2019 Hawai‘i Island Festival of Birds Dates Announced
The 4th annual Hawai‘i Island Festival of Birds (HIFB) will be a four-day event Oct. 25, through 28, 2019. The date has been moved further back in the year to improve the forest birding experience while still taking advantage of the prolific pelagic season. The 2019 theme is “Wanderers and Migrants—Hawai‘i’s Unique Avian Visitors.” The theme will highlight the migratory and accidental avian visitors that arrive in Hawai‘i each year. For the first time there will be added education and focus on Papahānaumokuākea National Marine Monument.
In spite of the threat of hurricanes and lava activity from Hawai‘i’s Kīlauea volcano (now ceased), the third annual Hawai‘i Island Festival of Birds, themed “Back from the Brink: Hawai‘i’s Battle Against Extinction,” was held in September 2018. A record number of attendees enjoyed programming including Birds, Brews & Binos street fair celebration, lively panel discussions with experts from across the globe, guided birding excursions, free community bird walks and more.
“We are encouraged by the continued awareness and growth in attendance and interest in HIFB,” said Debbie Anderson, festival co-chair and founder, and president of Destination Marketing Hawai‘i. “The support of our community, of businesses that contribute to the auction and of our sponsors is all paramount to helping us continue to attract renowned experts to share their knowledge and research with festival attendees.”
Hawai‘i Island Festival of Birds information is available online.
Festival beneficiaries include the Hawai‘i Wildlife Center and The Hawai‘i Island Coast to Coast Birding Trail administered by the Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Department of Forestry and Wildlife. Sponsors of the Hawai‘i Island Festival of Birds include Hawai‘i Tourism Authority, County of Hawai‘i, Hawai‘i Forest & Trail, Destination Marketing, Hawai‘i Wildlife Center and Alaska Airlines.