Join us for the 31st Annual Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival!!

Welcome Reception, Keynote Speakers, Seminars and Kiskadee Kordial are all included in your registration. Please sign up for the activities you wish to attend.

The Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival, Inc., headquartered in Harlingen, Texas, is a 501 (c)(3) organization incorporated to produce an annual international event designed to utilize the Rio Grande Valley's unparalleled natural resources and bird-watching opportunities to:

Promote the economic growth of the local economy through ecotourism.
Educate the local population about the value of the unique natural environment found in the Valley and to recognize its economic potential.

Foster a climate of cooperation and understanding between stakeholders in the economic development of the Valley and conservation organizations and individuals dedicated to preserving our natural environment.

The RGV Birding Festival has a small part-time staff in addition to over 200 dedicated volunteers, many of whom donate their time throughout the year to make the festival a success.  In addition, the festival receives monetary and resource support from the City of Harlingen, our many sponsors and vendors, local businesses, and the Harlingen Visitors' Bureau.

Schedule of Events:

November 6, 2024

05:00 am - 02:00 pm: Santa Margarita Ranch HCC - Van Loading Area - ($ 125.00)
06:00 am - 01:00 pm: Shorebirding with the Experts HCC - Van Loading Area - ($ 85.00)
06:00 am - 01:00 pm: King Ranch - Norias Division HCC - Bus Loading Area - ($ 140.00)
06:00 am - 01:00 pm: Rio Grande Pontoon and Quinta Mazatlan HCC - Bus Loading Area - ($ 115.00)        
06:00 am - 01:00 pm: South Padre Island Tour HCC - Van Loading Area - 10 ($ 85.00)           
06:00 am - 01:00 pm: Colley's Island Pontoon with Henry's Charters HCC - Van Loading Area - 12 ($ 135.00)         
06:00 am - 04:30 pm: Kleberg County Wetlands and Lunch HCC - Van Loading Area - 8 ($ 120.00)
06:15 am - 10:30 am: Laguna Seca Ranch Raptors  am Meet at Site - 12 ($ 160.00)         
06:30 am - 12:30 pm: Aplomado Alley - Old Port Isabel Road HCC - Van Loading Area - 16 ($ 85.00)           
06:30 am - 12:30 pm: Advanced Bird ID with Michael O'Brien and Louise Zemaitis - UTRGV Resacas HCC - Van Loading Area - 10 ($ 100.00)         
06:30 am - 12:30 pm: Salt Lakes and Brush Country - Lower RGV NWR HCC - Van Loading Area - 8 ($ 80.00)           
06:30 am - 12:30 pm: Small Park Smash - Cameron County HCC - Van Loading Area - 10 ($ 80.00)           
06:30 am - 12:30 pm: Fundamentals of Birding with Hannah and Erik Go Birding! HCC - Van Loading Area - 10 ($ 75.00)           
06:30 am - 12:30 pm: Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge - Lakeside Drive HCC - Van Loading Area - 16 ($ 85.00)           
06:30 am - 01:00 pm: Boca Chica - The Tip of Texas HCC - Van Loading Area - 16 ($ 80.00)           
07:00 am - 01:00 pm: Anzalduas on the Rio and National Butterfly Center  HCC - Van Loading Area - 10 ($ 85.00)           
07:00 am - 01:00 pm: Easy (But Not Less!) Birding Tour - Bentsen RGVSP HCC - Van Loading Area - 6 ($ 75.00)           
07:00 am - 01:00 pm: Edinburg Scenic Wetlands and McAllen Nature Center HCC - Van Loading Area - 10 ($ 75.00)           
07:00 am - 01:00 pm: Small Park Smash - Hidalgo County HCC - Van Loading Area - 10 ($ 80.00)           
07:00 am - 01:00 pm: Birds and Battlefields with Jon Dunn HCC - Van Loading Area - 10 ($ 80.00)           
07:30 am - 01:30 pm: Frontera Audubon and Tacos HCC - Van Loading Area - 10 ($ 105.00)         
07:00 am - 02:30 pm: Birds, Resacas, Lunch! HCC - Van Loading Area - 20 ($ 110.00)     
08:00 am - 12:00 pm: Meet-on Site - Santa Ana NWR Meet at Site - 12 ($ 60.00)           
09:00 am - 03:00 pm: Butterflies of the Rio Grande Valley HCC - Van Loading Area - 10 ($ 75.00)           
12:00 pm - 06:00 pm: Birder's Bazaar Blast HCC Birder's Bazaar
02:00 pm - 05:30 pm: Laguna Seca Ranch Songbirds  pm Meet at Site - 6 ($ 160.00)         
02:00 pm - 05:30 pm: Afternoon Birding: Just Find Water! HCC - Van Loading Area - 16 ($ 60.00)           
04:00 pm - 06:00 pm: Parrot Palooza! HCC - Van Loading Area - 40 ($ 50.00)      

