General
Spring Migration: During March, Nebraska hosts one of the most spectacular examples of migration, the Sandhill Crane, along the Platte River between Grand Island and Lexington. The waterfowl migration is also an exciting natural event, particularly the concentrations of a half million Snow Geese and 100,000 Greater White-fronted Geese in the Rainwater Basins.
Fall Migration: Fall migration begins in July with shorebirds (numbers peak in August). Hawk migration begins in mid-September and continues through October. Warbler migration begins in late August and peaks in early September.
Calendar
The following calendar includes information about bird migration. Data is included for the months of peak migration: March, April, May, September, October, November. Please note that arrival times can be affected by weather patterns.
For the latest sightings and locations by county, please click here
April Bird Migration Information
The following is a partial list of birds that migrate through our area and approximate times to see them. Arrival times can be affected by weather patterns.
Waterfowl:
- Common Loons, Horned and Eared Grebes, Red-necked Grebe (rare), American White Pelican, and Double-crested Cormorant (Omaha dam sites; Lake Manawa in Council Bluffs)
Raptors:
- Osprey, Turkey Vulture, Broad-winged Hawk, Swainson's Hawks (large numbers around mid month), and Peregrine Falcon (Neale Woods Nature Center; Waubonsie State Park in southwest Iowa)
Shorebirds:
- All Month: American Woodcock (Southeast corner, Lake Manawa at dawn & dusk)
- Mid Month: Piping Plover, Lesser Golden Plover, Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, Willet, Hudsonian and Marbled Godwits, Semi-palmated Sandpiper, Baird's Sandpiper, Pectoral Sandpiper, Long-billed Dowitcher, Wilson's Phalarope (Jack Sinn Wildlife Area, north Lancaster County; Rainwater Basins; flooded fields)
- Late Month: Solitary Sandpiper, Spotted Sandpiper, Upland Sandpiper, Least Sandpiper (Jack Sinn Wildlife Area, north Lancaster County; Rainwater Basins; flooded fields)
Gulls:
- Early Month: Bonaparte's Gull
- Mid Month: Franklin's Gull
Other
- All Month: Ruby-crowned Kinglet
- Early Month: Swallows: Purple Martin, Tree Swallow; Hermit Thrush; Sparrows: Chipping, Field, Savannah, Fox (leaves by middle of month)
- Mid Month: Forster's Terns; Greater Prairie Chicken (Burchard Lake Special Use Area, Pawnee County: Two blinds for public use, contact NE Game & Parks); Swallows: Barn and Northern Rough-winged; Wrens: House and Winter (leaves by end of the month); Brown Thrasher; Warblers: Yellow-rumped, Yellow-throated (Fontenelle Forest in Sycamore trees), and Louisiana Waterthrush (streams in Fontenelle Forest, Schramm; Platte River State Park); Longspurs: Smith's and Chestnut-collared (Omaha dam sites during or after snow storms. Both are rare, but migrate regularly through our area.); Sparrows: Vesper, Lark, and Grasshopper
- Late Month: Eastern Kingbird Flycatcher; Bank Swallow; Blue-gray Gnatcatcher; Warblers: Orange-crowned, Northern Parula, Black and White, and Prothonotary; Sparrows: Clay-colored, Lincoln's, White-throated, and White-crowned
