Closeup of a blackburnian warbler, a small songbird with black wings and a bright orange chest, perched on a tree branch.
Blackburnian Warbler Discover migratory birds you can spot in Ohio during spring and fall migrations! © Paul Hurtado/Creative Commons

Stories in Ohio

Spring and Fall Birding in Ohio

Spring and fall bird migrations will delight novice and seasoned birders alike. Discover some of the migratory birds you can spot at our preserves!

Since 1958, The Nature Conservancy in Ohio has protected more than 60,000 acres of some of the state’s most important and beloved natural lands and waters. From the Appalachian forests in the south to Lake Erie’s coastal marshes in the north, we’ve protected a wide and varied spectrum of habitats, which in turn support a rich diversity of bird species.

Why go birding? For starters, it’s a great excuse to spend time outdoors and connect with nature—something that is proven to make people happier, healthier and smarter. It’s also an inexpensive hobby: All you really need to begin is a pair of binoculars, a birding guide and maybe a camera or notepad to capture the birds you’ve spotted.

This guide provides an introduction to migratory birds you might spot at our open preserves during their spring and fall migrations.

A golden-winged warbler perches on a branch.
Golden-winged warbler You can find the golden-winged warbler in tangled, shrubby habitats such as wet thickets, tamarack bogs and aspen or willow stands. © Scott Keys/TNC Photo Contest 2019

Kitty Todd Nature Preserve

Our Kitty Todd Preserve consists of nearly 1,200 acres of northwest Ohio’s Oak Openings Region. This complex of oak savanna and wet prairie developed on sand and clay deposited by glacial Lake Warren, the ancient predecessor of present-day Lake Erie. The combination of porous sandy soils of the former beach ridges and an impervious clay layer beneath those soils creates an unforgiving environment that fluctuates from flooding in the spring to arid in midsummer—creating a variety of habitat types for birds. All told, Kitty Todd is home to roughly 140 native bird species. Spring and fall migrants at this preserve: Swainson’s thrushruby-crowned kingletyellow-bellied sapsuckerwhite-crowned sparrowpalm warblerTennessee warbler and golden-winged warbler.

Green-winged teal.
Snowy egret.
Snowy Egret Endangered in Ohio, snowy egrets can be found in the Western Lake Erie basin.
Snowy Egret Endangered in Ohio, snowy egrets can be found in the Western Lake Erie basin.

Great Egret Marsh Preserve

Great Egret Marsh Preserve consists of more than 150 acres of marsh and surrounding upland in Ottawa County, across the road from East Harbor State Park. The preserve’s marshes are part of the West Harbor Basin, a long, narrow pool of Lake Erie backwater that geologists believe was once the channel of the Portage River. The natural productivity of the preserve’s coastal marshes makes it a haven for the millions of birds that feed and rest in the region each year during spring and fall migrations. Spring and fall migrants at this preserve: gadwalllesser scaupAmerican wigeonEurasian wigeongreen-winged tealcommon goldeneyesnowy egretpalm warblerblack-bellied ploverAmerican golden-ploverdunlinstilt sandpiper and Wilson’s snipe.

A hooded merganser swims in a body of water; its image is reflected in the water like a mirror image.
Hooded Merganser Hooded mergansers live primarily in wooded lakes, ponds and rivers.

Morgan Swamp Preserve

At 2,000 acres, Morgan Swamp Preserve is home to an abundance of wetlands, including swamps, bogs, beaver ponds and vernal pools. It’s part of a greater wetland system called the Grand River Lowlands, which got its start some 12,000 years ago when portions of northeastern Ohio’s Ashtabula and Trumbull Counties were occupied by a large glacial lake. These wetlands are critical to the health of the Grand River, a designated Wild and Scenic River, and are the backdrop for many of the 100 bird species that have been documented there. Spring and fall migrants at this preserve: green-winged tealgadwallAmerican wigeonhooded merganserwhite-crowned sparrowbrown creeperrusty blackbird and winter wren.

Lucia S. Nash Preserve

Our Lucia S. Nash Preserve in northeast Ohio protects wetland habitat that supports many migratory birds.

