Attention: Teachers in the Washington, DC area

An Invitation to International Migratory Bird Day


You are invited to a bird walk and brunch to be held in Washington, D.C., at the Rock Creek Park Nature Center on Saturday, May 9, in honor of International Migratory Bird Day. International Migratory Bird Day was started in 1993 as a way of celebrating one of the most spectacular phenomena in the natural world-- that is, the annual journey of millions of birds from their Latin American wintering grounds to their breeding grounds in the United States and Canada. It also aims to promote conservation projects on behalf of the many species of migratory birds that are declining in numbers. The hundreds of events held each year throughout the Western Hemisphere makes this the world's largest celebration dedicated to birds.

The bird walk will be led by Smithsonian scientists and other local bird experts. This will be a chance for you to observe birds you may have never seen before, enhance your bird identification skills, and learn more about the fascinating behavior and natural history of these feathered travelers. The walk will be followed by a casual, picnic-style brunch and a few brief talks about bird migration and the value of migratory birds as teaching tools. We will also make available a variety of educational resources for you to take back to your classroom, and offer you the chance to sign up to have a staff member of the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center give a presentation to your class.

There's always a catch, right? The catch in this case is having to get up early on a Saturday morning! The second week of May marks the peak of bird migration in the Washington, D.C., area, so the many colorful and melodious birds should make it worth the effort. The walk will begin at 7:45 am. The brunch will follow from 9:30 to 11:00. Please dress casually, wear sturdy shoes and bring binoculars and a field guide, if you have them.

If you would like to join us, please contact
Mary Deinlein no later than April 20. Space is limited, so we recommend calling sooner rather than later to confirm your participation. We hope to see you on May 9!



































Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center, National Zoological Park, Washington, DC 20008