November 7, 2024     

5:00 am - 02:00 pm: Upper Rio Grande - Salineño and Beyond HCC - Van Loading Area - 20 ($ 100.00)         
5:00 am - 02:00 pm: Santa Margarita Ranch HCC - Van Loading Area - 20 ($ 125.00)         
6:00 am - 01:00 pm: King Ranch - Norias Division HCC - Bus Loading Area - 42 ($ 140.00)         
6:00 am - 01:00 pm: South Padre Island Tour HCC - Van Loading Area - 10 ($ 85.00)           
6:00 am - 01:00 pm: Colley's Island Pontoon with Henry's  Charters- Thursday HCC - Van Loading Area - 12 ($ 135.00)         
6:00 am - 01:00 pm: Rio Grande Pontoon and Quinta Mazatlan HCC - Bus Loading Area - 38 ($ 115.00)         
6:15 am - 10:30 am: Laguna Seca Ranch Raptors  am Meet at Site - 12 ($ 160.00)         
6:30 am - 12:00 pm: Arroyo Colorado Unit, WMA HCC - Van Loading Area - 20 ($ 80.00)  
6:30 am - 12:30 pm: Santa Ana NWR HCC - Bus Loading Area - 32 ($ 75.00)           
6:30 am - 12:30 pm: Small Park Smash - Cameron County HCC - Van Loading Area - 10 ($ 80.00)           
6:30 am - 12:30 pm: Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge - Lakeside Drive HCC - Van Loading Area - 16 ($ 85.00)           
6:30 am - 12:30 pm: Advanced Bird ID with Jon Dunn - Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge HCC - Bus Loading Area - 10 ($ 100.00)       
6:30 am - 12:30 pm: Aplomado Alley - Old Port Isabel Road HCC - Van Loading Area - 16 ($ 85.00)           
6:30 am - 12:30 pm: Southmost Nature Preserve HCC - Van Loading Area - 20 ($ 80.00)  
6:30 am - 01:00 pm: Boca Chica - The Tip of Texas HCC - Van Loading Area - 16 ($ 80.00)      
6:30 am - 01:00 pm: The Total Gull Experience with Amar Ayyash HCC - Van Loading Area - 10 ($ 85.00)    
6:30 am - 01:00 pm: The Total Gull Experience with Amar Ayyash HCC - Van Loading Area - 10 ($ 85.00)
6:30 am - 03:00 pm: Willacy Wetlands, Backroads, and Texas BBQ! HCC - Van Loading Area - 8 ($ 100.00)         
6:30 am - 04:00 pm: Raptors of the Rio Grande Valley with Bill Clark HCC - Van Loading Area - 20 ($ 100.00)                 
7:00 am - 01:00 pm: Small Park Smash - Hidalgo County HCC - Van Loading Area - 10 ($ 80.00)           
7:00 am - 01:00 pm: Easy (But Not Less!) Birding Tour - Resaca de la Palma SP HCC - Van Loading Area - 6 ($ 75.00)           
7:00 am - 01:00 pm: Edinburg Scenic Wetlands and McAllen Nature Center HCC - Van Loading Area - 10 ($ 75.00)           
7:30 am - 01:30 pm: Frontera Audubon and Tacos HCC - Van Loading Area - 10 ($ 105.00)         
8:00 am - 12:00 pm: Meet-on Site - Sabal Palm Meet at Site - 12 ($ 60.00)           
2:00 pm - 03:00 pm: When and Where to Photograph Birds on South Padre Island with Paul Denman HCC Classroom - 20 ($ 15.00)           
2:00 pm - 03:00 pm: Optical Clarity: The Right Binocular for You with Whitney Lanfranco HCC Birders Bazzar Area
2:00 pm - 05:30 pm: Laguna Seca Ranch Songbirds  pm Meet at Site - 6 ($ 160.00)   
2:00 pm - 05:30 pm: Afternoon Birding: Just Find Water! HCC - Van Loading Area - 16 ($ 60.00)           
3:30 pm - 05:00 pm: Digiscoping Demystified with Clay Taylor, Swarovski Optik Ltd. HCC Classroom - 20 ($ 15.00)           
4:00 pm - 06:00 pm: Parrot Palooza! HCC - Van Loading Area - 40 ($ 50.00)           
5:30 pm - 09:00 pm: Night Hike at Estero Llano Grande State Park HCC - Van Loading Area - 20 ($ 60.00)

