Owls and Winter Birding in the Boreal Forest of Minnesota

Owls and Winter Birding in the Boreal Forest of Minnesota
January/February 2026/ January 2027

In true winter wonderland fashion, Minnesota offers picturesque scenes of snow-covered evergreens and iced-over lakes. This Minnesota birding tour focuses on a variety of birds that use Lake Superior and the boreal forest as their winter homes. We begin in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul area where we will target several key species like Trumpeter Swan, American Tree Sparrow, Rough-legged Buzzard (Hawk) and Long-eared Owl. From here we move north to Duluth, which will serve as our home-base for the remainder of the trip. The famous USA birding location, Sax-Zim Bog, offers an incredible variety of habitats and is undoubtably one of the best places for amazing owls like Great Grey Owl, Northern Hawk-Owl and in good irruption years, Boreal Owl. Of course, the bog features more than just owls with other incredible boreal bird species including Evening Grosbeak, Pine Grosbeak, Ruffed Grouse and Black-backed Woodpecker. After a few days focused at Sax-Zim Bog, the tour moves up the coast of the mighty Lake Superior where we will search for Snowy Owl in the Duluth-Superior harbor. As we continue north, we will get to the small town of Grand Marais, typically a great area for Bohemian Waxwing. A run through Superior National Forest, and other nearby parks on the way north, offers a chance at spotting Spruce Grouse and Boreal Chickadee.

One of several species of owl on this tour, the Great Grey Owl surveys from atop its perch.

Most trips can vary depending on the irruptive finch species like Redpoll, Two-barred Crossbill, Red Crossbill and Purple Finch. We will have plenty of time in the area to ensure our best chances for all of these great species. After scoring these fantastic winter denizens and many more, the tour concludes back in Minneapolis-Saint Paul where folks can thaw out and make their journeys home after another unforgettable experience.

Another of our owl targets will be the beautiful Snowy Owl.

Itinerary (6 days/5 nights)

Day 1. Arrival at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport

After arrival, if there is time, we will bird around the Minneapolis area until dinner. We’ll bird Nicols Road Marsh and nearby parks along the river for American Tree Sparrow, Trumpeter Swan, Dark-eyed Junco, Red-bellied Woodpecker and more. Then as the sun begins to set, we will begin our search for the breathtaking Snowy Owl in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul Airport viewing area. Dinner will taste so much sweeter after a hopefully successful owl search. Then off to our hotel for a good night’s rest before starting our first full day of birding.

Overnight:  Minneapolis

Day 2. Minneapolis north to Duluth

This morning begins our first full day of birding in the winter weather of Minnesota. We will try several nearby areas for American Tree Sparrow, Trumpeter Swan and other potential waterfowl. Where we go exactly can vary year-by-year based on weather and the whereabouts of the open water. We will visit some local areas for a chance at Long-eared Owl before beginning the drive north. Along the way, there are several areas which host Rough-legged Buzzard so we will have our eyes peeled for this. Depending on how we faired the previous day and this morning with southern targets, we may have enough time to visit Canal Park and the local landfill for Glaucous and Iceland Gulls before dinner in Duluth.

Overnight: Duluth

The delightful Evening Grosbeak is often seen in Sax-Zim Bog.

Days 3-4. Birding the famous Sax-Zim Bog Important Bird Area (IBA)

These next two days will focus exclusively on birding the giant area of the Sax-Zim Bog IBA. With its combination of open meadows, aspen and thick evergreen stands, rivers, farmlands and more, it is no wonder so many boreal species call “the bog” home in the winter. Due to the extremely cold conditions of Minnesota in the winter, we will do most of our birding along the roadsides, never straying too far from the vehicle. We will cruise the roads in the mornings hopeful for a Black-billed Magpie mixed in with American Crows and Common Ravens.

