Tofino Shorebird Festival

April 24 – May 1, 2022

The Tofino Shorebird Festival celebrates the spring migration of shorebirds with educational birding opportunities throughout the area. This is a great opportunity to experience the largest wildlife migration in the region, learn about these impressive birds, and understand why this area is one of the very best places in western Canada for bird watching.

2022 Shorebird Festival

BIRDING ON THE MUDFLATS

On the birding platform at Hotel Zed

FREE event

Monday April 25, 9-11am / Tuesday April 26, 10am -12pm / Wednesday April 27, 11am – 1pm / Thursday April 28, 12-2pm

Find fellow birders, spotting scopes and bird guide Mark Maftei from the RES

This is the best opportunity to spend some time down on the Tofino mudflats to view flocks of shorebirds foraging and resting during their annual migration north. The mudflats at this location offer some of the best and most accessible high-quality shorebird habitat in Tofino. Bird viewing on the mudflats is tide relevant – the rising tide when birds are pushed up towards the upper mudflats for a better view. This is a great event for both new and experienced birders, as well as anyone interested in learning more about the Tofino Mudflats Wildlife Management Area.

Bring your binoculars or spotting scope, or else we will have a couple to share. No dogs please.

BIRDS OF THE WEST COAST: A RAINCOAST EDUCATION INSTITUTE COURSE

Friday April 28, 29 & May 1st

Course registration is $280 per person, and includes boat trip and lunch on Saturday and Sunday.

The majority of this weekend will be out of the Ucluelet Community Centre

In this three day workshop (Friday evening until Sunday noon), participants will be introduced to the general ecology and biology of birds with an emphasis on the species commonly found in and around Clayoquot & Barkley Sounds. Topics covered will include basic ID skills, breeding biology, physiological adaptations, migration ecology, and conservation issues. This course is designed as a way to learn more about birds in general rather than how to ID specific species. Although participants will certainly learn how to ID common species, extensive birding experience is NOT required.

For itinerary, instructor bios & to register please visit here.

Whimbrels, Sandpipers, Dunlin and more!

Every year from late April through May, flocks of sandpipers, plovers, whimbrels, and many other shorebirds pass through the Tofino area. Thousands stop here to feed and rest as they make their impressive journey from South and Central America northward to their Arctic breeding grounds.

The protected forests, expansive mudflats, long sandy beaches, and rocky shorelines of the region create the right combination of habitats to draw over 40 species of shorebirds to the area, including the largest migratory concentrations of whimbrels anywhere in British Columbia, and impressive flocks of western sandpipers, dunlin and more.

Tofino Mudflats Wildlife Management Area

The Tofino Mudflats Wildlife Management Area (WMA) is 21 square kilometers of rich, diverse habitats for numerous wildlife species. It was established in 1997 to conserve wildlife habitat in Clayoquot Sound and is part of the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.

The Tofino Mudflats WMA is comprised of tidal flats, shallow to deep subtidal areas, rock and gravel beaches, marshes, tidal channels, streams, riparian areas, and dense coastal temperate rainforest. More sheltered than most intertidal environments, and richer in nutrients, the mudflats are a fascinating place to explore.

More Tofino Mudflats WMA Information

Thank You to our Festival Partners

A huge thank you to our 2022 festival partners, in alphabetical order:

Cap N’ Hook • Gaia Grocery • Hotel Zed • Jamie’s Whaling Station • Long Beach Lodge • Middle Beach Lodge • Nova Harvest • Pioneer Boat Works • Reservas Tequila • Rhino Catering • Sacred Stone • Tofino Coffee Co. • Tofino Distillery • Tofino Time • Tofitian • Ucluelet Brewing Co.