November 8, 2024

5:00 am - 02:00 pm: Santa Margarita Ranch HCC - Van Loading Area - 20 ($ 125.00)         
5:00 am - 02:00 pm: Upper Rio Grande - Salineño and Falcon State Park HCC - Van Loading Area - 20 ($ 100.00)         
6:00 am - 01:00 pm: South Padre Island Tour HCC - Van Loading Area - 10 ($ 85.00)           
6:00 am - 01:00 pm: Shorebirding with the Experts HCC - Van Loading Area - 10 ($ 85.00)           
6:00 am - 01:00 pm: Colley's Island Pontoon with Henry's Charters- Friday HCC - Van Loading Area - 12 ($ 135.00)       
6:00 am - 04:30 pm: Kleberg County Wetlands and Lunch HCC - Van Loading Area - 8 ($ 120.00)          
6:15 am - 10:30 am: Laguna Seca Ranch Raptors  am Meet at Site - 12 ($ 160.00)         
6:30 am - 10:30 am: Photographing Shorebirds with Paul Denman Meet-At-Site - 10 ($ 50.00)   
6:30 am - 12:30 pm: Young Birder Series - Estero Llano Grande State Park HCC - Bus Loading Area - 6 ($ 50.00)           
6:30 am - 12:30 pm: Small Park Smash - Cameron County HCC - Van Loading Area - 10 ($ 80.00)           
6:30 am - 12:30 pm: Fundamentals of Birding with Hannah and Erik Go Birding! HCC - Bus Loading Area - 10 ($ 75.00)           
6:30 am - 12:30 pm: Estero Llano Grande State Park HCC - Bus Loading Area - 36 ($ 75.00)                
6:30 am - 12:30 pm: Santa Ana NWR HCC - Bus Loading Area - 32 ($ 75.00)           
6:30 am - 12:30 pm: Salt Lakes and Brush Country - Lower RGV NWR HCC - Van Loading Area - 8 ($ 80.00)           
6:30 am - 12:30 pm: Advanced Bird ID with Kenn and Kimberly Kaufman - South Padre Island HCC - Van Loading Area - 10 ($ 100.00)         
6:30 am - 12:30 pm: Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park HCC - Bus Loading Area - 42 ($ 75.00)           
6:30 am - 12:30 pm: Arroyo Colorado Unit, WMA HCC - Van Loading Area - 20 ($ 80.00)           
6:30 am - 12:30 pm: Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge - Bahia Grande Unit HCC - Van Loading Area - 16 ($ 85.00)           
6:30 am - 12:30 pm: Southmost Nature Preserve HCC - Van Loading Area - 20 ($ 80.00)           
