The University of Guam (UOG) is hosting Guam’s third Migratory Bird celebration on Saturday, Feb. 17 at Jeff’s Pirates Cove from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Avian and nature enthusiasts of all ages are invited to participate in the festivities with educational booths, hands-on activities, and live music and dance performances!

The festival is hosted by UOG’s College of Natural and Applied Sciences, UOG Sea Grant, and the UOG Center for Island Sustainability and aims to use science and art to inspire conservation for native and migratory species.

Native birds play an important role in island ecosystems as seed dispersers, predators of pests, and pollinators of plants, but their numbers in Guam have declined due to predation by introduced species, such as brown tree snakes, and other potential factors, like pesticide usage and habitat alteration.

According to Avian Ecologist Martin Kastner, around 20 to 30 migratory bird species visit Guam regularly particularly, shorebirds, seabirds, ducks, and herons.

Some of these birds are beneficial as predators of pests, like rhino beetle grubs, but they are threatened by shoreline development, wetland drainage, and disturbance by feral dogs and cats.

A highlight of this year’s celebration includes bird watching led by Kastner, habitat conservation and natural resources expertise from the UOG Center for Island Sustainability and UOG Sea Grant, a paint-your-own watercolor activity with the Marianas Audubon Society, a dance performance choreographed by Luna Schils and performed by Schils and Gabby Calvo, and a middle and high school art contest focused on migratory birds.

Participants are encouraged to bring their own reusable bags and water bottles, and 10% of all food purchased at Jeff’s Pirates Cove.

Proceeds earned during the event will be donated to the Marianas Audubon Society, a group dedicated to the protection of birds and their habitats through the Mariana Islands.

For more information on the event, please call (671) 788-6300 or (671) 735-2060.

A middle and high school art competition will also be held!

Students in 6th to 12th grade are invited to participate in a first-time art competition at the Migratory Bird Celebration. Art pieces may be created in the student’s medium of choice and should highlight one of the following migratory birds of Guam:

Pacific Golden Plover
Ruddy Turnstone
Eurasian Whimbrel
Pacific Reef Heron

The artwork should show the bird in its natural environment or associated with the topic of either conservation, pollution, or human-made activities. Photos and information on each bird can be found at www.uog.edu/wptrc/ebooks.

To confirm participation in the art contest and get more information, please email alvarezm12035@triton.uog.edu by Feb. 2. The pieces will be featured at the bird festival on Feb. 17, where a panel of local artists will choose the winning pieces based on adherence to the theme, the creative approach, and general aesthetics.