FARMINGTON — About 18 percent of the tickets sold to Great Salt Lake Bird Festival field trips were purchased by out-of-staters.

That was the report festival organizer Neka Roundy presented this week to the Davis County Commission.

There were 1,063 festival field trip tickets sold, or 93 percent of all tickets available, Roundy said.

The small-group field trips are popular because they give birders the opportunity to go into areas generally closed to the public, Roundy said.

The 14th annual festival, held May 17-21, drew 3,500 to 4,000 people.

The attendance estimate includes those who attended the festival’s May 19 daylong activity at the Legacy Events Center in Farmington.

“This has become an amazing opportunity for birders,” said County Commissioner Louenda Downs.

The 15th annual bird festival is set for May 16-20, 2013.