River Birds

River Birds. . , Seasons change. As they do, birds and other wild animals migrate from one place to the next to find food. Many birds follow the twists and turns of the Mississippi River as they journey from the northern United States to their winter breeding grounds in the south. The river provides rich habitats along the way, including abundant plantlife, an ample supply of water and lots of tree cover. , Highways in the sky , When Old Man Winter visits each year, birds in North America take flight. As they head south to their winter feeding ground and then north again in spring, they follow flyways-or highways in the sky. There are four primary flyways in North America. These routes do not have strict boundaries. In fact, there are several locations where two or more flyways overlap., The Mississippi flyway , The Mississippi flyway begins in Canada and follows the Mississippi River to the Gulf of Mexico. The Gulf region is a crucial stopover point as birds move throughout the Western Hemisphere., Bird watching , Over forty percent of the country’s migratory birds use the Mississippi flyway. That’s one reason we see lots of healthy bird populations in Helena! Make the Helena River Park your favorite spot for bird watching all year long.