The southern portion of the bog is home to a known Sharp-tailed Grouse lekking area. Using various feeder setups throughout the area will be key as several of our targets enjoy the free buffet including Pine and Evening Grosbeaks, Black-capped Chickadee, Canada Jay and even a hungry Great Grey (Northern) Shrike, from time to time. While driving around this vast area, we will keep our eyes peeled for silhouettes in the empty branches as Ruffed Grouse and North American Porcupines feed and rest. The open meadows play host to a nice variety of diurnal raptors including Bald Eagle, Rough-legged Buzzard and Northern Hawk-Owl. As day turns into evening, the anticipation builds for an appearance of the amazing Great Grey Owl silently hunting the roadsides and snowbanks. We will spend two full days exploring this amazing area which will certainly yield us some fantastic birding.

Overnight: Duluth

The adorable and quizzical Canada Jay is always a fan favorite.

Day 5. Lake Superior and Grand Marais

Today we will start our journey north to the small town of Grand Marais with a birding stop in Superior National Forest first. An early morning start will have us slowly patrolling the roadsides, searching for Spruce Grouse, which feed on the roadside grit and salt. As the sun continues to rise, finch flocks of American Goldfinches and Pine Siskins begin their sporadic flights, searching for seed pods. We will continue our birding of the great forest listening and looking for Boreal Chickadees and American Three-toed and Black-backed Woodpeckers. After a nice morning of birding, we will arrive in Grand Marais for lunch. We will scan the harbor for a potential Long-tailed Duck, Red-breasted Merganser or Common Goldeneye and search the town and recreational vehicle (RV) park for Bohemian Waxwing before making the scenic drive back to Duluth and dinner.

Overnight: Duluth

Northern Hawk-Owl will hopefully be another delight in Minnesota.

Day 6. Back to Minneapolis and departure home.

On our final day, we will make the trip south back to Minneapolis, to catch our flights home. We recommend getting an afternoon or evening flight (11am or later), if possible. Depending on timing, we may be able to make one or two more birding stops along the way. The tour will conclude with a drop-off at the Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport.

Please note that the itinerary cannot be guaranteed as it is only a rough guide and can be changed (usually slightly) due to factors such as availability of accommodation, updated information on the state of accommodation, roads, or birding sites, the discretion of the guides, and other factors. In addition, we sometimes have to use a different guide from the one advertised due to tour scheduling or other factors.

Minnesota: Set Departure Trip Report

27 JANUARY – 01 FEBRUARY 2025

By Jacob Roalef

We were treated to amazing views of the iconic Great Grey Owl  on this trip!

Overview

This tour was the first departure of back-to-back trips in Northern Minnesota, in which we partnered with Golden Gate Audubon and its members. This six-day trip began in Minneapolis, Minnesota on the 27^th of January 2025, and concluded back there on the 1^st of February. The tour visited many incredible birding sites, such as Sax-Zim Bog, the Grand Marais harbor, Palmer Lake, Nicols Road Marsh, Superior National Forest, Willowsippi Wildlife Management Area, and Lake Superior.

This was our first trip using a new route beginning in Minneapolis. The tour was able to achieve a new record high species list, including many new, first recorded species for our Minnesota tour. Bird highlights included Boreal, Great Grey, Long-eared, Barred and Snowy Owls, Northern Hawk Owl, Evening and Pine Grosbeaks, Redpoll, Canada Jay, Ruffed Grouse, Two-barred (White-winged) Crossbill, Lapland Longspur, Bohemian and Cedar Waxwings, Trumpeter Swan, American Tree Sparrow, and Great Grey (Northern) Shrike. A total of 62 bird species were seen, along with a few mammals, including Red Squirrel, White-tailed Deer, and Coyote. Full mammal and bird lists can be found at the end of the report.

This Boreal Owl slept away, to the delight of many birders, and was a true star.

