Birdwatching

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Four women birdwatching; all are looking through binoculars
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Birding is popular because it’s easy to get started, and it offers increasingly greater rewards the more you learn. It’s also an inexpensive hobby — a field guide and pair of binoculars are all you need.

Read on for tips on how to get started identifying Missouri's birds around your home or out in the field. This section provides information on:

  • Birdwatching tools
  • Identifying birds
  • Bird behavior and habitats
  • Great places to watch birds in Missouri
  • MDC bird-related events
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Boy with binoculars
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Woman with Binoculars
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Learn about binoculars and field guides as well as birding apps and other helpful tools.

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Photo of a prairie warbler perched on a red cedar sprig
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Learn key features that will help you tell bird species apart.

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Upload and store your bird sightings in this online database and view sightings of other birders around the world. 

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The Missouri Birding Trail was created to show birders the best places to find birds around the state. 

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Great Places For Birdwatching

Birding Events

Private Event | My Events | My Profile

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Registration period: April 1 - May 17
Date: Saturday, May 17, 2025 5:30 pm - Saturday, May 17, 2025 6:30 pm
Location: Springfield Conservation Nature Center
Here is your chance to see a ruby-throated hummingbird up close! Join master hummingbird bander Sarah Driver to learn more about this winged jewel while attempting to capture some for banding. Ages 7 and up. Registration required.
Registration period: May 1 - May 21
Date: Wednesday, May 21, 2025 7:30 am - Wednesday, May 21, 2025 9:30 am
Location: Runge Conservation Nature Center
Join MDC naturalists and area birders as we discover the avian life that calls Runge home. These short birding walks are for all experience levels. We will gather near the front doors of the nature center. Binoculars and field guides will be provided for those who need them. Registration preferred. Ages 8+
Registration period: May 1 - May 23
Date: Friday, May 23, 2025 8:30 am - Friday, May 23, 2025 12:00 pm
Location: Jefferson City Airport
Do you love biking… and birding? Then this program is for you. Join us as we go for a leisurely ride to look for birds on Mokane Road in Callaway County, just north of Jefferson City. Mokane Road is one of the top birding hotspots in Central Missouri. This program is for birders of all experience levels. We will meet at the Missouri Department of Conservation Airport Hangar on the south side of the Jefferson City Airport; directions will be provided in an email a few days before the program. Binoculars, bikes, and helmets will be provided for all who need them. Be sure to bring a water bottle. All participants under the age of 18 attending the program without an adult (18 or older) will need a signed permission form to participate. Registration required. Ages 15+
Registration period: May 1 - May 30
Date: Monday, June 2, 2025 1:00 pm - Monday, June 2, 2025 3:00 pm
Location: Twin Pines Conservation Education Center

Come learn about not just the beauty, but the importance of our native birds. We will explore a variety of native species, how to attract them with native landscaping to promote a healthy ecosystem in your backyard, and create a beautiful and personal watercolor masterpiece of your favorite winged beauty! All minors need to be accompanied by a registered adult.

All materials will be provided, but if you have your own set of brushes and watercolors - feel free to bring them!!!
Registration period: May 1 - May 30
Date: Monday, June 2, 2025 5:00 pm - Monday, June 2, 2025 7:00 pm
Location: Twin Pines Conservation Education Center

Come learn about not just the beauty, but the importance of our native birds. We will explore a variety of native species, how to attract them with native landscaping to promote a healthy ecosystem in your backyard, and create a beautiful and personal watercolor masterpiece of your favorite winged beauty! All minors need to be accompanied by a registered adult.

All materials will be provided, but if you have your own set of brushes and watercolors - feel free to bring them!!!
Registration period: May 6 - June 21
Date: Saturday, June 21, 2025 5:30 pm - Saturday, June 21, 2025 6:30 pm
Location: Springfield Conservation Nature Center
Here is your chance to see a ruby-throated hummingbird up close! Join master hummingbird bander Sarah Driver to learn more about this winged jewel while attempting to capture some for banding. Ages 7 and up. Registration required.
Date: Wednesday, June 25, 2025 10:00 am - Wednesday, June 25, 2025 12:00 pm
Location: Springfield Conservation Nature Center
Volunteer Naturalist Myra Scroggs will help you find common nesting birds through both an indoor discussion and an outdoor walk. Ages 7 and up. No registration required.
Registration period: May 2 - June 28
Date: Saturday, June 28, 2025 12:00 pm - Saturday, June 28, 2025 12:30 pm
Location: Online only
A flash of gold flies through the shaded swamp… it’s a prothonotary warbler! From secluded nests to long migrations this secretive bird is a bright light of the swamp. Join us to discover its hidden world and the challenges it faces. Participants will receive the virtual program link at least 30 minutes prior to the start of the program. Please ensure your MDC account includes an accurate email address so that you can receive this link.
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Missouri's winter eagle watching is spectacular. Find places to view eagles on your own, or join us at some of the many Eagle Days events scheduled around the state.

Eagle Days Events

There are no events scheduled at this time.