Birding on the Upper Mississippi - Three Great National Parks For Bird Watching

The Mississippi River is more than just the second longest river in the United States. It's a great place for bird watching. From St. Paul to New Orleans, the Mississippi River is 2,320 miles.

Bordering ten states, birding on the Mississippi is a real treat for those who enjoy watching birds in a natural habitat. Over 300 species of birds can be seen on the Mississippi River. Forty percent of migrating birds use the Mississippi at some time during the year.

Seven National Parks along the Mississippi River make birding on the Mississippi easy. Each National Park has hiking trails that make birding spectacular. Three of these parks are in the Midwest and the remaining four are in the South.

Mississippi National Park and Recreational Area

Located near Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota, the Mississippi National Park and Recreational area, called MISS by the National Park Service, was created in 1988.

The common loon, is the state bird of Minnesota, are plentiful in the Mississippi National Park and Recreational Area. Birds in this area can include the Bald Eagle, white pelicans, cormorants, herons and egrets. With over 300 regular species and nearly forty casual species, birding in this National Park should fulfill the needs of a full range of bird watchers.

The park contains many hiking trails that over look the Mississippi River. These trails are opened year round. During the spring, summer and fall, biking trails are available. Picnic areas are located throughout the park. The park runs a Passport Program that children can enjoy by obtaining stamps in the passport at various locations in the park. When completed, the children become a Junior Ranger.

EffigyMounds National Monument

Traveling south down the Mississippi River, the Effigy Mounds National Monument is the next National Park on the Mississippi River. This National Park is in northeastern Iowa near Marquette. The mounds are considered scared ground to the sixteen American Indian tribes who have remains in these mounds.

The Mounds provide a rich history of the American Indian. After nearly forty years, the Effigy Mounds National Monument was named in 1949 by President Harry S. Truman. The Mounds were preserved for their cultural and scientific benefits.

This National Monument has activities everyone can enjoy. Guests can watch a 15-minute video on the history of the Mounds or join a tour being guided by a park ranger. Hiking trails and picnic areas are available. No archeological digs are allowed in the Park. Take along your birding binoculars to see Bald Eagles, egrets and Great Blue Herons, among other species.

The Jefferson National Expansion Memorial Park

Named for Thomas Jefferson, who expanded the United States to the West, this national park is a high-quality attraction located in St. Louis, Missouri.Gateway Arch, the Museum of Western Expansion and The Old Courthouse are part of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial Park. Each of these attractions is within walking distance of the others.

On clear days, people on the top of the Arch can see up to thirty miles with Missouri on the west and Illinois on the east. With birding binoculars, one can easily see many of the 150 of the species that are regular nest in Missouri. Melodies from songbirds can be heard in the spring, but become silent in the summer. The belted kingfishers nest year round.