Ohio’s Headlands Birding Festival celebrates fall migration, autumn season

Mentor, Ohio — The Ohio DNR (ODNR) is celebrating the fall migration of birds with the annual Headlands Birding Festival, taking place Friday, Sept. 19 through Sunday, Sept. 21 at Headlands Beach State Park and other nearby locations. The festival will celebrate the spectacle of fall migration as countless bird species make their journeys to wintering grounds as far away as South America.

“Every fall, Ohioans are treated to one of nature’s most incredible journeys as thousands of birds pass through our state,” said ODNR Director Mary Mertz. “The Headlands Birding Festival is the perfect way to celebrate this migration while connecting people with the wonder of our natural world.”

The Headlands/Mentor Marsh region is known as one of Ohio’s premier birding destinations, hosting some of the highest diversity and volume of migratory birds in the state, with 352 species documented in Lake County alone. The festival offers a unique opportunity for bird enthusiasts of all levels to witness and learn about these remarkable migrations up close.

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Festival-goers can join expert-led field trips to some of the region’s best migratory bird hot spots, including a special boating experience for offshore birding on Lake Erie. The boat trip will offer rare views of birds in their natural habitats. The festival will also feature presentations on bird identification, migration, and related topics.

The 2025 Headlands Birding Festival will kick off Friday evening at Springbrook Gardens with keynote speaker Julie Zickefoose. An Ohio-based naturalist, writer, and artist, Zickefoose lives and works on an 80-acre wildlife sanctuary in Whipple.

She is a prolific author and painter, known for books such as Saving Jemima, and a longtime contributor to Bird Watcher’s Digest. She also served as a commentator on NPR’s All Things Considered for five years.

Her presentation will take the audience on a journey into the origins of her work as a natural history writer and illustrator, weaving together the influences, inspirations, and close personal experiences that have shaped her career. 

The Headlands Birding Festival is open to all, regardless of experience level. Attendees are encouraged to register in advance to secure spots for field trips and presentations.

The festival is presented in partnership with ODNR, Friends of Headlands Beach State Park, Cleveland Museum of Natural History, Lake Metroparks, City of Mentor, Lake County Visitors Bureau, and Blackbrook Audubon Society.