JENNINGS — The eighth annual Yellow Rails and Rice Festival will run Nov. 2-6 in Jeff Davis and surrounding areas.
Hundreds of avid birders, nature lovers and photographers from all over the United States and Canada will make their way into the area for the annual festival, which provides participants a chance to see the yellow rails.
“The festival is an opportunity to see yellow rails in an environment that is conducive to their habitat,” said rice farmer Kevin Berken, who opens his fields to tours each year.
“Viewing the yellows — an elusive bucket-list bird for many bird enthusiasts — while learning about the rice industry, which provides habitat for more wildlife than any other crop in the U.S., makes for a great experience for all participants.”
“What is unique is that the yellow rail’s fall arrival in southern Louisiana overlaps with the late fall harvest of second-crop rice,” said festival organizer Donna Dittmann.
“During the harvest, yellow rails are easy to see when flushed from rice fields as they fly to get out of the way of a combine.”
While the festival is based in Jennings, it offers a variety of field trips and treks that allow participants to view Southwest Louisiana’s birds and other wildlife in their natural habitats while learning about the rice industry and working wetlands.
The group is also able to experience the Cajun cuisine and culture while visiting the area.
“Jeff Davis Parish ended up being the epicenter for the festival because it is the largest rice-growing parish in the state and the yellow rails seem to find this home,” Berken said.
“That is why Thornwell has been designated as the ‘Yellow Rail Capital of the World.’ ”
It is not unusual to see several dozen yellow rails in one day, Berken said.
“We have even had numbers reaching over 100 sightings in a day’s cutting,” he said.
Festival attendance is capped at 125 to accommodate participants riding the combine in the fields and going on other birding expeditions.
The festival usually attracts people from 26 states and two countries. Participants from every state in the country except Hawaii have attended the event, Berken said.
All of the basic festival packages are full, but openings will be available if there are any cancellations.
For festival updates, schedules and more information — or to check availability — visit http://ift.tt/2azUN0e and click Yellow Rails and Rice Festival, or email yellowrailsandrice@gmail.com.
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