Are you looking for ways to attract more birds to your yard or outdoor space, or want to know how to support birds in general?

PBS Wisconsin’s Garden & Green Living Expo, Feb. 13-15 at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison, offers several free seminars for you to gain practical knowledge for supporting wildlife and more.

You can also explore the exhibitor mall and talk to organizations that promote the enjoyment and conservation of birds, including the Bluebird Restoration Association of Wisconsin (BRAW), the Wisconsin Society for Ornithology, SOS Save Our Songbirds and Wild Ones – Madison.

PBS Wisconsin hosts Garden & Green Living Expo in partnership with the University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension Horticulture Program. All proceeds support PBS Wisconsin’s quality programming, educational initiatives and events that serve to enrich Wisconsin communities.

Purchase advance event admission today!

Enjoy these bird seminars at the 2026 Garden & Green Living Expo

Please note that the education schedule is subject to change. Visit wigardenexpo.com for the most up-to-date information.

Attracting Birds to Your Yard

Presented by Alicia King, Wisconsin Society of Ornithology
1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 14 | 10:30 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 15

Attract birds to your yard by providing food, water, shelter and places to raise their young. Discover ways to invite birds naturally by creating a bird-friendly yard.

Creating Your Own Homegrown National Park

Presented by Alex Singer
12:15 p.m. Friday, Feb. 13 | 4:45 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 14

Do you wonder how your yard can be more of a sanctuary for wildlife? Inspired by Professor Doug Tallamy’s Homegrown National Park movement, Wisconsin Master Naturalist Alex Singer will take you through what to consider when planning to “naturalize” your outdoor space, as he’s doing with his Madison suburban plot. In addition to native plants, he’ll discuss other best practices to minimize negative impacts on nature and people around your home.

Eastern Bluebirds and Wisconsin

Presented by Steve Sample, Bluebird Restoration Association of Wisconsin
11:30 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 15

Learn from this seminar on Eastern Bluebirds and the challenges and strategies in maintaining a viable population in Wisconsin. Native cavity nesting birds are also addressed.

Feeding Wild Birds

Presented by Twain Lockhart, Kalmbach Feeds
4:45 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 14

Learn about how to start wild bird feeding.

Gardening for Hummingbirds

Presented by Michael and Kathi Rock, International Hummingbird Society
3 p.m. Friday, Feb. 13 | 10:45 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 14

Learn how to create a sanctuary for hummingbirds in your own backyard. Through the use of perennial and annual plants, wildflowers, shrubs, trees and hummingbird feeders, you too can discover the magic and excitement of hummingbirds!

Gardening for Pollinators

Presented by Frank Hassler, Red Head Ecological Consulting
2:15 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 15

Butterflies, bees and many other pollinators provide critical ecosystem services, pollinating both food crops and wildflowers alike. Unfortunately, these creatures are under threat from a variety of human impacts. Learn what you can do to make your yard a haven for bees, butterflies, hummingbirds and the many other “little things that run the world.”

Take Two Chickadees and Call Me in the Morning

Presented by Craig Thompson, Driftless Birds
4:15 p.m. Friday, Feb. 13 | 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 14

Being connected to nature, especially birds, promotes good health. Studies have shown that even brief exposure to the natural world produces health benefits. Birdsong is a particularly effective tonic. This fun presentation will summarize the positive health effects of birdlife and provide prescriptions to improve well-being by inviting birds to your property, including landscaping with native plants, bird feeding and bird identification basics.

Purple Martins in Wisconsin 2026

Presented by Dick Nikolai, Wisconsin Purple Martin Association
1:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 13

Dick Nikolai of the Wisconsin Purple Martin Association provides an overview of purple martins, showing their presence, ecology, problems encountered both in North and South America, how to attract them and monitor cavities, what it means to be a purple martin landlord and research-related items of this species.

Can’t Wait for Garden & Green Living Expo?

Preventing Bird-Window Collisions at Your Home

In this recorded lecture from the 2024 Garden & Green Living Expo, Brenna Marsicek, director of communications and outreach with the Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance, shares the science behind why birds hit windows, and provides recommendations on ways to make windows more bird-safe.