Urban Birding: Downtown Tour

Join the Estuarium for a walk around downtown as people eye the sky for the various birds that call South Sound home!

People will walk to Heritage Park and the 5th Avenue Dam, stopping along the way to observe how birds have adapted to live in urban areas.

Stroll along Capital Lake to listen for the unique calls of Killdeer and watch the feeding behaviors of dabbling Mallards versus diving Buffleheads.

Keep an eye in the sky at the 5th Avenue Dam for soaring Osprey, or under the 4th Avenue Bridge for roosting Pigeons. Have your binoculars ready for the boardwalk to look for Belted Kingfishers and Great Blue Herons hunting along West Bay. Before heading back, stop at Percival Landing to talk about how Olympia’s estuaries have changed and the effect it has had on bird populations.

No birding experience required! The walk will be 2 hours and cover approximately 2 miles, so don’t forget your comfy walking shoes. Please bring your own binoculars; however, there are a few to spare.

This Urban Birding tour also includes a tour of the Estuarium (marine and estuary science center).

DATES: 09/27/26, 10/25/26, 11/22/26.