Minnesotaspring migration
When does spring bird migration peak in Minnesota?
Spring bird migration usually peaks from February to June.
Checked Sep 30.
Your guide to Minnesota
Plan from a town
Frost dates and what's in season nearby
Each place's usual timing in Minnesota
- Litchfield Wetland District
Season: spring (March-May)
- Minnesota Valley Refuge
Season: April - May
- Rydell Refuge
Season: April and May
- Upper Mississippi River Refuge
Best viewing: April and May
- Rice Lake Refuge
Best viewing: May
- Each place's usual timing from its own source: a peak only where the source names one (not a forecast)
Places by state
Minnesota
- Litchfield Wetland DistrictUsual window passed
Local timing: spring (March-May)
- Minnesota Valley RefugeUsual window passed
Local timing: April - May
- Rice Lake RefugeUsual window passed
Local timing: May
- Rydell RefugeUsual window passed
Local timing: April and May
- Upper Mississippi River RefugeUsual window passed
Local timing: April and May
Official reports
- Sep 30Park ServiceSeasons of wildlife and featured species: mallard, blue-winged teal, grassland birdsSource (opens U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Litchfield Wetland Management District: Species in a new tab)
- Sep 30Park ServiceDirections, fees, points of interest, the office boardwalk, rules and office hoursSource (opens U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Litchfield Wetland Management District: Visit Us in a new tab)
- Sep 30Park ServiceSeasons of wildlife (winter, spring and fall, summer) and featured speciesSource (opens U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Minnesota Valley NWR: Species in a new tab)
Show all 10
- Sep 30Park ServiceVisitor tips with the best months, what to do, restrooms, hours of the refuge and wildlife driveSource (opens U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Rice Lake NWR: Visit Us in a new tab)
- Sep 30Park ServiceSeasons of wildlife and featured species: ring-necked ducks, trumpeter swans, golden-winged warblers, wild riceSource (opens U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Rice Lake NWR: Species in a new tab)
- Sep 30Park ServiceSeasons of wildlife: winter residents, spring migration, summer families, fall migrationSource (opens U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Rydell NWR: Species in a new tab)
- Sep 30Park ServiceDirections, fees, restrooms, trails and hoursSource (opens U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Rydell NWR: Visit Us in a new tab)
- Sep 30Park ServiceSeasons of wildlife: spring songbirds, summer rookeries and frogs, fall waterfowl, winter eaglesSource (opens U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Upper Mississippi River NWFR: Species in a new tab)
- Sep 30Park ServiceFees, restrooms, what to do, trails by district, visitor center and office hoursSource (opens U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Upper Mississippi River NWFR: Visit Us in a new tab)
- Sep 28Park ServiceJune–August prairie wildflowers; native flowers in the prairie at Rapids Lake in summer; trails and seasonsSource (opens U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge: Visit Us in a new tab)
Questions people ask
Where can I see spring migration in Minnesota?
We track 5 places: Litchfield Wetland District (its season: spring (March-May)), Minnesota Valley Refuge (its season: April - May), Rice Lake Refuge (its season: May), Rydell Refuge (its season: April and May) and Upper Mississippi River Refuge (its season: April and May).
When is peak spring migration in Minnesota in 2027?
It depends on the place and the animal. Of the places we track in Minnesota, the earliest season starts at Litchfield Wetland District (spring (March-May)) and the latest runs at Rice Lake Refuge (May). Each place page gives its own season and the animals behind it.
How do you track spring migration?
Each place moves through 4 stages: Birds arriving, Numbers building, Peak numbers and Birds moving on. Every stage we show comes from a dated report with its source, and every forecast lists its sources.