Iowa Young Birders upcoming events

Heart of Iowa Trail Bird Walk (September 16, 2026)

Wed, 16 Sep 2026 19:30:00 GMT

Join us as we partner with the Cambridge Public Library for our annual fall Heart of Iowa Trail Bird Walk! This will be a leisurely walk along the paved trail looking for resident and migratory birds, as well as other wildlife, and learning about what we see. We will meet at the trail parking lot on S. Vine Street in Cambridge. All are welcome to join - no experience necessary. Bring your binoculars if you have some! A limited number of binoculars will be available for use.

This field trip is free to attend and open to any young birders and their parents/guardians. Iowa Young Birders welcomes everyone to the outdoors regardless of age, race, ethnicity, gender, orientation, religion, creed, national origin, or disability status. Our events can accommodate wheelchairs, vision and hearing impairments, and other health conditions. For questions, or to request accommodations for an upcoming event, please send us a message or email.

Photo: Indigo Bunting

High Trestle Hawk Watch (October 10, 2026)

Sat, 10 Oct 2026 15:00:00 GMT

Join experts from many different natural resource organizations to get your eye in the sky in search of raptors. These include hawks, eagles, osprey, and more! Binoculars will be provided. You can stay for the entire event or just come for a bit - we hope you can join us!

Location: High Trestle Trail Overlook (West of Bridge).
Parking: Grants Woods Park
Address: 2335 Qf. Ln, Madrid, IA 50156

Partners:
- Boone County Conservation
- Dallas County Conservation
- Iowa Department of Natural Resources- Wildlife Diversity Program
- Iowa Wildlife Center
- Big Bluestem Audubon Society
- Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation
- Iowa Audubon Society
- Iowa Young Birders

This field trip is free to attend and open to any young birders and their parents/guardians. Advance registration is required. Iowa Young Birders welcomes everyone to the outdoors regardless of age, race, ethnicity, gender, orientation, religion, creed, national origin, or disability status. Our events can accommodate wheelchairs, vision and hearing impairments, and other health conditions. For questions, or to request accommodations for an upcoming event, please send us a message or email.

Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge (November 21, 2026)

Sat, 21 Nov 2026 22:00:00 GMT

Join us for some fall birding on the prairie. Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge offers about 6,000 acres of tallgrass prairie habitat and hosts a resident bison and elk herd. This long stretch of habitat is a common winter stopover sight for Short-eared Owls. The hunting flights of these birds can be observed just above the prairie around evening time. Other possible highlights include; Northern Harrier, Rough-legged Hawk, Lapland Longspur, and Northern Shrike to name a few.

Photo: Short-eared Owl by Diane Crookham-Johnson