For the Birds: Easy Ways to Experience One of Nature’s Greatest Shows

Birdwatching is no longer a niche hobby. A U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service study shows that 16% of Americans travel specifically to go birding, with particularly strong participation among adults age 55 and older. It’s accessible, mentally engaging, and easy to enjoy, whether you travel far or stay close to home.

To help people get started, AARP Wyoming is offering a free virtual birdwatching series designed for beginners and curious nature lovers.

This lighthearted, beginner-friendly series helps participants learn how to spot, identify, and track birds of the West using simple observation skills, easy digital birding tools, and practical migration insights. No jargon, no pressure—just clear guidance that builds confidence.

Register for the AARP Wyoming series:https://events.aarp.org/forthebirds

Session Schedule

• Trivia Kick-Off – Friday, March 27
• Introduction to Birdwatching – Friday, April 3
• Identification Basics – Friday, April 10
• Tools of the Trade & Digital Birding – Friday, April 17
• Where to Look in Wyoming & the West – Friday, April 24

Spring also brings one of North America’s most remarkable wildlife events, just a few hours from Wyoming. Each year, hundreds of thousands of Sandhill Cranes gather along Nebraska’s Platte River during their annual migration—a phenomenon that has occurred for millions of years.

Guided viewing opportunities are available through Audubon’s Rowe Sanctuary and The Crane Trust, with tours running from March through early April. Tickets sell out quickly, so advance registration is strongly recommended. Both organizations provide accessibility accommodations, including wheelchair-accessible options. Registration details and ticket sales are available directly on their websites.

Even without a ticket, cranes can often be seen feeding in nearby fields during the day and returning to the river at dawn and dusk. For those who can’t travel, Rowe Sanctuary also offers a free live Crane Cam so viewers can watch the migration from home.

Birdwatching is also becoming a major travel draw in places like Jackson Hole, where multiple ecosystems meet. Visitors can see mountain birds, sagebrush specialists, and riparian species—all in one location—with chances to spot moose, bears, and bison while birding.

The Jackson Hole birding festival (May 27-30) offers guided field trips, conservation-focused outings (including Trumpeter Swans and wildfire-dependent woodpeckers), and presentations from nationally recognized speakers. Registration is available through the festival’s official website, and media and community members are welcome to attend.

Whether you want to learn from home, witness the Sandhill Crane migration in Nebraska, or plan a birding trip to Jackson Hole, there’s no wrong place to start.

The For the Birds series offers an easy entry point—perfectly timed with spring migration—and a simple way to begin noticing the wildlife all around you.

Register for the AARP Wyoming series: https://events.aarp.org/forthebirds

Once you start looking, you’ll never stop noticing.

AARP Wyoming will also be offering in-person field trips in Laramie, Cheyenne, and Sheridan - these are free and capped at 25 people. Sign up here: https://events.aarp.org/birdtrips

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Iain Nicolson Audubon Center at Rowe Sanctuary: https://rowe.audubon.org/

Rowe Sanctuary “Crane Cam”: https://explore.org/livecams/national-audubon-society/crane-camera

The Crane Trust: https://www.cranetrust.org/