What is your favorite telltale sign that spring has arrived? Is it the robins in the yard? The beautiful prairie crocuses popping up? Perhaps it is the sight and sound of geese flying overhead back to their northern summer home. North Dakotans in the central flyway may have already noticed the annual snow geese migration starting in March. There are many more birds that’ll be flying over the state in the coming weeks – so be on the lookout! Here’s what you need to know about the snow geese migration in North Dakota:
It’s that time of year again! Snow geese, characterized by their bright white bodies and black-tipped wings, are flying over central North Dakota by the thousands.
Krista Lundgren/USFWS/Flickr
Every year, these geese travel hundreds of miles from as far south as Mexico all the way to the farthest north reaches of Canada to breed and nest.
Krista Lundgren/USFWS/Flickr
North Dakota is right in their spring migration path, resulting in some spectacular sights every year. As soon as the ice starts to melt on the many ponds and lakes, you can expect to see them.
Krista Lundgren/USFWS/Flickr
The first flocks early on may be impressive at first…
Krista Lundgren/USFWS/Flickr
…but if you have the pleasure of seeing flocks during the peak times of the migration, you’re in for an unforgettable scene!
Rick Bohn/USFWS/Flickr
Single flocks of snow geese have been recorded to have millions of birds and be over a mile long. This photograph taken over North Dakota’s Prairie Pothole region, the most popular region to see them, was of one such flock.
Rick Bohn/USFWS/Flickr
The photograph below has 75,000 birds in a single shot. All of those tiny white dots are all birds - wow!
Keith Frankki/USFWS/Flickr
The snow geese migration of spring 2021 is expected to peak around the beginning of April. The wildlife refuges of central North Dakota are their common stopping grounds, so if you want to see them, head to one of those!
Rick Bohn/USFWS/Flickr
Wildlife refuges are essential places for the snow geese to rest during their long journey, and it helps that North Dakota has the most wildlife refuges than any other state in the country to preserve these places for them. Here are a few beautiful refuges and other parks in the state you can visit.
Krista Lundgren/USFWS/Flickr
Rick Bohn/USFWS/Flickr
Keith Frankki/USFWS/Flickr
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