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Wild Animals and the Mississippi River

For more than 2,300 miles, the Mississippi River helps sustain life throughout America's central Midwest and South. North America's largest river plays a central role in the existence of hundreds of species, providing not only water, but physical spaces for traveling, mating, reproducing, foraging and hunting. The flowing water makes possible other ecosystems including wetlands, floodplains, deltas and oxbow lakes. Wildlife in the center of the continent owes its remarkable diversity to the river and its surrounding terrain.

Transitory Birds
- While some avian species, such as chickadees and crows, maintain a year-round presence in North America, many more migrate between continents, following the warmer weather south for the winter, and returning north the following summer. Migration routes for species follow historic patterns and often important topographic features as well. The Mississippi River, with its wide, open corridor, abundant food and adjacent shelter, is a commonly used flyway for many birds, including migrating waterfowl, thrushes and warblers. Its decided lack of significant or rapid elevation change also enhances its migratory appeal.
Bald Eagles
- The national bird of the United States relies on waterways of all types for its primary habitat. Bald eagles hail from the genus Haliaeetus, which include eight species of sea eagles. This ancient, global group of fishing birds dominates waterways with broad wingspans and large talons. Birders expect to see bald eagles along any stretch of the Mississippi River, drawn by its clear, open water and mid- to large-sized fish. During the summer breeding season, eagles nest near their fishing grounds in the largest bird roosts in North America. Eagles engineer these massive utilitarian nests atop large trees, frequently mature cottonwoods and oaks, and create square-footage reminiscent of college dorm rooms and masses akin to small cars.
Fish
- Waterways around the world host numerous species of fish and the Mississippi River is no exception. Hundreds of piscine species traverse the Mississippi, with species variety and frequency changing from north to south. Anglers from Minnesota and Wisconsin, with northerly climates, cold winters and colder river temperatures, find walleye, bass, and pike while fishing the continent's largest river. Further south, fish diversity increases as the river becomes increasingly brackish. The only North American paddlefish lives in the lower Mississippi River, along with cavefish, lampreys, and numerous other species.
Mammals
- Various mammals utilize the rich ecosystems of the Mississippi River. The endangered Indiana bat, for example, migrates to the area to reproduce during spring and summer months, when high insect populations allow them the greatest chance to adequately feed their young. Herbivores like deer and rabbits forage rich plant communities. Rodents such as muskrats, voles and mice use the thick vegetation as shelter and a food source. Predators such as skunks, foxes, badgers and coyotes travel up and down the river hunting these prey species.

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