You will find songbirds, waterbirds, shorebirds and more in South Dakota. Click Birding Hotspots on the South Dakota Ornithologists website to find the best places to watch birds in the state. May and August are the months when one can see the most migratory birds that pass through the state.
The South Dakota Birding Festival @ Fort Randall is held annually in May. This is the only time that the Karl Mundt National Wildlife Refuge located by the Fort Randall Dam is open to the public. Activities include bird banding, bird identification, birding experts and speakers, guided field trips, and children's activities.