A local naturalist is encouraging Iowans to get outside and take advantage of spring birdwatching opportunities, especially when it comes to spotting sparrows.
As aired on the Outdoors in North Iowa podcast, Franklin and Wright County Naturalist Aubrey Brandt says spring migration creates a limited window for seeing certain species as they move through the area.
“Some species of sparrow simply just fly through Iowa while migrating north to their breeding ground and south to their overwintering areas,” says Brandt. “You can sometimes see these species for just a few weeks during the spring and fall migration periods.”
Brandt says those heading outdoors this spring have a chance to spot both common backyard sparrows and species passing through the area.
“The most common in this area are the house sparrow. Possibly find some dark-eyed junkos before they fully migrate north until next winter, or maybe find a spring visitor such as the song sparrow,” says Brandt. “Use apps like Merlin Bird ID or eBird to help identify species and find birding hot spots.”
Brandt says Iowa is home to about 20 species of native sparrows throughout the year, making spring an ideal time to observe a variety of birds as they pass through the region.
You can find full episodes of the Outdoors in North Iowa podcast as well as other podcasts by visiting radioonthego.com.
