Birds Found in Indiana

Indiana Dunes

• Located at the southern tip of Lake Michigan, the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore is operated by the National Park Service. The park offers bird watchers a unique experience. The Great Lakes are resting and feeding spots for migratory birds. Different birds can be found in the national lakeshore at different times of the year. Some birds to be seen include gulls, warblers, loons, grebes, cormorants, bitterns, herons, swans, geese, ducks, vultures, hawks, falcons, pheasants, cranes, plovers, avocets and sandpipers.

Marsh Birds and Waterfowl

• Marsh areas and wetlands in various areas of Indiana are home to many species of birds. The Goose Pond Fish and Wildlife area in south-central Indiana is a great place to watch for ducks and geese. The Muscatatuck National Wildlife Reserve houses 280 species of birds, mostly marsh birds and waterfowl such as bitterns and ducks. The largest concentration of sandhill cranes east of the Mississippi River gathers during the birds' migration at the Jasper-Pulaski Fish &Wildlife Area.

Grassland Birds

• Indiana is mostly grassland and agricultural land. In the Nature Conservancy's Kankakee Sands, you can see grassland species such as the Dickcissel, the Blue Grosbeak, the Upland Sandpiper and the world's largest population of Henslow's Sparrow. The Hoosier National Forest is a nesting haven for Wood Thrush and the Worm-Eating and Hooded Warblers. River areas and reservoirs in the state attract Bald Eagles and Golden Eagles.

Backyard Birds

• There are several types of birds in Indiana that will eat from backyard feeders. Some, like sparrows and starlings, are plentiful across the Midwest. Some are rare, such as cowbirds and chickadees. Birds found in Indiana that will eat from a feeder include the state bird, Northern Cardinal, the White-breasted Nuthatch, the American Goldfinch, the Dark-Eyed Junco, the Brown-Headed Cowbird, the Carolina Chickadee, the Black-Capped Chickadee, the American Robin, the Downy Woodpecker, the European Starling, the House Finch, the House Sparrow, the Mourning Dove, the Song Sparrow and the Tufted Titmouse.