2023 Oceanside Brant Wildlife Festival Parksville and Qualicum Beach Vancouver Island BC

The 32nd Annual Brant Wildlife Festival will take place from March 31 through to April 9th, 2023.

This free event celebrates the chatty Brant Goose who flies from Mexico to its breeding grounds in Alaska every year. The Brants stop along the way to fuel up for their long journey and the shores of Parksville and Qualicum Beach comprise the Brant Capital of Canada as the Brant's favorite foods are found in abundance here.

The Brant geese arrive in late March tired and hungry spending their nights out on the Strait of Georgia. With the falling tide, they fly in-shore to land on the first exposed sandbars. Like clamdiggers, they then follow the tide out, feeding as they go on their primary foods - eelgrass, sea lettuce and rich herring roe. Once they have rested and refueled, they are ready to start heading north again by the end of April.

The festival connects local businesses, stewardship groups, and community groups who work together to create and promote educational and entertaining events highlighting the biodiversity of this stunning part of Vancouver Island. There are ample opportunities to explore this beautiful area, including estuary and wetland tours, bird identification classes, an eagle release and more! It is a fantastic event for bird watchers, photographers, wildlife enthusiasts, tourists and families!

The Brant Wildlife Festival Resource Center is located at 186 Shelly Rd, Parksville BC.
The Brants will be found on the shores of the nearby Parksville and Qualicum Beaches, you will hear them before you see them.