Wildlife Wednesday 03/05/2025

Happy #WildlifeWednesday! It’s that time of year! The days are getting longer, temperatures are getting warmer, and birds are starting to migrate!

Spring migration is the seasonal movement of birds from their wintering grounds to the areas where they will breed and spend months nesting, taking advantage of the warm weather and plentiful food sources.

Some of the first species to move through Ohio are waterfowl, raptors, blackbirds, and shorebirds. They arrive in enormous numbers and can be quite a spectacle to observe and enjoy.

One of the best places in the state to experience spring migration is near the village of Shreve. Here lies the largest inland marsh in Ohio, the Killbuck Marsh Wildlife Area. Its 5,703 acres hosts wetland, pond, stream, brushy, and wooded habitats, ideal for migrating and nesting birds. The nearby Funk Bottoms Wildlife Area has an additional 1,536 acres of habitat, including seasonally flooded meadows and bottomland hardwoods.

In this area more than twenty species of waterfowl, including Tundra Swans, and nearly thirty species of shorebirds can be observed migrating. Nesting of the state-endangered Sandhill Crane has also been confirmed.

Join TWC staff and other birders and nature enthusiasts this Saturday at the Shreve Migration Sensation! This free day of celebration includes activities, speakers, crafts, and of course…BIRDING! 

More information can be found here: https://www.shreveohio.com/migration-sensation