This Minnesota Birding Hotspot Sees Dozens of Species Daily

The Land of 10,000 Lakes is blessed with many incredible birding hot spots, from the world-renowned Sax-Zim Bog and the Superior and Chippewa National Forests to an urban heron rookery on an island in the Mississippi River. Hundreds of species are year-round residents in the state, and hundreds more come to Minnesota to breed and nest before returning to their home ranges. One part of our state that's often overlooked by casual birders, though, is the northwestern aspen parklands region. Sitting at the edge of the Great Plains, this unique biome attracts all sorts of species that you may not see elsewhere in the state. And one incredible place to experience this diversity is Agassiz Audubon Center in Minnesota. It's near the town of Warren, MN, just northeast of Grand Forks, ND.

Also referred to as the Audubon Center of the Red River Valley, you'll find Agassiz Audubon Center a few minutes southeast of Warren, Minnesota.

It's part of a nature complex that also includes the Omdahl Arboretum and the Northwest Minnesota Pollinator Garden.

The parcel sits at an incredible intersection of biomes - where aspen parklands meet the western tallgrass prairie.

Several small bodies of water are nearby. This combination of habitats attracts dozens of species of birds, both resident and migratory, as well as other types of animals. Raptors, like this American kestrel, find ample prey at the site.

Migrants from the north, who visit the center during the winter, include several owl species, like snowy owls, as well as other boreal species such as common redpolls.

Among the winter visitors are long-eared and short-eared owls, which can be seen patrolling area fields and grasslands at dawn and dusk.

Spring migrants include gorgeous sandhill cranes, one of the state's largest bird species.

In the spring and summer, you're likely to encounter many cool species of waterfowl, as well, like American white pelicans, trumpeter swans, and several kinds of ducks and geese.

Songbirds, like warblers and the iconic western meadowlark, fill the spring and summer air with music.

Meanwhile, resident birds, like ruffed grouse and wild turkeys, offer year-round entertainment.

You may encounter several other types of animals at the site, as well, such as red fox, coyotes, deer, and even the occasional moose.

If you're a photographer, you'll definitely want a camera with a longer lens, and anyone visiting Agassiz Audubon Center in Minnesota should, by all means, bring a good pair of binoculars. The center doesn't have much of a web presence; however, you can learn a little more about it on the city of Warren website and the Agassiz Audubon Society's Facebook page. Non-members who visit the site are asked to pay a $5 per car admission fee, making a visit here a pretty affordable way to spend a day.