Birding by Kayak led by Virginia Flaherty. Photo by Jody Hollier
The Morro Bay Bird Festival is often described as one of the top five birding festivals in the United States attracting significant national attention due to its prime location on the Pacific Flyway and diverse species. Organizers and local media frequently tout its status as a major national event, bringing birders from across the country to the Central Coast for unique viewing opportunities, as seen in recent news reports highlighting its importance and attendance.
For the past 29 years, festival committee members spend their entire year meeting and planning 5-day event scheduled over the Martin Luther King weekend.
Robbie Revel, executive director, and Bob Revel, program director, provided some basic statistics: 75% of the 1,230 registrants were from out of SLO county. Twenty committee members added 150 additional volunteers during the weekend. Event/Touring/keynote leaders totaled 142, most from out of the area. Two evenings events hosted full audiences during the two VIP keynote addresses at the Cuesta College Performing Arts Center.
Each year I have covered some aspect of the festival, and it seems to get bigger and better, so I anticipate the 2027 Morro Bay Bird Festival should be a 30th anniversary blockbuster! But before we close 2026, I believe one of the best ways to check if the committee achieved their goals is to ask some of the presenters and registrants to comment on their experiences. Their comments, and, I hope your future comments and feedback, will help benchmark what they did best and how they might make 2027 even better.
Mayor Carla Wixom provided, “I was not able to attend, but did have an opportunity to speak with KSBY as well as Bob after his brief presentation on the bird festival at our Mayor‘s lunch on Friday. We had many birders at the restaurant (Carla’s Country Kitchen) over the three days, all sharing their enjoyment and the great weather. I am so appreciative of all the hard work that the festival coordinators and volunteers put into this amazing event. We are so fortunate to have a bird sanctuary in Morro Bay with many visiting species and others that call the Central Coast home.”
Activities open free to the public as well as registrants included 29 vendors and nonprofits, showcasing their wares, photography, books, and membership activities at the Marketplace all weekend, As well another full house enjoyed the iconic birding movie for all who love to laugh, “The Big Year” at the Morro Bay Theater. The Saturday Event Family Day, hosted by Morro Coast Audubon, was well attended as was the presentation “Meet the Raptors” provided by Pacific Wildlife Care.
Susan Vasquez, Estero Bay News Bookshelf Writers contributor, said, “I’d wanted to attend the Morro Bay Bird Festival for over a decade. I love watching birds, but I’m no expert. The session ‘New Birders Go Birding with Erik & Hannah’ caught my attention, and I registered. On the first day, Erik and Hannah gave us a hearty welcome, whatever our skill set or interest level. It was a great beginning to the festival. I don’t know where this venture will take me. At least it will make my nature journaling more well-rounded. The positive energy of the people at the Morro Bay Bird festival and the variety of the sessions let me go home refreshed and ready for more of our world’s natural sights.”
Photo by Jody Hollier
All the way from New Hampshire, Keynote presenter, Scott Weidensaul offered, “In addition to being one of the largest birding festivals in the country, the Morro Bay Bird Festival is the most seamless operation I’ve ever encountered — smoothly organized from start to finish, soup to nuts, alcids to warblers.” Scott’s 30 published books include “Living on the Wind,” a Pulitzer-prize finalist, and NYT bestseller “A World on the Wing.” He also guided registrants through Morro Strand, Sweet Springs, Santa Rita Ranch, Shark Inlet and during a Bay Cruise.
Deborah Crooks is a graduate master birder with Cal Academy/Golden Gate Bird Alliance plus a writer and songwriter from the San Francisco Bay area. She led tours at Sweet Springs, Song Bird Cambria, Morro Strand, Fiscalini Ranch Preserve and on a Morro Bay Chablis Cruise. She wrote, “I wanted to put in writing my heartfelt thanks and great appreciation to you two (Bob and Robbie Revel) for putting on such a great event! I had a great time as co-trip-leader, exploring the region and its avian inhabitants in such great company. Moreover, I was impressed by the festival’s scale and variety of offerings. Kudos to you both as well as your great crew. I hope you are taking a vacation! Please stay in touch when it comes to planning 2027.”
I was personally honored to witness Dorian Anderson’s keynote address Saturday evening as well as write a recent column for EBN about his amazingly honest and heartfelt journey surviving his addictions as well as write an informative USA birding guide and memoir titled “Birding Under the Influence.” His presentation was as good as his book. Many of us would have listened to him all night long. And many were able to enjoy birding with him at Fiscalini Ranch, Cerro Alto Campground, Birding by Bicycle, a Morro Bay Cruise and a San Simeon Cruise. Anderson was originally from the east and he now resides in Northern California.
When asked he instantly wrote a comment. “I’ve wanted to attend this festival for years, and it did not disappoint. Yes, we were lucky to experience perfect weather, but it was ultimately Bob and Robbie Revel and their amazing team of volunteers which allowed the festival to unfold as well as it did. Field trips were organized, evening talks were well-attended, and answers to questions were easy to find. And that’s a challenging task with upwards 1,200 bird-obsessed registrants running around! I’ve attended most of the marquee birding festivals across the country, and the Morro Bay Bird Festival is among the best of them. With upwards of 220 species recorded across five days, the event has grown into a ‘can’t-miss’. I know I’ll be back when my international tour schedule allows!”
And then there was everyone’s new best birding friend, Greg Miller. After all he won actor Jack Black’s friendship and respect when asked to be the birding consultant for the blockbuster movie “The Big Year.” Black’s character was based on Miller’s Big Year. He hobnobbed with Black, Steve Martin and Owen Wilson during the filming of the movie and lived to tell us his story after we watched the movie at the Morro Bay Theater. One question asked was “Was there prize money for coming in second during your Big Year?” He answered, “No. I paid out $31,000 that year.” He traveled 130,000 miles in all 50 states and Canada in 1998. “But it’s been a free ride since the movie being hosted at events all over the country to tell my story.” Registrants enjoyed birding with Greg at Laguna Lakes, Marina Board Walk, El Chorro Park, Oceano Lagoon and Villa Creek.
Miller had this to say about the 2026 festival: “I was in constant awe at Morro Bay’s beautiful coastline and stunning scenery. I was treated wonderfully by the friendly Morro Bay birders and residents. All the trips were wonderfully organized, and we visited diverse habitats and saw terrific birds. I did not feel rushed or hurried at any events. The pace was good. And it was amazing to be with birders with amazing skill and expertise, but who also treated participants with patience and respect. That combination creates a fantastic learning experience. I would highly recommend this festival to birders of all skill levels. And I look forward to being a part of this festival again in the future. And please give my heartfelt appreciation to all your wonderful volunteers who worked tirelessly behind the scenes to make this venue one of the best!”
Robbie and Bob Revel and their committee hope the community and participants will provide their feedback on its Ebird Checklist at www.2026MorroBayBirdFestival@dropevent.com. To date 325 participants listed 224 species spotted during the weekend. This current bird count plus our beautiful Estero Bay settings and dedicated organizers are well on their way to another banner year for their 30th Anniversary festival in 2027.
