Birders and birds converge in northwest Ohio

By Brianna Smith

Each May, the land along Lake Erie’s basin bursts into life with birdsong. Migratory songbirds, like warblers, travel 5,000 miles from Central and South America to their breeding grounds in Canada, making a pitstop in Ohio before continuing their journey. The variety of habitats in the area, like forests, shrublands, grasslands, and marshes, attracts various birds and their food sources. Three main migratory routes funnel birds through the Lake Erie region, bringing massive numbers of birds together at the same time.

However, birds aren’t the only ones flocking to northwest Ohio. Birdwatchers, photographers, and naturalists from all 50 states and several countries also visit the area to take in the sights and sounds, prompting the creation of a special festival.

The Biggest Week in American Birding, hosted by the Black Swamp Bird Observatory, has become a premier ecotourism event. With more than 400 bird species documented in Ohio and up to 90 top-tier birding sites along the Lake Erie Birding Trail, it’s no wonder that birders travel thousands of miles to get here.… Continue reading