The Wadden Bird Festival is organized annually in May. The festival is an initiative of the Bird Information Centre Texel and Dunes of Texel National Park. The festival is open to all and includes a birdwatcher market, manned bird watching points, excursions, a binocular show and bird watching competition the Texel Big Day.

Spread your wings

‘There's a secret bird watcher in everyone’; that's the organisers' motto. With this in mind, the festival is a very low-threshold event. Whether you have never done any bird watching before or do it on a very regular basis, the festival’s excursions cater for every level of visitor. Join an experienced guide and discover the special bird species on Texel. Proceeds from the excursions each year go to a charity dedicated to bird protection.

Visit a bird viewing point

During the festival, several bird-watching points are manned by bird experts. They will be happy to tell you about the birds you can see through binoculars and the care of nature reserves.

Birder market

Take a look at the birder market in the Kikkertstraat and at the Waterplein in De Cocksdorp. Stroll past the various stalls with items for birdwatchers, artworks and second-hand books. Proceeds from the books will go to charity. There is also an extensive lecture programme for bird lovers, which is completely free to visit. On both the Saturday and Sunday of the festival, there will be plenty to see and do on the Waterplein and in the Bird Information Centre.

The optics show

Did you get excited during an excursion and do you want to watch birds more often? Then good binoculars are indispensable. During the Wadden Bird Festival, you can test various binoculars in nature and get advice from professionals. The Optics Show is in the bird garden of the Bird Information Centre, but also on the Waterplein next to the Bird Information Centre.

Texel Big Day

During the Wadden Bird Festival, the Texel Big Day will also be organised. 24 hours of bird watching for a good bird cause (by bike or on foot)! Anyone can participate. Form a team to see as many birds as possible and raise as much money as possible.

Good cause 2024

Shorebirds have a very hard time in the Netherlands because there are few places in the country where they can breed peacefully and successfully. After all, the coastal region is one of the busiest, most visited regions of our country. The Oystercatcher Research Foundation (SOS), Staatsbosbeheer Texel, Wageningen University, Waardenburg Ecology and the Bird Information Centre have noticed that these target species of 2023 could use a lot more help. That is why 2024 is again dedicated to coastal breeding species: oystercatchers and terns.

In short, the Wadden Bird Festival is definitely worth a visit!

More about birds on Texel