More than 100 hand-painted birds are hiding in plain sight across downtown Loveland, and residents have until Sept. 9 to find them.
Local graphic designer and birder Mike Gertz painted 100 different local species in a single week, cut them out and taped or pasted them to walls inside 30 downtown businesses, parks and restaurants. The project, called the Loveland Bird Search, doubles as a fundraiser for Love Our Land, the Loveland-based conservation nonprofit.
"In a single week, I painted 100 birds, cut them all out; since then, I've been hiding the birds all over Loveland," Gertz told WCPO.
The idea started small. Gertz first hid painted birds around his own house as a family game, then posted the project on Instagram, where it went viral. His daughter suggested he take it downtown.
Gertz reached out to local businesses and city officials for permission to hang his creations in and on their buildings. Thirty said yes.
How to play
Participants pick up a bingo-style sheet listing all 30 locations. To enter the prize drawing, hunters must spot at least 10 birds at 10 different businesses, collect a signature at each stop and submit the completed sheet by Sept. 9.
An official field guide costs $7 and is available at two downtown shops:
- Hometown Cafe, 111 Railroad Ave. (open 8 a.m.–3 p.m. daily, along the Little Miami Scenic Trail)
- Bike Trail Books, 113 Karl Brown Way
Every dollar from field guide sales goes to Love Our Land, the community conservation group founded in July 2020 by Doug Gilbert. Gilbert, a certified ecologist and certified wildlife biologist, is serving his fourth term on the City of Loveland's Tree & Environment Committee. According to WCPO, Gilbert has described the partnership as promoting a connection with nature and helping residents engage with the natural world around them.
Why birds?
Gertz said his obsession began during a trip with his wife years ago and quickly took over. He describes the scavenger hunt as "a weird combination of all my favorite things" and hopes participants will start noticing the real birds all around them once they've hunted the painted ones.
The submission deadline falls four days after the Loveland Art Festival on Sept. 5 at Nisbet Park.
Upcoming community events
- Loveland Art Festival: Saturday, Sept. 5, 10 a.m.–4 p.m., Nisbet Park, 126 Karl Brown Way. Juried show with nearly 70 artists, live music and food trucks.
- Loveland Bird Search deadline: Wednesday, Sept. 9. Submit completed bingo sheets to enter the prize drawing.
