Birds in Ohio

Ohio should be among the top states you should visit for birding, as it is but a giant nest to a wide array of bird species. The people in Northwest Ohio proudly call the state as the world’s warbler capital and even have a spring festival, also known as American birding’s biggest week. A large number of migrating songbirds stop by the state before they’re ready to reach their destination, calling for a huge gathering of birdwatchers.

What Is The State Bird Of Ohio?

Declared as Ohio’s state bird in 1933, you would be surprised to know the Northern Cardinal used to be a rarity in the state. As Ohio used to have denser forests, it didn’t suit Cardina’s taste for a mixed environment. Once they started cutting forests down for construction and fuel purposes, Cardinals began to fly and settle in.

What Are The Top Spots to Go Bird Watching In Ohio?

At a distance of 30 miles from Cleveland, Headlands Beach State Park is a perfect area. Sand beach, woodlands, oak and cottonwoods, and dunes characterize the area, making it perfect for migratory birds. Gulls, grebes are common while Scoter and Long-tailed Duck are a rare sight. In winter, you might come across Snow Bunting and Lapland Longspur.

Cuyahoga Valley National Park is where you will find Cerulean Warblers and Yellow-throated warblers mostly around spring and summer.

Metzger Marsh Wildlife Area is one of Ohio’s most easily accessible birding sites, with plenty of opportunities for you to come across Black-crowned Night-Heron and Snowy Egret. The latter is a common sight during summers and Common Gallinule and Swamp Sparrow dwell all year round.

GET KIDS BIRD WATCHING

How Many Birds Can You See In Ohio?

Ohio’s bird species count is lower than a lot of states with it being 420, but nevertheless, the state has some of the most beautiful birds in the United States. The County of Cuyahoga has at least 347 species. Lucas, Lake, Ottawa, and Lorain have a count of 345, 337, 334, and 324 respectively. These 5 counties should be enough to fulfill your desire for spotting birds in Ohio.

An obvious hotspot of Ohio is Headlands Beach SP with a bird species count of 288. Metzger Marsh Wildlife Area and         Killdeer Plains Wildlife Area come next with 284 and 283. You are sure to see the finest birds of Ohio in these places.

Top Birds To See In Ohio

If you’re a particular Warbler enthusiast, then Ohio is the perfect state. The most sought-after bird here is the Chestnut-Sided Warbler. This colorful bird is usually found in the northern side of the state. It flaunts five different colors – white, yellow, brown, black, and lemon-yellow.

You will find Bobolinks on the meadows of Ohio, mainly in the central and northern side. Commonly spotted during summer, this small black colored bird has intricate markings on its wings. It also has a light yellowish shade on top of its head.

Common Birds To See In Ohio

Great Horned owl is quite common in Columbus. It also sees a fair amount of Carolina Wren and Pileated woodpecker.

Cleveland has a lot of Henslow’s sparrows in its backyard. Barred owls and Carolina chickadees are quite common as well.

Final Thoughts

If you’re a birdwatcher, you can’t miss out on birds in Ohio. The sheer number of Warbler alone in the state makes it worth visiting.