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REGISTRATION OPENS AT 10 AM ON MARCH 20, 2025! —
When the festival opens public registration, all of our bird festival tours will be available for booking.
The Great Salt Lake Bird Festival is one of the most unique bird festivals in the U.S. The field trips are held at some of the most amazing wildlife areas in the world and are abundant with bird life!
Jerry Liguori Author and Raptor Genius
Why Birdfest?
27th Annual Great Salt Lake Bird Festival May is one of the best times to go birding across Utah.
Discover Davis, Utah’s Amusement Capital, is pleased to once again welcome you to the Great Salt Lake Bird Festival in beautiful northern Utah. Davis County is home to the Great Salt Lake, a major North/South migration route for more than 250 bird species, making it one of the top places for birders to catch unique glimpses of our many feathered friends. Not only is Davis County a great place to find a variety of majestic birds, it is the ideal location for festival goers to relax after a long day of birding. From hotels to dining and shopping to grabbing a quick breakfast before your adventure-filled day, you are in good hands as you go and Discover Davis!
Pitta's Birdfest Tour Offerings
ON SALE
Utah Highlights:
Zion to the Lake
May 12-15, 2025
4 of 7 Spaces Available
Starting at $1,149
With visits to the Great Salt Lake, Zion National Park, the Beaver Dam Conservation Area, and Kolob Plateau, this will be a memorable tour highlighting the variety of birds and places Utah has to offer at the height of migration.
Guide: Tim Avery
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Mountain
Owls
Wed, May 14, 2025
14 of 14 Spaces Available
$75/person
Join us to search the mountains along the Wasatch Front for Flammulated Owl, Northern Saw-whet Owl, Western Screech-Owl, Great Horned Owl, and Northern Pygmy-Owl. Other possibilties include Common Poorwill & Hermit Thrush.
Guides: Mike Hearell and Taylor Abbott
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Marathon
Scouting
Thu, May 15, 2025
7 of 7 Spaces Available
$199/person
Join Mike to explore the beautiful areas surrounding the Great Salt Lake to spot up to 150 species and help our team plan for our faster paced Marathon Tour later in the week. Get ready for an unforgettable birding experience!
Guide: Mike Hearell
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Marathon
Birding
Sun, May 18, 2025
12 of 12 Spaces Available
$179/person
What happens when four experienced birding guides come together for an amazing adventure in northern Utah during migration? Marathon Birding!!! This tour has become a beloved tradition of the Great Salt Lake Bird Festival since 2008.
Guides: Tim, Mike, Taylor, and Kenny
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Mountains
in May
Fri, May 16, 2025
7 of 7 Spaces Available
$79/person
Join Quinn to explore the Wasatch Mountains and the incredible birds that inhabit the west fringe of the Rocky Mountains in mixed-oak woodlands, montane riparian corridors, and mid-elevation mixed aspen and pine forests!
Guides: Quinn Diaz
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NEW TOUR!!!
Cassia Crossbills:
Overnight in Idaho
May 16-17, 2025
7 of 7 Spaces Available
Starting at $399
Just a quick 3-hr drive from the Great Salt Lake you can find America's newest endemic bird--the Cassia Crossbill. Join Mike for this overnight to see the crossbill, and try for Flammulated Owl, Calliope Hummingbird, and more!
Guides: Mike Hearell
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NEW TOUR!!!
Utah Birds
Scavenger Hunt
Sat, May 17, 2025
7 of 7 Spaces Available
$99/person
Join Taylor for a brand new tour we are offering in 2025. The real surprise is you don't know where you will be going until you find your targets at each location you visit. Will you collect all 100 species in the hunt?
Guides: Taylor Abbott
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Post Festival
Owling +
Tue, May 20, 2025
7 of 7 Spaces Available
$89/person
Join Tim for this discounted post-festival Owling + tour focused on Flammulated Owl. But we'll get started a few hours before dark, and bird a riparian corridor looking for warblers, tanagers, sparrows, bluebirds, and more!
Guides: Tim Avery
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Looking for something else? Want to go somewhere not listed? Besides our set tours, we have experience birding all over the world and know numerous talented and local guides. We can help put you in touch with the right guides in the right places. Just Ask!
Still have questions? Ready to book a tour? Either way tapping the buttons below will put you in touch with us!
94 Reviews
2020, '22, & '23 Trip Advisor Travelers' Choice Award Consistently earning great reviews from birders!
Top Rated Wildlife Tour
in Salt Lake City
Himalayan Snowcock and Cassia Crossbill! Another trip with Tim, another success! These were the “big two” for this trip and Tim delivered in spades.
Paul K Most Wanted , 2018
Recent Tours & Updates
August 24-26, 2024
2024 Himalayan Snowcock Expedition
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July 25-30, 2024
2024 Most Wanted
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June 20-22, 2024
2024 Cassia Crossbills & More
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May 19, 2024
2024 Marathon Birding
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May 13-16, 2024
2024 Utah Highlights
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August 27-29, 2023
2023 Himalayan Snowcock Expedition
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July 27-31, 2023
2023 Most Wanted
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July 25-30, 2023
2023 Georgia Audubon Custom
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June 15-17, 2023
2023 Cassia Crossbills & More
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April 18-24, 2023
2023 Texas - LRGV, Aransas, & Hill Country Custom
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January 12-23, 2023
2023 Chiapas
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August 28-30, 2022
2022 Himalayan Snowcock Expedition
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July 19-23, 2022
2022 Most Wanted #2
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July 15-19, 2022
2022 Most Wanted #1
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is Mountain West Birding Company?
When we started guiding in 2007, we never imagined taking our tours beyond the confines of Utah, Wyoming, Idaho, and Nevada—thus Mountain West Birding Company was born. Mountain West specialized in Flammulated Owl, Himalayan Snowcock, and Cassia Crossbill Tours.
Why did you change your name to Pitta?
After a decade leading tours in the western United States we expanded our offering with new tours in Southeast Asia and Central America. As we work on expanding further and offering more International options,, we decided we needed a name that reflected that change!