dressed in a soft olive-yellow that helps them disappear into the canopy while nesting.

Why is right now the perfect time to look? ❤️🖤 It's mid-May and Scarlet Tanagers have officially returned to the Arkansas highlands! Having just completed a marathon migration from the Andean foothills of South America, they are now busy establishing territories in our mature oak and hickory forests. Because the trees aren't yet at their densest, the males' brilliant red feathers are much easier to spot against the fresh spring green.

In Arkansas, look for them in the higher elevations of the Ozarks and Ouachitas. They tend to stay high in the treetops, so your best bet is to listen for their song, it sounds like a robin with a sore throat, a series of hoarse, burry whistles. Once you hear that raspy robin tune, scan the upper branches for that unmistakable flash of red. Have you been lucky enough to spot a "forest fire" Scarlet Tanager in the treetops this week, or are you still listening for that raspy song? 👀🎶

📸 Tim Kauffman