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It’s For The Birds!
By Kimberly Whitton, Communications Specialist
Everyone looks forward to the arrival of spring with beautiful blooming flowers, lush green grass and warmer temperatures. What we don’t always consider when we think spring is the large migration of birds heading north for the season. Their arrival is much anticipated not only as a sign of the season, but also for those who enjoy watching for them.
 Migratory birds begin their journey northward several weeks or even months before spring arrives in the Midwest. Many of the birds venture north from their winter stay in places like Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean Islands in search of nesting habitats, food and longer daylight hours. About 412 bird species have been recorded just in Ohio and roughly 200 of those have been known to nest here as others head further north. One of the big reasons Ohio supports such a large number of birds is its location and habitat, with prairies to the west, the Appalachian plateaus to the south and east, the Ohio River to the south and Lake Erie and its marshes to the north.
We can generally look for spring bird migration to be at its highest during a three to four month period. Waterfowl numbers peak during the second half of March, songbirds and shorebird numbers peak in early to mid May and hawks return during March and April. Ohio becomes an attractive location for many of these birds with its great nesting habitats, some of which are found within parks and nature preserves in our area. Winton Woods silt basin by the West Fork Dam is a very popular location for many types of waterfowl, including the wood duck. There is a large food resource there and access to shallow edges and slightly deeper open water. Shawnee Lookout, Miami Whitewater Forest, Sharon Woods, Winton Woods and Mitchell Memorial Forest are all very important areas for the migration and breeding of song birds because they have large areas of mature deciduous forest. Winton Woods and Mitchell Memorial Forest also have extensive pine plantings that attract migrant songbirds. Shawnee Lookout is part of the Oxbow Region, a floodplain at the Great Miami and Ohio River where thousands of waterfowl stop to rebuild energy for their long trip northward. The Park District protects hundreds of acres of Shawnee Lookout that is critical habitat for these waterfowl as well as Armleder Park where waterfowl shorebirds, hawks, owls and grassland birds migrate.
The annual migration of song birds, waterfowl, hawks and many other species to Ohio has sparked a great interest in tracking migration and bird watching. Because Ohio is such a popular migration spot, there are various organizations around the state that offer birding programs where people can learn how to identify and track migrating birds. Locally, the Hamilton County Park District has noticed this growing trend and has created programs to cater to those interests, especially during migrating season.
For more information about bird migration, visit the Birds of Cincinnati website sightings page at www.cincinnatibirds.com. You will also find other beneficial bird migration information at www.ohiobirds.org and www.dnr.state.oh.us among others. Happy birding!
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