Rural Action is partnering with Camp Oty’Okwa and the Athens Area Birders to host the first major birding festival in Southeast Ohio. Our Birds in the Hills Festival will bring a diverse audience together to celebrate southeast Ohio’s biodiversity. The festival takes place April 23-24 at scenic Camp Oty’Okwa in the Hocking Hills, and is designed to accommodate children, adults, and especially families. 

Base registration fee is $10.00.  Meals, lodging, and field trip are available for additional fees

Our goal is to provide a weekend of active, fun-filled and informative outdoor experiences to build and strengthen the appreciation and knowledge of the unique nature in our area.

We offer field trips facilitated by prominent bird and biodiversity experts for adults to premier natural areas that feature emerging spring flowers as well as warblers and other birds returning from their wintering grounds. 

Naturalists will lead hikes through stunning hemlock forests at Camp Oty’Okwa and educational specialists will guide hands-on activities for children and families. Workshops and presentations provide in-depth background information on bird conservation, citizen science opportunities, backyard habitat improvements, and more. 

The experiences offered through the Birds in the Hills Festival address important needs of children and families in Southeast Ohio and are known to promote mental and physical health.