One Of The Most Magical Places To Spot Migratory Songbirds In Indiana Is The Willow Slough Fish & Wildlife Area
By Tori Jane|Published March 01, 2022
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Tori Jane
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Tori Jane is a storm chaser, writer, photographer, and the village idiot - in that order. When she's not out and about dancing with the meanest storms on planet Earth for funsies she can be found wandering, shooting landscapes, writing, editing photos, and otherwise up to no good. Legend has it that she can also be occasionally spotted typing up short bios in the third person, but those rumors are unsubstantiated.
Twice a year, something amazing happens in many places around the world: birds – a ridiculous number of them spanning across numerous species – take to the skies in an epic migration, heading to where food, shelter, and water will be more plentiful for them. In the fall they wander south in search of unfrozen water, plentiful food, and pleasant temperatures; and in spring, they head the other way to begin the cycle all over again. Well, guess what, Hoosiers? It turns out that Indiana is an incredibly important part of hundreds of species’ journeys, and there are numerous spots all over the state that are wonderful for getting a front-row seat for it. Hoping to go spotting migratory birds in Indiana this spring? Head to where they’re heading: the Willow Slough Fish & Wildlife Area.
Lake Michigan is a very popular destination for birds migrating north, and thanks to Indiana's spot right alongside the lake, we end up with all sorts of awesome birds coming through here.
Willow Slough Fish & Wildlife Area is very unique; it's a favorite haunt for a ridiculous number of bird species, including some that are otherwise uncommon in the Midwest, like Whip-Poor-Whils (which are ADORABLE, by the way).
The area is also THE favorite spot for migrating American white pelicans, who stop here to roost a while during their long journeys northward.
Other birds you can commonly spot around here include scaup, grebes, purple Martins (an entire colony of them!), Virginia rail, marsh wren, lark sparrows, Kentucky warblers, bald eagles, osprey, and so many more. The great Sandhill crane migration also takes place in part here.
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You can find various species scattered throughout varied locations in the park.
For example, birds you'll find around J.C. Murphey Lake include the aforementioned grebes and scaup, as well as the white pelicans and bald eagles. The northern reaches of the park will be where you can find common gallinule, least bittern, and marsh wrens, and if you meander south you'll encounter the Kentucky warblers and Summer tanagers.
Perhaps the best news is that you can camp at Willow Slough, so folks who are extra-serious about their birding can spend the night and then get up with the sunrise to watch their favorite species going about their morning routines.
It's also worth noting that the Willow Slough Fish & Wildlife Area is a four-season birding area, so you can come out and birdwatch all year round. Of course, the busiest times of year are the spring and fall migrations, but you can see all sorts of critters no matter what time of year it might be.
Our personal favorite bird to see at the Area? Probably the Whip-Poor-Whils.
Seriously, though, didn't we say they're adorable? How lucky we are to live in a state where we can watch such a rich variety of otherwise uncommon critters.
In total, you've got 7,800 acres to explore and every one of them is worth the effort.
