Past: Hummingbird Festival

Trail of Tears State Forest will be the site of this year’s official southern Illinois Hummingbird Festival scheduled for Saturday, August 6th from 9 am to noon. Dozens of hummingbirds should be present to “wow” festival visitors. Vernon Kleen, a licensed hummingbird bander and President of the Lincoln Land Association of Bird Banders, will begin the festival at 9:00am with a short discussion about hummingbirds and explain why they are banded. After the discussion hummingbirds will be captured and banded.

The festival is a family event and there is no admission charge; however, visitors may “adopt” a bird by making a $5 donation to the Lincoln Land Association of Bird Banders. Those who adopt a bird will receive an attractive signed certificate, may be able to release the bird they adopted, and will be notified if their birds are ever recaptured.

If hummingbirds appeal to you, then plan on visiting Illinois’ original Hummingbird Festival at the Trail of Tears State Forest. It should be a very rewarding and entertaining experience. The large pavilion and white barn along Trail of Tears Road (northwest of Jonesboro) have been reserved for the event.

The Lincoln Land Association of Bird Banders is a not-for-profit organization to perform sound scientific studies and educational services to monitor, protect and enhance the populations of Illinois’ native birds and their unique environments.

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