Judd Brink is a local guide and naturalist who provides a weekly birding report during the spring bird migration, the summer nesting season, and the fall bird migration for Visit Brainerd. This is the 12th season Judd has provided birding reports about the Brainerd Lakes Area in Central Minnesota.

Birds Spotted in the Brainerd Area:

Common Raven, Turkey Vulture, Bald Eagle, Osprey, Red-tailed Hawk, American Kestrel, Broad-winged Hawk,Cooper’s Hawk, Green Heron, Sandhill Crane, Belted KIngfisher, Cliff Swallow, Tree Swallow, Purple Martin, Chipping Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Hooded Merganser, Woodduck, Common Nighthawk, Cedar Waxwing, Eastern Bluebird, Trumpeter Swan, House Finch, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Northern Cardinal, Brown Thrasher, Gray Catbird, Baltimore Oriole, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, American Goldfinch, Indigo Bunting, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Red-headed Woodpecker, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Yellow Warbler, American Redstart, Chestnutsided-Warbler, Eastern Kingbird, Eastern Phoebe, Red-eyed Vireo, Ovenbird, Eastern Towhee, Common Loon, Ring-billed Gull, Common Tern and Killdeer. Happy Birding!

If you want to share a photo or have a unique bird sighting please email them to Judd Brink.

Brainerd Area Birding Locations:
  • French Rapids ( Mississippi River): Waterfowl
  • Kiwanis/Rotary Park (Mississippi River): Waterfowl and Warblers
  • Northland Arboretum: Sparrows, Warblers and Tanagers
  • Crow Wing State Park: Songbirds, Waterfowl and Warblers
  • Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge: Sandhill Cranes

Judd Brink is the owner of MN Backyard Birds and can help make your home and or business more active and attractive for our feathered friends with bird-scaping. This is a great time to think about bird-scaping your yard to help attract more colorful birds. Ask for native fruiting trees and shrubs to plant around the house or cabin to bring in more birds naturally.

We hope you can share the joy of watching birds from your home or with others when visiting one of the many great birding areas found in the Brainerd area.

Plan your birding trip to Brainerd/Baxter, MN, today. There are a variety of hotel accommodations, wonderful dining, and a lot of other indoor and outdoor activities to enjoy.