Bird Friendly Iowa

06/17/2026

Bird Friendly Iowa was a proud sponsor of this great birding tourism effort. Check out the birding guide!
https://www.visitboonecounty.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Madrid-Birding-Itinerary.pdf?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0BMABhZGlkAas0sh-Wzm9zcnRjBmFwcF9pZAwzNTA2ODU1MzE3MjgAAR6vdU9GEmUKXtng77V0TJDa2cwzPzHU6Czhshwv7iZRqQB2XYXRD4ce6OsRbA_aem_9ClO6_vFSUe-l-qGbzS0MQ

Plan your next birding getaway with our new 2-Day Boone County Birding Tour!

Follow a curated route through some of central Iowa's premier birding destinations, including Ledges State Park, Iowa Arboretum, Swede Point Park, and High Trestle Trail. Explore woodlands, prairies, river corridors, and wetlands along the Des Moines River flyway, where billions of birds migrate each spring and fall. The itinerary highlights key species to watch for, suggested stops, and opportunities to experience the best of Boone County along the way.

Whether you're a seasoned birder or simply looking for a unique weekend adventure, Boone County offers unforgettable wildlife viewing, scenic landscapes, and small-town charm.

View the full itinerary:
https://www.visitboonecounty.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Madrid-Birding-Itinerary.pdf

06/15/2026

Have a young bird lover in your life?🐦

This self-guided summer program from Iowa Young Birders makes it easy to fold education and exploration into your summer plans.

05/19/2026

05/15/2026

Planning a birding trip?

Several Bird Friendly communities have put together multi-day itineraries for a ready-to-go birding adventure. Each itinerary outlines a suggested route, highlights species you're likely to encounter, and details on other area attractions and activities. Whether it's your first time to the state or you've lived in Iowa all your life, you're bound to discover something new!

📍Boone County Itinerary: www.visitboonecounty.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Madrid-Birding-Itinerary.pdf
📍Siouxland Itinerary:https://exploresiouxland.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/BFI-Siouxland-Birding-Itinerary-DRAFT.pdf
📍Winneshiek County Itinerary:https://upperiowaaudubon.org/Documents/WinneshiekBirdingGuide_5.6.26_Compressed.pdf

The creation of these itineraries was made possible through collaboration with Bird Friendly Iowa and grant funding from Travel Iowa.

05/14/2026

Prairie Rapids Audubon Society (PRAS) provides great speakers and events. Centered in Waterloo/Cedar Falls, the bird group serves a six-county area, including Bird Friendly Communities of Waterloo, Cedar Falls, Bremer County, Tripoli, and Denver. Wednesday mornings during spring and fall migration, PRAS offers guided bird walks in various area locations. Last Wednesday, featured a walk through the trails at Hartman Reserve in Cedar Falls (see below). For more information about PRAS, visit https://www.gopras.org/

05/09/2026

Violet nailed-it in the Bird calling contest! She started with a cardinal and then continued with more.

Bird calling was one of the many happenings during Marion's World Bird Migration Day event. Marion is a BFI-designated community.

05/09/2026

Bird Friendly Iowa was pleased to attend World Bird Migration Day in Marion, Iowa. Marion is a BFI-designated Bird Friendly Community, doing great things in for residents and visitors!

Below is from the Day's Proclamation by Councilman Will Brandt and Mary Weber who is the City Horticulturalist and member of the Marion Bird Friendly Committee.

05/05/2026

Waterloo was the first designated Bird Friendly Community. Listen to the Waterloo proclamation for World Migratory Bird Day!

01/26/2026

A big congratulations to Iowa City on their recent designation as a Bird Friendly community! 👏👏👏

Their application detailed a variety of past and ongoing initiatives, such as programs that promote native habitat and encourage reduced pesticide use on private property, Warbler Walks hosted by the Iowa City Bird Club at Hickory Hill Park (a designated Important Bird Area), the adoption of nature-based solutions, sustainability features in city buildings, and more.

Because of these efforts, Iowa City also achieved “High Flyer” status, which is reserved for communities that meet more challenging criteria, not typically pursued as part of an initial application. We can't wait to see what they do next!

The City of Iowa City Government

12/18/2025

So much great work across Iowa to celebrate this year — more communities achieving Bird Friendly designation, more habitat on the ground, fewer threats for birds living in or migrating through the state, and more people understanding the value birds bring to ecosystems, our communities and quality of life.

Here are some highlights of what was accomplished in 2025. 🐦🦅🦃🦉🦆