6:30 am - 02:00 pm: Cactus Creek Ranch and Backyard BBQ HCC - Van Loading Area - 20 ($ 115.00)      
7:00 am - 01:00 pm: Anzalduas on the Rio and National Butterfly Center HCC - Van Loading Area - 10 ($ 85.00)           
7:00 am - 01:00 pm: Easy (But Not Less!) Birding Tour - Santa Ana NWR HCC - Van Loading Area - 6 ($ 75.00)           
7:00 am - 01:00 pm: Small Park Smash - Hidalgo County HCC - Van Loading Area - 10 ($ 80.00)           
7:00 am - 02:30 pm: Birds, Resacas, Lunch! HCC - Van Loading Area - 20 ($ 110.00)         
7:30 am - 01:00 pm: Birds and Battlefields with Jon Dunn HCC - Van Loading Area - 10 ($ 80.00)           
8:00 am - 12:00 pm: Meet-on Site - Edinburg Scenic Wetland Meet at Site - 12 ($ 60.00)           
9:00 am - 03:00 pm: Butterflies of the Rio Grande Valley HCC - Van Loading Area - 10 ($ 75.00)           
2:00 pm - 03:00 pm: Getting Close to Things with Wings with Melody Lytle HCC Classroom - 20 ($ 15.00)   
2:00 pm - 03:00 pm: Birding for Native Bees: Enjoying the Little Things with Devon Johnston HCC Auditorium
2:00 pm - 05:30 pm: Laguna Seca Ranch Songbirds  pm Meet at Site - 6 ($ 160.00)         
2:00 pm - 05:00 pm: Digiscoping From the Deck with Clay Taylor, Swarovski Optik Ltd. Meet at Site - 20 ($ 20.00)             
2:00 pm - 05:30 pm: Afternoon Birding: Just Find Water! HCC - Van Loading Area - 16 ($ 60.00)           
3:30 pm - 04:30 pm: Digiscoping Big Year.  Quest To Photograph Over 1,000 Bird Species Through A Spotting Scope! with Jeff Bouton HCC Auditorium
3:30 pm - 04:30 pm: \Deep Dive into Shorebirds with Alex Eisengart HCC Classroom - 20 ($ 15.00)        
3:30 pm - 06:30 pm: Evening Photography at the South Texas Ecotourism Center with Ruth Hoyt Meet-At-Site - 20 ($ 50.00)           
4:00 pm - 06:00 pm: Parrot Palooza! HCC - Van Loading Area - 40 ($ 50.00)           
5:00 pm - 08:30 pm: Night Hike at Santa Ana NWR HCC - Van Loading Area - 20 ($ 60.00)           
6:00 pm - 07:00 pm: Man and Gulls - A Complex Relationship, with Amar Ayyash HCC Auditorium

