For a full listing of each season's events, please visit:
- 2026 Johnson County Avian Adventure
Johnson County’s Avian Adventure is a self-paced science-based, county-wide scavenger hunt all about birds! Discover how parks and greenspaces support birds, while learning about the vital role birds play in our ecosystem!
There is no charge to participate, and the program is open to all ages!
Important Dates:
- Avian Adventure Search Dates: February 5 -March 22, 2026
- Trivia Night: 6-8 p.m. Tuesday, March 24 at Big Grove Brewery in Iowa City
- How It Works & Avian Adventure Maps
Trail Map Packet:
Link to Avian Adventure trail map & instructions
How it Works:
1.) Download our full site maps to plan your adventure. (PDF Link above)
2.) Avian Adventure runs from February 5 through March 22, 2026. During that time, your goal is to visit as many of the 12 Avian Adventure locations as possible and find the hidden, wooden mystery bird at each site.
3.) At each location, once you have found the initial Avian Adventure Station, read the posted instructions on where to find each bird. The station signs will give you information about the bird’s habitat and behavior, which will help you find the hidden bird. Birds are generally within 50 yards of the sign. The Kent Park is a little tricky and a bit further from the Avian Adventure sign this year.
4.) Congratulations! Once you find the bird you are looking for, take a selfie with the bird and post to social media (Instagram or Facebook). With each photo submitted, you earn an entry into the Avian Adventure raffle. Be sure to use the hashtag #2026AvianAdventure and set your account/post to public, otherwise we cannot view the post. Alternatively, you may email your submissions to: [email protected]
5.) Bonus Points: Correctly identify the birds you find and you will receive a bonus point for each one!
6.) For each station completed, you will be entered into a raffle drawing for an assortment of fun prizes. Participants who visit 10 stations or more will be entered to win the grand prize!
7.) Attend the Avian Adventure trivia night where winners will be announced. Attendees will have the chance to win another prize by winning trivia! Trivia night is optional and you do not have to be present to win Avian Adventure prizes.
- 2026 Raffle Prizes
Grand Prize:
- Vortex Viper Binoculars & Various Vortex swag from Vortex Optics ($730+ value)
*Visit 10 or more stations to be entered into the grand prize drawing
Additional Prizes:
- Bluebird mug & coffee - Bluebird Cafe - North Liberty
- 4 tickets to The Music Man - Coralville Center for Performing Arts
- 2 tickets to April 9 Loudon Wainwright III & Chris Smither - Englert Theater
- Movie date night package – FilmScene
- 4 glass seat tickets to 2026-27 season - Iowa Heartlanders
- A “Bird’s-eye View” from Hilton Garden Inn & the VUE Rooftop (Hotel stay + $50 VUE gift certificate)
- Family day pass - Iowa Children’s Museum
- Shepherd's hook & hummingbird feeder - Lenoch & Cilek Ace Hardware,
- Assorted nature-themed package - New Pioneer Food Coop
- A $50 gift certificate to Play it Again Sports
- Basket assortment - Prairie Kitchen Store
- Bird bonanza seed mix - Prairie Moon Nursery
- Free t-shirt gift card – Raygun
- A pair of Vortex Diamondback binoculars – Scheels
- Tube feeder & oriole feeder - Theisen’s
- $100 gift card to Wild Birds Unlimited
- Thank you, Donors!
We want to offer a huge thanks to our program donors. All of the donations from businesses or organizations for the raffle prizes were generously donated by the businesses or community organizations. If you enjoy this event, be sure to thank them for their support of the Johnson County Avian Adventure!
- Vortex Optics
- Bluebird Cafe - North Liberty
- Coralville Center for Performing Arts
- Englert Theater
- FilmScene
- Iowa Heartlanders
- Hilton Garden Inn & the VUE Rooftop (Hotel stay + $50 VUE gift certificate)
- Iowa Children’s Museum
- Lenoch & Cilek Ace Hardware,
- New Pioneer Food Coop
- Play it Again Sports
- Prairie Kitchen Store
- Prairie Moon Nursery
- Raygun
- Scheels
- Theisen’s
- Wild Birds Unlimited
- Tips for Success & Birding Tools
What to Bring:
Dress comfortably for outdoor recreation. Some stations require more walking and exploration than others. Check the forecast before you go. Bring water to drink and think about packing a picnic for your adventure! Most birds are located within 50 yards of the Avian Adventure station sign. The bird at Kent Park is the furthest distance from the sign of all the stations and is the trickiest. Don't give up! Follow the clues. We have done our best to note additional activities that take place at each location, so you can take advantage of those things. It also wouldn’t hurt to bring along a bird field guide to help you ID the birds at each station (remember you get a bonus point for correctly IDing the bird at each station). We have listed some good resources for bird ID below.
Bird ID Tips & Resources:
When working to ID the mystery bird at each station, consider the size and shape of the bird, the bird’s coloration and field marks, the habitat in which the bird is found, and the behavior (if described in the station clues). Field marks are the distinctive stripes, spots, patterns, colors, and highlights that birds have, which help other birds, as well as birdwatchers, distinguish one species from another.
Web Resources:
1.) Cornell Lab of Ornithology- Field Guide
2.) Cornell’s Building Skills: The four keys to bird watching
3.) National Audubon Society- Bird GuideApps:
Merlin App by Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Audubon Bird Guide AppBooks:
Birds of Iowa- Stan Tekiela- A great beginner bird guide organized by color and size.
The Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Eastern North America
How to Find a Bird- Jennifer Ward Beautifully illustrated by Diane Sudyka, this children’s picture book provides great tips for finding birds wherever you are. Author and illustrator both reside in the Midwest, so many birds featured can be found in our region.