Wild Life
Located directly on the Pine to Prairie Birding Trail which is a unique partnership between the NW Minnesota communities of Detroit Lakes, Fergus Falls, Pelican Rapids, Roseau, Thief River Falls, Warroad & Baudette.
Birdwatching has become a national obsession and is one of the country's fastest growing hobbies. Lake of the Woods County is recognized statewide as a bird watcher's paradise. Almost 300 species of birds nest here and can be seen and heard in any season of the year. Several national tour agencies list the county as one of the hotspots for people who watch birds as a hobby.
A very unique way to observe birds on Lake of the Woods is by boat. Along shorelines you will find Canadian Geese, Tundra Swans, herons, mallards and loons. White Pelicans, Double-crested Cormorants, and four species of gulls and terns can be found on the many islands that dot the lake. Pine and Curry Islands host the endangered Piping Plover and have been designated a state Scientific and Natural Area.
Included in the bird of prey list are the Bald Eagle, Osprey and Turkey Vulture. The sight of a Great Gray or Snowy Owl, Sandhill Crane, or crow-sized Pileated Woodpecker is a thrill for any bird lover.
Spring's ambassador is the Red Wing Blackbird, followed by sparrows, warblers, robins, vireos, orioles and hummingbirds. Their activities and song continue into late fall. Dropping temperatures bring northern birds such as Junco and Snow Bunting as short term guests.
Festival Bird List
- American Crow
- American Goldfinch
- American Kestrel
- American Redstart
- American Robin
- American White Pelican
- American Widgeon
- Bald Eagle
- Baltimore Oriole
- Barn Swallow
- Belted Kingfisher
- Black Tern
- Black-and-White Warbler
- Black-bellied Plover
- Black-billed Magpie
- Black-capped Chick-a-dee
- Blackpoll Warbler
- Blue Jay
- Blue-winged Teal
- Bobolink
- Bonaparte's Gull
- Brewer's Blackbird
- Broad-winged Hawk
- Brown Thrasher
- Brown-headed Cowbird
- Canada Goose
- Cape May Warbler
- Caspian Tern
- Chestnut-sided Warbler
- Chipping Sparrow
- Clay-colored Sparrow
- Cliff Swallow
- Common Goldeneye
- Common Grackle
- Common Loon
- Common Merganser
- Common Nighthawk
- Common Raven
- Common Snipe
- Common Tern
- Common Yellowthroat
- Connecticut Warbler
- Double-crested Cormorant
- Downy Woodpecker
- Eastern Bluebird
- Eastern Kingbird
- Eastern Phoebe
- Eastern Wood-Pewee
- European Starling
- Evening Grosbeak
- Gadwall
- Golden-crowned Kinglet
- Golden-winged Warbler
- Great Blue Heron
- Great Crested Flycatcher
- Great Grey Owl
- Green-winged Teal
- Grey Catbird
- Grey Jay
- Hairy Woodpecker
- Hermit Thrush
- Herring Gull
- Hooded Merganser
- House Sparrow
- House Wren
- Killdeer
- Least Flycatcher
- Lesser Scaup
- Mallard
- Marbled Godwit
- Marsh Wren
- Mourning Dove
- Mourning Warbler
- Nashville Warbler
- Northern Flicker
- Northern Harrier
- Northern Saw-Whet Owl
- Northern Shoveler
- Olive-sided Flycatcher
- Ovenbird
- Pileated Woodpecker
- Pine Siskin
- Purple Finch
- Purple Martin
- Red-breasted Nuthatch
- Red-eyed Vireo
- Red-tailed Hawk
- Red-winged Blackbird
- Ring-Billed Gull
- Rock Dove
- Rose-breasted Grosbeak
- Ruby-crowned Kinglet
- Ruby-throated hummingbird
- Ruffed Grouse
- Sandhill Crane
- Savannah Sparrow
- Scarlet Tanager
- Sedge Wren
- Song Sparrow
- Sora
- Spotted Sandpiper
- Spruce Grouse
- Swamp Sparrow
- Tree Swallow
- Turkey Vulture
- Veery
- Warbling Vireo
- White-breasted Nuthatch
- White-throated Sparrow
- Wilson's Phalarope
- Winter Wren
- Wood Duck
- Yellow-rumped Warbler
- Yellow Warbler
- Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
- Yellow-headed Blackbird
- Northern Hawk Owl was sighted on Highway 11 about five miles east of Clementson Rapids-this was sighted by our trip leader Lee Grim, wildlife biologist from Voyageurs National Park.
To order a free birding brochure and a country-wide checklist Click Here or call 1-800-382-FISH.