Name: Arkansas Audubon Society's Fall Convention
Start: 2025-10-24T12:30:00-05:00
End: 2025-10-26T12:00:00-05:00
Location: Conway Arkansas

Arkansas Audubon Society's Fall Convention

The Fall 2025 Arkansas Audubon Society convention will be held on October 24-26, 2025, at Hilton Garden Inn in Conway. Get ready for outstanding speakers and field trips! Field trips will include great birding destinations with amazing guides, a banding observation opportunity, a native plant opportunity on Friday, and a beginner-friendly option on Saturday. On Sunday, three location options are offered, with one being ideal for folks returning home along I-40 West.
At Hilton Garden Inn, our room block includes King and Double rooms. The cutoff date for our reserved block of rooms is September 26, but don’t procrastinate! To reserve your room at our group rate of $110, click (https://www.hilton.com/en/book/reservation/rooms/?ctyhocn=LITCWGI&arrivalDate=2025-10-24&departureDate=2025-10-26&groupCode=AASF&room1NumAdults=1&cid=OM%2CWW%2CHILTONLINK%2CEN%2CDirectLink) or call (501) 329-1444.
Register for the convention here by October 3 to qualify for Early Bird registration rates: $25 for AAS members and $30 for non-members. Student registration is $15. Save money by registering early! Register by 10/17 to guarantee meals for the meeting.
On Friday night Spencer Daniels, Black Bear Program Coordinator for the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, will speak about Black Bears in Arkansas. He will cover their history in Arkansas, the biology of black bears, and black bear research and management in Arkansas. He will also touch on the topic of mountain lions in Arkansas.
Saturday afternoon's symposium will feature student research reports and a National Audubon Society guest speaker.
On Saturday evening, our featured speaker will be Dr. Todd Green, presenting on The Curious Crowned Cassowaries: Living Dinosaurs with an Attitude. The findings of his work are crucial for meaningful comparisons between the modern cassowary’s casque and the ornaments found in extinct, non-avian dinosaurs.
Field Trip Coordinator Patty McLean has done a fabulous job putting together interesting field trips for us, with 12 guided field trips over three days. These include a beginning birder trip, a tour of a native plant garden geared to bird-friendliness, and several trips highlighting nearby hotspots. Please take time to look at the options that Patty has planned, and you’ll find it hard to choose!
Last but not least, we will once again hold our silent auction. It's not too early to be thinking about items to donate! Please bring new/like new items to be donated for sale. Used items, including books, can be offered on our “Free Table.” We hope you will join us for an entertaining and educational weekend of birding, learning and gathering with friends!