Find family-friendly bird fun in northern Illinois this weekend

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge and the Friends of Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge will celebrate International Migratory Bird Day with bird banding and family activities at three sites in northern Illinois and one in southern Wisconsin on Saturday, April 30, and Sunday, May 1.

Join the family-friendly bird fun from 8 to 9:30 a.m. Saturday and Sunday, April 30 and May 1. Service biologists will set up mist nets to band birds at Four Seasons Nature Preserve in Lake Geneva, Wis., Saturday and the McHenry County Conservation District's Lost Valley Visitor Center in Glacial Park, Ringwood, on Sunday. Watch a wildlife biologist capture, band and release birds that are passing through the area on their way north. Kids can explore a simulated mist net, the birds are not real, and practice their banding skills on duck decoys.

From noon to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, April 30 and May 1, service staff will join Illinois Department of Natural Resource's International Migratory Bird Day festivities at the McHenry Dam on Saturday and Volo Bog State Natural Area, Ingleside Sunday. There will be a lot of bird-based fun, including The Great Migration Challenge, Bird Bingo and JeopBirdy.

Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge was established in 2012 from the grass-roots effort from the Friends of Hackmatack, McHenry County Conservation District, and a variety of conservation partners in northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin. The refuge aims to restore and connect a landscape that includes large blocks of grasslands, wet prairies, and natural stream watercourses.

2016 marks the centennial of the Migratory Bird Treaty between the United States and Canada. The Migratory Bird Treaty, and three others that followed, form the cornerstones of efforts to conserve birds that migrate across international borders. At these festivities, you'll learn how you can welcome migratory birds to your property as they return north each spring.

For details about International Migratory Bird Day events sponsored by the Illinois DNR, go to tinyurl.com/IMBD2016.

The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. We are both a leader and trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated professionals, and commitment to public Service. For information, visit www.fws.gov.

The mission of Friends of Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge is to conserve and enhance the natural and cultural resources, rural character and scenic beauty of the Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge and to connect people to these resources.