Birds perch in our trees, fly in the sky, hop along the ground, and build nests we find tucked into shrubs. Their beauty and antics are story worthy, but so is the ecology that supports birds and other creatures in nature’s web of life. Wings Over Weston will celebrate birds and their stories 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, May 13, at Weston Bend State Park, 16600 Missouri 45.

This event is free and all ages are welcome to enjoy guided bird hikes, displays with live birds of prey, bird banding, and conservation displays about birds and pollinators such as butterflies. The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) will join partners for this birding festival. Wings Over Weston was founded and is organized by the Burroughs Audubon Society of Greater Kansas City. Missouri State Parks hosts and sponsors the event. The event also includes partners such as Platte County Parks, the city of Weston, and other public and private organizations.

Many of the activities are easily enjoyed by children, such as crafts and games.  Educational stations will be offered about birds, bird migration, and the importance of habitat conservation. Visitors can build and take home bird houses and bird feeders. Concessions will be available.

Weston Bend State Park offers trails winding through forest and woodland habitats in the hills bordering the Missouri River valley. The park is an important stopover for migrating birds, and hosts numerous resident birds and other wildlife.

Wings Over Weston festivities will be at the park’s Bee Creek Shelter. The entrance road to the shelter is south of the park’s main gate off Missouri 45.

For more information, contact Christine Kline, festival co-chair, at 816-540-3515 or birdsecretary@comcast.net. Park information is available at https://mostateparks.com/park/weston-bend-state-park.

To learn more about Missouri’s wonderful diversity of birds and bird habitats, visit https://nature.mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/activities/bird-watching