A Canada warbler, a small songbird with gray wings and a yellow underbelly, perches on a small branch.
A cerulean warbler, a small songbird with a blue back and white chest, perches on a branch.
A yellow-bellied sapsucker, with mottled black and brown wings and body and a red patch on the top of its head, perches on the side of a tree.
Two sandhill cranes stand in a field and look at each other.

The 650-acre Lucia S. Nash Preserve is part of a larger 20,000-acre wetland complex of boggy bottomland known as the Cuyahoga Wetlands—an area considered one of the finest remaining glacial wetlands in Ohio. The preserve protects wetland habitat including the only remaining old-growth white pine boreal fen in Ohio. The wetlands of Lucia Nash paired with Snow Lake—a small kettle lake surrounded by emergent marsh, sedge meadow and shrub swamp—support many migratory bird species. Spring and fall migrants at this preserve: sedge wren, cerulean warbler, Virginia rail, Canada warbler, yellow-bellied sapsucker and sandhill crane.

A bobolink perches on a dry grass stalk in a field.
Male Bobolink Bobolinks typically inhabit natural areas like grassy fields and wet prairies. © Chris Helzer/TNC

Herrick Fen Preserve

Herrick Fen Preserve features unique geologic, hydrologic, biologic and physical features that resulted from the retreat of glaciers during the last ice age, some 12,000–14,000 years ago. The 140-acre preserve hosts two special fen communities and an upland beech-maple forest. An easy 1.5-mile loop trail traverses both habitat types and their intersections, which together support a variety of bird species. Spring and fall migrants at this preserve: fox sparrowbobolinkBlackburnian warblersolitary sandpiperrusty blackbirdcave swallow and brown creeper.

A black-and-white warbler perches on a branch and has a small worm in its beak.
Black-and-White Warbler Brown's Lake Bog supports migrating black-and-white warblers.
Closeup of an American redstart, a small songbird with a black back and head, white belly and bright orange patches on its shoulders, perches on a branch.
American Redstart American redstarts breed in open wooded habitats, particularly those dominated by deciduous trees. © Dan Pancamo
Black-and-White Warbler Brown's Lake Bog supports migrating black-and-white warblers.
American Redstart American redstarts breed in open wooded habitats, particularly those dominated by deciduous trees. © Dan Pancamo

Brown's Lake Bog

The 100-acre Brown’s Lake Bog features glacial relict bog habitat, more than 20 rare plants and a plethora of resident and migratory birds. A one-mile-long hiking trail guides visitors through the bog and surrounding lowland swamp and upland kame forest. The Conservancy is working to maintain the existing open bog mat in order to support a wide array of plants and wildlife, including native bird species. Spring and fall migrants at this preserve: Swainson’s thrushblack-and-white warblerAmerican redstartBlackburnian warbler and blue-headed vireo.

A magnolia warbler, a small songbird with a bright yellow body and a gray and black head, perches on a branch.
Magnolia Warbler Magnolia warblers migrate south to Central and South America for the winter. © Steve S. Meyer

Big Darby Headwaters Preserve

This 800-acre Big Darby Headwaters Preserve encompasses a mixture of wetlands, streamside forests and old fields. The Conservancy has carefully restored the natural meandering flow of the headwaters of Big Darby Creek, improving the water quality of the mainstem, which is a popular corridor for many birds. More than 100 species have been documented within this region of Big Darby Creek. Spring and fall migrants at this preserve: veerySwainson’s thrushyellow-bellied sapsucker , brown creeperNashville warblerblackpoll warblermagnolia warbler and blue-headed vireo.

A rose-breasted grosbeak perches on a branch.
Rose-breasted Grosbeak A Rose-breasted grosbeak rests on a branch. © Creative Commons/Andy M

Edge of Appalachia Preserve

The Nature Conservancy’s 20,000-acre Edge of Appalachia Preserve is a crown jewel of southern Ohio’s forests. This area is one of the most biologically diverse collections of natural systems in the Midwest, encompassing rugged woodland, prairie openings, waterfalls, giant promontories and clear streams. This medley of habitat types supports a range of both breeding and migratory birds. More than 172 species of birds have been recorded at the preserve. Spring and fall migrants at this preserve: ruby-crowned kingletSwainson’s thrushCape May warblerbay-breasted warbler and rose-breasted grosbeak.