What is a bird festival?

A bird festival is a celebration of the wild birds, habitats, and people of a region. The San Diego Bird Festival, scheduled for February 25th to March 1st, 2026, is all about the birds of San Diego and offers birding field trips to locations in Southern California. The hands-on educational and social activities at the festival include classes, workshops, and keynote presentations designed to inform and inspire participants about San Diego birds. 

What does it cost to go to the San Diego Bird Festival?

There is a base registration fee of $37 for entry that applies to most programs that take place at Marina Village Conference Center and all programs that include food or beverages. San Diego bird field trips and some other activities require additional fees to participate. Saturday and Sunday are Communty Days, when activities at the Marina Village Conference Center are FREE, no registration fee required.

How do I sign up?

Registration begins November 1, 2025. Click the “register” link and fill your cart with all of the things you would like to do.

Where do the programs take place?

Many, but not all of the programs take place at Marina Village Conference Center, 1936 Quivira Way, San Diego, CA 92109. Specific program locations will be noted in the program description.

Do I need to register or pay a fee to visit the bookstore or the exhibit hall?

You do not need to register to visit the bookstore, the exhibit hall, or for Community Days (Saturday and Sunday programs at Marina Village).

Where do I stay?  

We have secured a special rate at the Dana Resort in Mission Bay. Room rates start at $165 per night. Resort fees ($32 value per night) and overnight parking fees for 1 car per room ($25 value per night) are waived. Morning shuttle service will be provided by the resort, and afternoon shuttle service will be provided by the Festival. An advance deposit or credit card guarantee for the first night's room and tax is due by January 26, 2026. Individuals must identify themselves as part of "San Diego Bird Festival" to be eligible for the special group rate. Click here for online booking or call 800-445-3339. Our block at the Dana sold out in 2025, so book early!

The room block at the Dana Resort is full. They may have rooms available, but not at the special rate.

Other hotels that are nearby: the Hyatt Regency in Mission Bay is across the street from the Dana. Across the bridge to the North we have the Bahia and Paradise Point. For lower priced options look across the bridge to the South in the Sports Arena area. Several chains are available including Ramada and Holiday Inn Express.

Is there transportation from the hotel to the Marina Village Conference Center?

Morning schedule: Complimentary Hotel Transportation from the Dana Resort to Marina Village Conference Center. You must sign up in the hotel lobby. 

• Thursday February 26 | 5:30 AM - 7:30 AM

• Friday February 27 | 5:30 AM - 7:30 AM

• Saturday February 28| 5:30 AM - 7:30 AM

• Sunday March 1 | 5:30 AM - 7:30 AM

Evening schedule: Complimentary Hotel Transportation from the Dana to Marina Village Conference Center. Sign up in the hotel lobby for Wednesday, and call to request for Thursday-Sunday.

• Wednesday, February 25 | 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM

• Thursday February 27 | 3:00 PM - 8:00 PM

• Friday February 28 | 3:00 PM - 6:00 PM

• Saturday March 1 | 3:00 PM - 6:00 PM

• Sunday March 2 | 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Should I rent a car?

That depends. If you are staying at the Dana and using the shuttle service to get to Marina Village and only sign up for field trips that originate at MVCC, you probably won’t need to rent a car. If you sign up for Meet-You-There field trips, you will want to rent a car (or find a friend who has one). San Diego is a large county. Make sure you allow plenty of time to get to your destinations.

What will I see on festival field trips?

You can view the trip report from last year’s festival to get an idea of the species seen at certain locations.

What should I wear?

