Migratory birds come to Ohio thanks to the Atlantic and Mississippi Flyways

This time of year, Ohio skies are filled with hundreds of bird species heading north for the summer.

The peak of spring migration, known as the biggest week for birding in the United States, is expected to begin Friday.

Jamie Emmert, avian education coordinator for the Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ Division of Wildlife, said the feather show can be enjoyed anywhere in Ohio.

“There are a lot of great places across the state that offer great experiences,” Emmert said. “There are a lot of species that can’t get to the far north because they nest in the glacial areas of Ohio.”

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“We are basically at the intersection of two flight paths”

For some birds, the long journey away from the equator can begin as early as March, while for others it can begin as late as June.

Each species’ journey tends to be at the same time of year, depending on our planet’s position relative to the sun.

“When it gets light outside, they can feel that something inside them is telling them it’s time to leave,” Emmert said. “Temperature and wind play a big role in that; it makes it easier for them to follow those The wind direction will bring them to the north.”

Some breeds can fly hundreds of miles, others thousands of miles.

Flights tend to follow unmarked paths known in birding circles as flyways.

“What makes Ohio so special is that we’re basically at the intersection of two flight paths,” Emmert said. “We have a lot of birds flying along the Atlantic flyway, and then we also have a lot of birds flying along the Mississippi flyway. The Atlantic and Mississippi flyways overlap in and around Ohio.”

“Feels like a complete and utter fantasy”

Of the nearly 2,000 bird species that live in North America, 450 species have been recorded visiting the Buckeye State.

Of those 450 species, only about 200 live in Ohio all summer long, which means the rest follow flight plans across the state and into Canada.

Visiting birds can rest anywhere in Ohio, at least until they reach the shores of Lake Erie.

“If the winds are not blowing in the right direction, they can pile up on the edge of Lake Erie,” Emmert said. “They’ll be waiting along the coast for the right winds to hit Canada.”

That’s why most people know to go to places like Ottawa County’s Magee Swamp Wildlife Area (the “Warbler Capital of the World”) to see flocks of migratory birds. An estimated 90,000 people gather in northwest Ohio during America’s biggest week for birding.

“Sometimes it feels like a complete and utter fantasy because there are so many birds,” Emmert said. “But there are other places along Lake Erie that have just as good public access.”

Wonderful bird watching can be found in other areas of Ohio as well.

There are plenty of birding sites throughout Ohio

Every forest, field, and waterway in the state can become a habitat for migratory birds.

People don’t have to drive all the way north to Lake Erie to benefit from May’s influx of birds.

“Honestly, I go south a lot,” Emmert said. “I just don’t do well in crowds. Professionally I have to work, which is great, but personally I don’t do well in a lot of shoulder-to-shoulder crowds. It’s exciting, but This was not the kind of experience I was looking for, and I’m sure this applies to many birders.

There are several birding locations inland, such as the Appalachian Preserve in southern Ohio, Hocking Hills State Park in southeast Ohio, and Mohican State Park in north-central Ohio.

Not to mention major waterways like Kilbuck Creek in eastern Ohio and Nemisilla Reservoir in northeast Ohio, as well as hundreds of smaller forests, lakes and rivers across the state.

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