The 34th Southwest Wings Summer Birding and Nature Festival will be based at The Mall at Sierra Vista, 2200 El Mercado Loop, Sierra Vista from July - August 2025. This family friendly event is our main one with expertly guided field trips, pre-festival Jamboree, free programs, including some new ones just for kids, exhibitors, vendors, live animals and Keynote Buffet Dinner.

A non-refundable registration fee ($25.00) is required if you want to join field trips and attend the welcome Jamboree. The small-group guided field trips will be mainly in Group Vans but there will also be several Car Caravan style, in participants' own vehicles, to nearby easily-accessible locations. Each trip is led by an expert guide and this year we welcome two special guest guides, Greg Homel and Rick Wright.

Schedule of Events:

7:30-9:00 AM
Clay Taylor: Beginner Birders Fun-damentals! Bird Walk Sponsored by Swarovski Optik

Have you ever wandered through a park, saw a bunch of people all dressed alike in khaki-colored clothes, and wondered what the heck are they looking at?  Well, it’s time to find out!  Whether you’re experienced or novice, young or old, we invite you to join Clay Taylor from Swarovski Optik for a free, 90-minute stroll to get some fresh air, meet likeminded people, learn how to use binoculars, and maybe even identify a few birds!

Meeting place: Parking Lot at Garden Canyon Linear Park 

10:30-11:45 AM
Glenn Minuth: How Birds’ Systems Work: The Avian Senses

All life senses the world around them in some way.  The sensory system of birds is remarkably highly developed, equipping them to react quickly to alterations in their environment and within their own body. Many birds are endowed with excellent eyesight and hearing, bolstered by several other senses, some familiar and some bizarre to us. You will learn about specializations in eye anatomy, variations in avian eyes, ears and hearing, smell and taste, skin anatomy and touch, along with some extraordinary senses.

12:00 - 1:15 PM (at the STAGE Inside The Mall at Sierra Vista)
SPECIAL KIDS EVENT!

Callie Caplenor: Amazing Animals

Owls, bobcats and skunks, oh my! Children will gain a deeper understanding of the desert ecosystem and the animals that inhabit it through handling furs and replica skulls and scat. We will analyze teeth and skull structure to determine if an animal is a carnivore, herbivore, or omnivore and discover how fur patterns help animals camouflage. We will then work together to identify species and their adaptations before ending with reading a story about a unique desert animal! 

12:00-1:15 PM
Bill Cavaliere: Death in the Depths - the Hazards of Mining in the 1800s

The presentation depicts how dangerous mining was in southeast Arizona back in the 1800s. Many historic photographs are shown, as well as diary entries by pioneer miners, and comparisons to mining in Arizona today.

1:30-2:45 PM
Jim Koweek: Creating Native Grass Refuges

For the last 4 decades Jim has worked with plants, seed, and rock in SE Arizona. To be honest, the results are not always pretty. Then again, having your career’s reputation dependent on moisture in the great Southwest is not a genius move to begin with.  When not working, Jim can often be found playing mandolin at various water holes in the Sonoita - Patagonia area.?

3:30-5:00 PM (at the STAGE Inside The Mall at Sierra Vista)
Grasslands Duo - live music

The popular Grasslands Duo, Jim Koweek and Rana Murphy, will be laying down their signature mix of bluegrass and country. Stop by and enjoy some ear candy while checking out, local artisans, specialty vendors and exhibits for birding, wildlife, and nature enthusiasts as part of Southwest Wings 34th Summer Festival. 

3:00-4:15 PM
Charles Melton: Costa's Hummingbird - Hummingbird of the Desert

Hummingbirds are fascinating creatures and this species is no exception. Explore various aspects of its life including feeding, courtship, and nesting. This mostly video program will show how this diminutive bird survives in one of the harshest environments in the country

4:30-5:45 PM 
Roberto A. Wolf Webels: The Birds Under the Protection of the Northern Jaguar

Presentation about the events that inspired the establishment of the Northern Jaguar Reserve in Sahuaripa, Sonora, Mexico, and discussion about some of the local bird species that are protected under this conservation effort.