You should wear whatever feels good! In general, the mornings are chilly and mid-day warms up. This is technically winter, so you can expect a range from the low 40’s to the high 60s. Here are a few pointers for the various sorts of programs we offer:

Pelagic trips- it tends to be a little bit more extreme on the boat, and you can start out feeling chilly in wind and fog and getting hot in the sun. Layers are the best bet. You’ll be happiest in long pants, a t-shirt, a fleece and a windbreaking shell. Hats should have a chin strap to avoid loss. Bring a small backpack or bag to stow extra clothing items as you shed them.
Land trips- it can be chilly in the morning and warm up as the sun gets higher. Long pants are recommended, and shoes that are comfortable for walking on a variety of substrates. A waterproof jacket and hat are often useful.
Stationary birding- even if a birding outing doesn’t include a walk, it can be nice to have layers. Coastal locations can be windy.
Daytime programs- indoor classrooms are comfortable but usually not heated or air conditioned. It can be nice to have a sweater.
Keynote programs- sometimes people dress up, but don’t feel obligated. We are birders, after all!

Where can I study up on San Diego Birds?

We’ve partnered with Larkwire to offer a course to help you study up on San Diego Birds before you come. The Larkwire app is a game-based system for mastering bird identification by ear and by eye. Larkwire offers a custom course just for the San Diego Bird Festival (coming soon)!

This course covers visual identification of 240 species — nearly every species you're likely to see at the festival — including highly sought after species such as Ridgway's Rail, Allen's Hummingbird, California Thrasher, California Towhee, and California Gnatcatcher (basically anything that starts with California!). Includes both landbirds and waterbirds, including many of the pelagics that are often seen.

Great for beginners — still challenging for expert birders, and completely customizable to your target species. 

The course has three levels: beginner, intermediate, and advanced.

Learn the grebes—and all the other species you will see and hear at the festival!

Is there a place that sells used photography gear?

We’ve partnered with MPB to help you get yourself outfitted with all of the photography gear that you need for the festival. Get set up, upgrade, or sell gear you aren’t using anymore. Check out their site here.

Where should I eat?

If you sign up for bus field trips, your lunch is included in the cost of the field trip. You must specify your desired lunch choice at the time of registration and pick up your lunch in the breakfast hall prior to field trip departure.

Join us for breakfast in the Marine Room!  The Festival provides a continental breakfast daily from 5:30 to 7:30 am.

On Festival Saturday and Sunday, food vendors will be in the courtyard.

What is the Cancellation policy?

The $37 registration fee is non-refundable.

Participant Cancellations
A full refund (100%) of trip and program fees will be issued for cancellations made before January 1, 2026.
A partial refund (50%) of trip and program fees will be issued for cancellations made between January 1, 2026 and January 31, 2026.
No refunds will be issued for cancellations made on or after February 1, 2026.

Festival-Initiated Cancellations
If a program or trip is cancelled by the Festival due to inclement weather or unsafe travel conditions, refunds will be provided as follows:
Pelagic trips: A full refund will be issued if the Festival cancels the trip within 24 hours of the scheduled departure.
Bus and Kayak trips: A 50% refund will be issued if the Festival cancels the trip within 24 hours of the scheduled departure.
Meet-You-There trips and On-Site Programs: A full refund will be issued if the Festival cancels the program within 24 hours of the scheduled start time.

What birds of San Diego might I see at the festival? 

Hundreds of bird species have been identified at past San Diego Bird Festivals. While nothing is ever guaranteed when it comes to experiencing a coveted bird, here is a list of migratory, resident, and endemic birds that you may get to see at our festival. 

Waterfowl

Brant, Canada Goose, Wood Duck, Blue-winged Teal, Cinnamon Teal, Northern Shoveler, Gadwall, American Wigeon, Northern Pintail, Green-winged Teal, Lesser Scaup, Surf Scoter, Bufflehead, Hooded Merganser, American Coot, Ruddy Duck

Shorebirds

Black-necked Stilt, American Avocet, Black-bellied Plover, Snowy Plover, Killdeer, Whimbrel, Long-billed Curlew, Marbled Godwit, Ruddy Turnstone, Red Knot, Surfbird, Sanderling, Least Sandpiper, Western Sandpiper, Long-billed Dowitcher, Spotted Sandpiper, Greater Yellowlegs

