Happy Spring and Happy Birding! It’s great to be back with the weekly birding reports for the beautiful Brainerd Lakes Area. This weekly birding report is provided by Visit Brainerd in partnership with local guide and naturalist Judd Brink. We hope you will follow these reports, learn something and enjoy! If you want to share a photo, or have a unique bird sighting, please email them to Judd.

Pictured left to right: Bullock’s Oriole, Great Blue Heron and Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

Birds Observed This Past Week in the Brainerd Lakes Area

Birds observed this past week in the Brainerd Lakes area includes: Bald Eagle, Turkey Vulture, Red-tailed Hawk, Broad-winged Hawk, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Cooper’s Hawk, Osprey, Merlin, Peregrine Falcon, Blue-headed Vireo, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Common Loon, Woodduck, Hooded Merganser, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Towhee, White-throated Sparrow, Bluebird, Brown Thrasher, Wild Turkey, Fox Sparrow, Great-blue Heron, Trumpeter Swan, Tree Swallow, Pileated Woodpecker, Phoebe, Red-winged Blackbird, Goldfinch, Chipping Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Sora Rail, Raven, Palm Warbler, Killdeer, Ring-neck Duck, Northern Flicker, Northern Oriole and Bullock’s Oriole. Happy Birding!

Rare Bird Alert

A Bullock’s Oriole is currently being seen in the Riverton area. This is ONLY the fifth recorded for the entire state of Minnesota! The range for this bird is found out west. See photo attached, keep a lookout for any rare or unusual birds that may visit your feeders!

Other Birding News and Tips

Now is the time to place your Oriole and Hummingbird feeders out. Make sure you clean them out before filling up.

  • For Orioles providing jelly, mealworms and orange halves is a great way to attract them.
  • For Hummingbirds the sugar water ratio is 4 cups of water to 1 cup of sugar.  No need to add any red dye!

More Birdscaping tips coming soon on how you can attract and enjoy more birds at home!

Birding Kits

Go birding today and use our birding kits which are available for your birding convenience during your stay in the Brainerd Lakes area. Find more information on the Bird Watching.

Please report any unusual birds to Judd Brink via email. Please include a photo and or a brief description in the email if possible.