Winter Bird Watching In Hancock County

Wildlife officials in Ohio are reminding people that the spring and summer are not the only times of the year to go bird watching.

While some species move south for the winter, many resident birds like northern cardinals, screech-owls, woodpeckers, and hawks stay.

And the Ohio Department of Wildlife says that snow buntings, pine siskins, northern shrikes, and dark-eyed juncos all make their way from Canada to visit.

Other visitors include sandhill cranes, tundra swans, snowy and short-eared owls.

Tim Kleman is a program specialist with the Hancock Park District.

As Tim mentioned in the audio above, one of the best places to get started bird watching is in your own backyard.

And he says there are plenty of bird watching opportunities at their parks.

“Personally I like to go out to Riverbend and Oakwoods and Litzenberg to go looking for birds.”

He said the reservoir is also a good area to watch birds.

Kleman said as you’re out bird watching there is a chance you’ll see a bald eagle or two, as northwest Ohio has the highest population of bald eagles in the lower 48 states.

He says there are about 13 bald eagle nests in the Findlay area.

Get more bird watching ideas and events by checking out the Hancock Park District’s website here or the Ohio Division of Wildlife here.