The fourth annual Yellow Rails and Rice Festival is scheduled for 23-27 October 2013. Designed with fun in mind, its primary goal is to provide participants a unique venue to view Yellow Rails while at the same time bringing birders and farmers together to realize the value to birds of the area’s “working wetlands.”  The festival schedule is casual and participants can attend all field days (weather permitting) or come and go at their leisure.  Leaders/facilitators are positioned at field sites and help participants spot birds as well as provide information or answer questions.  In addition to visiting rice fields, participants can join trips to local points of interest, morning field trips to explore areas nearby, or two trips farther afield to the pineywoods or Cameron Parish coast on Saturday. These field trips highlight some of Louisiana’s other habitats and the birds associated with them. Many of the agencies and organizations that study, manage, and protect these areas also assist at the festival, as well as have information booths during the opening reception (icons displayed below) so that participants can learn more about their activities. Two workshops are also offered this year. Based in Jennings, participants are positioned in the heart of Cajun Country in Louisiana’s SW prairie region, an area known for great birding, local cuisine, and a rich history and culture.

Visit the 2012 Events and Schedule pages (links upper left) to see what was offered last year.  2013 fee schedule, online registration coming soon. Mail-in register opens at the same time. To get on our emailing list for up-to-date announcements or for information to schedule private tours 

email yellowrailsandrice@gmail.com.