November 9, 2024

5:00 am - 02:00 pm: Santa Margarita Ranch HCC - Van Loading Area - 20 ($ 125.00)         
6:00 am - 01:00 pm: Colley's Island Pontoon with Henry's Charters HCC - Van Loading Area - 12 ($ 135.00)         
6:00 am - 01:00 pm: Shorebirding with the Experts HCC - Van Loading Area - 10 ($ 85.00)           
6:00 am - 01:00 pm: Rio Grande Pontoon and Quinta Mazatlan HCC - Bus Loading Area - 38 ($ 115.00)        
6:00 am - 04:30 pm: Big Day Van 1 HCC - Van Loading Area - 8 ($ 135.00)         
6:00 am - 04:30 pm: Big Day Van 2 HCC - Van Loading Area - 8 ($ 135.00)                  
6:00 am - 04:30 pm: Big Day Van 5 HCC - Van Loading Area - 8 ($ 135.00)         
6:00 am - 04:30 pm: Big Day Van 3 HCC - Van Loading Area - 8 ($ 135.00)         
6:00 am - 04:30 pm: Big Day Van 4 HCC - Van Loading Area - 8 ($ 135.00)         
6:00 am - 04:30 pm: Big Day Van 6 HCC - Van Loading Area - 8 ($ 135.00)         
6:15 am - 10:30 am: Laguna Seca Ranch Raptors  am Meet at Site - 12 ($ 160.00)         
6:30 am - 12:30 pm: Santa Ana NWR HCC - Bus Loading Area - 36 ($ 75.00)           
6:30 am - 12:30 pm: Aplomado Alley - Old Port Isabel Road HCC - Van Loading Area - 16 ($ 85.00)           
6:30 am - 12:30 pm: Estero Llano Grande State Park HCC - Bus Loading Area - 32 ($ 75.00)           
6:30 am - 12:30 pm: Advanced Bird ID with Kenn and Kimberly Kaufman - Estero Llano Grande State Park HCC - Bus Loading Area - 10 ($ 100.00)       6:30 am - 12:30 pm: Young Birder Series - Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge HCC - Bus Loading Area - 6 ($ 50.00)           
6:30 am - 12:30 pm: Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park HCC - Bus Loading Area - 42 ($ 75.00)           
6:30 am - 01:00 pm: The Total Gull Experience with Amar Ayyash HCC - Van Loading Area - 10 ($ 85.00)           
6:30 am - 01:00 pm: Boca Chica - The Tip of Texas HCC - Van Loading Area - 16 ($ 80.00)           
6:30 am - 03:00 pm: Willacy Wetlands, Backroads, and Texas BBQ! HCC - Van Loading Area - 8 ($ 100.00)         
7:00 am - 11:00 am: Getting Close to Things with Wings - Hands On Workshop with Melody Lytle Meet at Site - 10 ($ 50.00)           
7:00 am - 12:00 pm: Raptor Banding with Bill Clark HCC - Van Loading Area - 20 ($ 100.00)         
7:00 am - 01:00 pm: Anzalduas on the Rio and National Butterfly Center HCC - Van Loading Area - 10 ($ 85.00)           
7:00 am - 01:00 pm: Edinburg Scenic Wetlands and McAllen Nature Center HCC - Van Loading Area - 10 ($ 75.00)           
7:00 am - 01:00 pm: Sabal Palm Sanctuary and UTRGV Resacas HCC - Bus Loading Area - 21 ($ 75.00)           
7:00 am - 01:00 pm: Easy (But Not Less!) Birding tour - Estero Llano Grande SP HCC - Van Loading Area - 6 ($ 75.00)           
7:00 am - 01:00 pm: Camp RIO and Fish Hatchery Wetlands HCC - Bus Loading Area - 21 ($ 85.00)           
8:00 am - 12:00 pm: Meet-on Site - South Padre Island Birding and Nature Center Meet at Site - 12 ($ 60.00)           
2:00 pm - 03:00 pm: The Effects of Urbanization on Gray Hawks in the Lower Rio Grande Valley with Evan Farese HCC Auditorium
2:00 pm - 03:00 pm: Lightroom Basics for Bird Photography with Ruth Hoyt HCC Classroom - 20 ($ 15.00)           
2:00 pm - 05:30 pm: Laguna Seca Ranch Songbirds  pm Meet at Site - 6 ($ 160.00)         
3:30 pm - 04:30 pm: A 25-year Romance with the Rio Grande Valley with Ruth Hoyt HCC Auditorium
3:30 pm - 04:30 pm: Sunsets, Birds, and More! with Clay Taylor, Swarovski Optik, Ltd. HCC - Van Loading Area - 10 ($ 60.00)           
3:30 pm - 04:30 pm: Working with Birds in Photoshop with Esperanza Chapa HCC Classroom - 20 ($ 15.00)           
4:00 pm - 06:00 pm: Parrot Palooza! HCC - Van Loading Area - 40 ($ 50.00)           
4:30 pm - 09:00 pm: Campfire Cookout and Critter Walk at Cactus Creek Ranch HCC - Van Loading Area - 20 ($ 80.00)           
6:00 pm - 07:00 pm: The Texas Birds That Audubon Missed - with Kenn Kaufman HCC Auditorium