Grebes

Pied-billed Grebe, Horned Grebe, Eared Grebe, Western Grebe, Clark's Grebe

Pelicans, Herons, + Ibis

American White Pelican, Brown Pelican, Least Bittern, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Little Blue Heron, Reddish Egret, Cattle Egret, Green Heron, Black-crowned Night-Heron, Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, White-faced Ibis

Swifts + Hummingbirds

White-throated Swift, Anna's Hummingbird, Costa's Hummingbird, Allen's Hummingbird

Gulls, Terns, Loons, + Skimmers

Bonaparte's Gull, Heermann's Gull, Ring-billed Gull, Western Gull, California Gull, Herring Gull, Caspian Tern, Forster's Tern, Royal Tern, Black Skimmer, Red-throated Loon, Pacific Loon, Common Loon

Pelagics

Common Murre, Scripps's Murrelet, Rhinoceros Auklet, Sooty Shearwater, Black-vented Shearwater, Brown Booby, Brandt's Cormorant, Pelagic Cormorant, Double-crested Cormorant, Pomarine Jaeger, Parasitic Jaeger

Vultures, Hawks, Falcons, + Owls

Turkey Vulture, Osprey, White-tailed Kite, Golden Eagle, Northern Harrier, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Cooper's Hawk, Bald Eagle, Red-shouldered Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Ferruginous Hawk, Barn Owl, Western Screech-Owl, Great Horned Owl, Burrowing Owl, American Kestrel, Peregrine Falcon, Prairie Falcon

Kingfishers + Woodpeckers

Belted Kingfisher, Red-naped Sapsucker, Red-breasted Sapsucker, Lewis's Woodpecker, Acorn Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Nuttall's Woodpecker, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker

Vireos + Chickadees

Hutton's Vireo, Loggerhead Shrike, Steller's Jay, California Scrub-Jay, American Crow, Common Raven, Mountain Chickadee, Oak Titmouse, Verdin, Horned Lark

Swallows

Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Tree Swallow

Bushtits, Kinglets, Nuthatches, + Creepers to Kinglets

Bushtit, Wrentit, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, White-breasted Nuthatch, Pygmy Nuthatch, Brown Creeper

Gnatcatchers, Flycatchers + Wrens

Pacific-slope Flycatcher, Black Phoebe, Say's Phoebe, Cassin's Kingbird, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, California Gnatcatcher, Rock Wren, Canyon Wren, House Wren, Marsh Wren, Bewick's Wren, Cactus Wren

Starlings, Thrushes, + Thrashers

European Starling, California Thrasher, Sage Thrasher, Northern Mockingbird, Western Bluebird, Hermit Thrush, American Robin, Cedar Waxwing, Phainopepla

Finches, Sparrows, + Pipits

Scaly-breasted Munia, House Sparrow, American Pipit, House Finch, Purple Finch, Lesser Goldfinch, Lawrence's Goldfinch, American Goldfinch, Chipping Sparrow, Brewer's Sparrow, Black-throated Sparrow, Lark Sparrow, Fox Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, White-crowned Sparrow, Bell's Sparrow, Vesper Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Lincoln's Sparrow, California Towhee, Rufous-crowned Sparrow, Spotted Towhee

Blackbirds + Orioles

Western Meadowlark, Scott's Oriole, Red-winged Blackbird, Tricolored Blackbird, Brown-headed Cowbird, Brewer's Blackbird, Great-tailed Grackle

Warblers

Orange-crowned Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Black-throated Gray Warbler, Townsend's Warbler, Wilson's Warbler

Other Birds

Mountain Quail, California Quail, Wild Turkey, Band-tailed Pigeon, Eurasian Collared-Dove, Common Ground Dove, Mourning Dove, White-winged Dove, Greater Roadrunner, Common Poorwill, Ridgway's Rail, Virginia Rail, Common Gallinule