The Bridger Raptor Festival celebrates the annual migration of golden eagles through the Bridger Mountains in southwestern Montana each fall. The “migration celebration” is fun and educational for all ages and includes live birds, exhibitors, children’s activities, hikes, lectures and festival style entertainment. The event is presented by Bridger Bowl Ski Area, Montana Outdoor Science School, Montana Raptor Conservation Center and Gallatin National Forest and FREE to the public.

This year's keynote presentation will be by Nobel Prize winner, Steven Running.

Steve Running is a professor at the University of Montana. Serves on the board of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The IPCC received the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize. The award was given to the IPCC "for their efforts to build up and disseminate greater knowledge about man-made climate change, and to lay the foundations for the measures that are needed to counteract such change".

The Bridger Mountains fall raptor migration is particularly noteworthy for large concentrations of Golden Eagles. With a long-term average annual count of more than 1,500 birds, the Bridger flight is the largest known concentration of migratory Golden Eagles in the U.S.  The Bridger flyway, a component of the regional Rocky Mountain Flyway, also attracts many other migrating raptors, with 18 species recorded since HawkWatch International (HWI) began monitoring the flight in 1991.

Besides Golden Eagles, the other most commonly recorded migrants in the Bridgers include Sharp-shinned Hawks, Cooper's Hawks, Red-tailed Hawks, Bald Eagles, American Kestrels, Northern Harriers, Northern Goshawks, and Rough-legged Hawks. Other species seen every year in smaller numbers include the Osprey, Broad-winged Hawk, Merlin, Prairie Falcon, and Peregrine Falcon, with Swainson's and Ferruginous Hawks also seen in most years.  For most species, activity generally peaks during the period spanning the last 10 days of September and first 10 days of October.  Peak daily activity periods vary with weather conditions, but generally extend from late morning to mid-afternoon. For more information call 800-223-9609 or visit www.BridgerRaptorFest.org.   

Admission Fee (if any): FREE

Ages Festival is Appropriate For: All ages - Families Welcome