November 10, 2024

5:00 am - 02:00 pm: Santa Margarita Ranch HCC - Van Loading Area - 20 ($ 125.00)         
6:00 am - 01:00 pm: King Ranch - Norias Division- Sunday HCC - Bus Loading Area - 42 ($ 140.00)         
6:00 am - 01:00 pm: Colley's Island Pontoon with Henry's Charters HCC - Van Loading Area - 12 ($ 135.00)         
6:00 am - 01:00 pm: Shorebirding with the Experts HCC - Van Loading Area - 10 ($ 85.00)           
6:15 am - 10:30 am: Laguna Seca Ranch Raptors  am Meet at Site - 12 ($ 160.00)         
6:30 am - 12:30 pm: Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge - Texas "Southfari" with Henry's Charters HCC - Bus Loading Area - 24 ($ 95.00)           6:30 am - 12:30 pm: Aplomado Alley - Old Port Isabel Road HCC - Van Loading Area - 16 ($ 85.00)           
6:30 am - 12:30 pm: Breakfast with the Birds at South Padre Island Bird and Nature Center HCC - Van Loading Area - 20 ($ 110.00)         
6:30 am - 12:30 pm: Fundamentals of Birding with Hannah and Erik Go Birding! HCC - Van Loading Area - 10 ($ 75.00)           
6:30 am - 12:30 pm: Advanced Bird ID with Jon Dunn - Resaca de la Palma State Park HCC - Van Loading Area - 10 ($ 100.00)         
6:30 am - 12:30 pm: Young Birder Series - South Padre Island Tour HCC - Van Loading Area - 6 ($ 50.00)
6:30 am - 01:00 pm: Waterbird Conservation on the Laguna Madre HCC - Van Loading Area - 10 ($ 95.00)           
6:30 am - 02:00 pm: Actus Creek Ranch and Backyard BBQ HCC - Van Loading Area - 20 ($ 115.00)
7:00 am - 12:00 pm: Bird Banding at Quinta Mazatlan with Mark Conway HCC - Van Loading Area - 22 ($ 80.00)           
7:00 am - 12:00 pm: Bioblitz at Estero Llano Grande State Park HCC - Van Loading Area - 10 ($ 80.00)  
7:00 am - 12:00 pm: Gray Hawk Research Tour HCC - Van Loading Area - 8 ($ 90.00)           
7:00 am - 12:30 pm: Rarity Roundup! HCC - Van Loading Area - 40 ($ 110.00)         
7:00 am - 01:00 pm: Anzalduas on the Rio and National Butterfly Center  -Sunday HCC - Van Loading Area - 10 ($ 85.00)  
7:00 am - 01:00 pm: Sabal Palm Sanctuary and UTRGV Resacas HCC - Bus Loading Area - 21 ($ 75.00)                    
7:00 am - 01:00 pm: Camp RIO and Fish Hatchery Wetlands HCC - Bus Loading Area - 21 ($ 85.00)           
7:00 am - 01:00 pm: Easy (But Not Less!) Birding Tour South Padre Island HCC - Van Loading Area  6 ($ 75.00)           
8:00 am - 12:00 pm: Meet-on Site - Bentsen - Rio Grande State Park Meet at Site - 12 ($ 60.00)           
2:00 pm - 05:30 pm: Laguna Seca Ranch Songbirds  pm Meet at Site - 6 ($ 160.00)

Date: November 6 - 10, 2024

Location: Harlingen Convention Center,

701 Harlingen Heights Dr.,

Harlingen, TX 78552

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