Contributed article
WILLCOX — A great slate of tours and activities planned for the 31st annual Wings Over Willcox Birding and Nature Festival, Jan. 16-19, 2025.
Online tour registration is now open and closes December 31, but any remaining tour spaces can be purchased in person during the festival.
Tours begin on Thursday afternoon followed by a welcome reception with music and hors d’oeuvres from 5:50-7:30 p.m. at the Willcox Community Center, the hub of all festival activities.
Popular tours such as Southwest Winter Specialties, Hawk Stalks, and Whitewater Draw Sandhill Cranes are among 30 guided tours that often sell out fast. For those with diverse interests, WOW offers tours featuring history, geology, ranching and even wine making and tasting.
A new WOW website, at www.wingsoverwillcox.com, has all the tour registration links, information for a full slate of seminars, Nature Expo activities, as well as information about the Saturday-night banquet and silent auction at the Elks Lodge.
A special offering this year is a Friday night dinner with acclaimed biologist and author John Marzluff, Saturday’s keynote speaker. This will be an opportunity to relax, enjoy conversation, a locally-sourced gourmet meal, and locally-produced alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverages. Seating is limited to 12 and proceeds will help keep the festival growing. Marzluff will sign his books for sale or guests can bring their own copy.
On Saturday, Marzluff will present Gifts of the Corvids, a unique view of crows, ravens and jays, collectively known as Corvids. Marzluff’s research and books have shown that “the ongoing connection between humans and our ravens and crows — a cultural co-evolution — has shaped both our species and theirs for millions of years. And the characteristics of Corvids that allow this symbiotic relationship are language, delinquency, frolic, passion, wrath, risk-taking, and awareness — seven traits that humans find strangely familiar.”
The WOW 2025 showcase design, a Chihuahuan raven by award-winning artist and educator Linda M. Feltner, will be featured on WOW T-shirts and sweatshirts. It combines her creativity of artistic design with strict standards of scientific accuracy. The bird is one of southeastern Arizona’s local specialties and ties perfectly into Marzluff’s presentation. To ensure that one can get the proper size and color choice, order online in advance and pick up at the festival.
The Nature Expo will be in full swing Friday and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. Wings Over Willcox longtime associate sponsor, the Arizona Game and Fish Department, will bring live raptors and other rehabilitated wildlife on the stage, joined by Liberty Wildlife. Entry is free so bring the whole family.
Regional artists will sell photos, painting, jewelry, and nature-inspired gifts. Regular exhibitors such as Tucson Audubon will be selling books, birding gear and clothing. Huachuca Area Herpetological Association and Arizona Raptor Center will bring live animals. Displays by the National Park Service, Forest Service, Fish and Wildlife Service and Bureau of Land Management will also be onhand.
For questions, call Jeri Higgins, WOW Events Registration, at 928-274-4808 or e-mail info@willcoxnature.org.
