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 11th season Judd has provided birding reports about the Brainerd Lakes Area.

Birds Spotted in the Brainerd Area:

Today’s birding report comes from the Brainerd lakes area: Virginia Rail, Sora Rail, Green Heron, Great-blue Heron, Ring-billed Gull, Belted Kingfisher, Common Yellowthroat, Yellow Warbler, Swamp Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Red-winged Blackbird, Trumpeter Swan, Woodduck, Mallard, Blue-winged Teal, Hooded Merganser, Common Merganser, Common Loon, Sandhill Crane, Red-eyed Vireo, Scarlet Tanager, Great-crested Flycatcher, Eastern Kingbird, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Ovenbird, Clay-colored Sparrow, Chipping Sparrow, Cedar Waxwing, Black and White Warbler, Chestnut-sided Warbler, American Redstart, Golden-winged Warbler, Pine Warbler, Cliff Swallow, Purple Martin, Barn Swallow, Tree Swallow, Eastern Bluebird, House Wren, Sedge Wren, Brown Thrasher, Gray Catbird, Northern Cardinal, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Baltimore Oriole, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Common Raven, Bald Eagle, Turkey Vulture, Red-tailed Hawk, Broad-winged Hawk, Cooper’s Hawk, Peregrine Falcon, Osprey, Pileated Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Wild Turkey, House Finch, Purple Finch, Red-breasted Grosbeak, American Goldfinch and indigo Bunting! Happy Birding! If you want to share a photo or have a unique bird sighting please email them to info@birdminnesota.com.

Summer 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
Tips for Attracting Birds:

Here are a few ideas on what you can do to help attract them. This is still a good time to think about native plantings that can provide fruits, cover, nesting and shelter! It’s still bear season in the area with numerous reports of them coming to feeders. It’s best to keep your seed inside (garage or shed). Please bring in feeders each evening or possibly leave them empty for a while until the bear leaves the area. Do NOT contact the DNR; they are going to tell you the same thing. You might also start to notice less activity at the feeders, this is common as the birds are now using their natural food sources.

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! 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 lakes.