Flying Wild Festival

Explore the World of Our Feathered Friends Though Hands-on Activities.

Come discover and learn about Missouri’s feathered inhabitants at the Flying Wild Festival at the Shaw Nature Reserve on Saturday, Oct. 8 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. This family-friendly event offers fun hands-on learning experiences for both kids and adults about all things avian. Admission to the festival is included with Reserve admission of $3 for adults; $2 for seniors (65+) and is free for children ages 12 and under and Missouri Botanical Garden members.

Birds are animals that we see and hear every day and they come in an amazing variety of shapes and colors. Hundreds of native birds call Missouri home and countless others migrate in and out with the seasons. There will be a number of stations focusing on the diversity of birds, their behavior and how they adapt to their environment. Activities and learning stations including a "Fill the Bill" station which demonstrates how the shape of a bird's beak is directly related to that bird's feeding habits. Another station, "The Great Migration Challenge" teaches about bird migration and some of the dangers that birds face while traveling vast distances.

A broad range of interactive activities relating to bird vision, bird calls and the ever-popular wing span station will be presented. Enjoy birding hikes led by experienced birders through the diverse ecosystems of the Shaw Nature Reserve. Kids and adults will enjoy plenty of craft stations including making bird nests using natural materials.

“By creating public awareness of birds and their habits, festival attendees learn how to put this knowledge into action by planting native plants, building bird houses and creating bird feeding stations, “ said Public Program Instructor, Steven Bean.
           
The Flying Wild Festival will be held Saturday, Oct. 8 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the grounds of the Shaw Nature Reserve in Gray Summit, Mo. Take interstate 44 to exit #253 and follow the signs to the Reserve.

For more information, visit www.shawnature.org or call (636) 451-3512.

*Description by the Shaw Nature Reserve.