(St. George, UT) - The ninth annual St. George Winter Bird Festival is an event with a lot to offer. It gives those from the northern part of the state a chance to escape the cold and head to Washington County for some sunshine and warmer weather. The area is one unlike any other in Utah. Washington County is situated on the edge of the Great Basin, the Colorado Plateau and the Mojave Desert. Each of these diverse geological provinces has a corner in the county.

The wildlife here, particularly the birds, is a colorful combo of what you would expect to see in all three. That means that you could spot a pinion jay and a phainopepla in the same area. You could see a goshawk and a roadrunner within a few miles of each other.

Just the other day I drove through an agricultural area near St. George and saw something I’d never expect in Utah: a white-tailed kite, sitting in a tree and begging to be photographed. White-tailed kites are usually found along the west coast and the Gulf of Mexico. They are a medium-sized bird of prey that hunts grasslands and feeds on insects and mice. I can only imagine how the beautiful bird ended up in Utah.

During last year's event, bird watchers saw more than 100 species of birds Davis said, "There were everything from Vermillion flycatchers to roadrunners."

The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, Red Cliffs Audubon, the City of St. George and Dixie State College have joined together to stage this year's festival.

Schedule of Events

For more information, go to St. George Bird Festival.