Detailed Report

Day 1, 27^th January 2025. Arrival and Minneapolis birding

About half of the tour group had arrived by mid-morning, so we decided to pack in a little extra local birding nearby. We headed off for Black Dog Park. While we drove through the neighborhood, we spotted some of our first birds, House Finch and Eastern Bluebird, both great species to start the trip with. After a brief chat with a local, we made it to the park where a lovely group of American Tree Sparrows awaited us in the field nearby. From here we headed off to Nicols Road Marsh, which was hosting a real rarity for Minnesota. Upon arrival, about a dozen other birders were there, set up with scopes on the waterfowl. As we exited the van, a Belted Kingfisher sounded off and flew by, another great species to add. We walked our way down to the group of birders and they were all on the rare Mottled Duck mixed in with a few hundred Mallards. Unfortunately, it had its head tucked almost the entire time we were there, so looks were less than satisfying. However, we did manage to pull a nice Hooded Merganser out of the floating ducks, and we enjoyed our first looks at Trumpeter Swan. On our way out of the park, we pulled over to check out a very confiding Merlin perched next to the road. It was then time to fetch a few more members of our group and break for lunch. After lunch, with six out of seven of our group, more birding was on the schedule. We headed off for Palmer Lake but, unfortunately, the windy day really kept the afternoon birding slow. We noted some more common species, like Red-tailed Hawk and Bald Eagle before heading back to the MSP airport. As sunset approached, we spotted our first owl of the trip, a stunning Snowy Owl perched on a light pole! We watched as two others flew in and chased each other around, against a gorgeous sunset. What an incredible way to finish the day!

A Snowy Owl sighting was a great way to begin the trip.

Day 2, 28^th January 2025. Palmer Lake transfer north, Sax-Zim Bog

Since we had only six out of seven participants yesterday evening, the plan for this morning was clear, head back to the airport first thing. After a false alarm with a Red-tailed Hawk, we spotted a Snowy Owl atop the nearby FedEx building! A fantastic start to the morning and now we all had our first owl of the trip. From here we circled back to the nearby Black Dog Park and Nicols Road Marsh and picked up some new species like Northern Cardinal, Green-winged Teal and Blue Jay as well some important repeat species like American Tree Sparrow and Trumpeter Swan. After these quick stops, we began our journey north, with a stop at Palmer Lake. This morning the weather was much nicer and, after about 20 minutes of searching, Gail spotted the Long-eared Owl we were hoping for! This species has amazing camouflage as it tucks itself in amongst the branches. It was time to leave Minneapolis behind us and make the 2.5-hour journey to Duluth. Along the way, we managed to spot a gorgeous Rough-legged Buzzard (Hawk) hunting the fields next to the highway. We also made a stop for lunch at a fascinating place called the Little Mermaid Café, which we all enjoyed very much, before making it into Duluth.

Upon arrival, we made a quick detour to the WLSSD, otherwise known as the local dump. Here we searched through the birds to spot both Glaucous and Iceland Gulls mixed in with the group of American Herring Gulls. We were lucky too, as a Bald Eagle swooped by shortly after and the gulls all scattered and never returned. After this we made it to the hotel, had a little time to get checked in and unpacked, before loading up again to head for an evening hour at Sax-Zim Bog. We had just the right amount of time and, as we pulled up, we were greeted by some incredible views of the majestic Great Grey Owl! We watched this bird up until sunset, before heading back to Duluth for dinner and toasted an amazing owl-day that started with Snowy Owl, ended with Great Grey Owl, and had a stellar Long-eared Owl sandwiched in between.

The camouflage of this Long-eared Owl was incredible to see.

Day 3, 29^th January 2025. Sax-Zim Bog and Willowsippi WMA

After breakfast at the hotel, we set off before sunrise and headed toward Sax-Zim Bog. As we entered Arkola Road around first light, we were treated to incredibly close views of a Great Grey Owl perched on a street sign. Not a bad way to start the day. We spent some time with this owl, until it eventually flew into the woods. We continued along and made the left turn onto Owl Ave (a fitting road name) where we were treated with an adorable Barred Owl sleeping in the sun. Two owl species before 9am, this day was shaping up to be an incredible one. We spent the remainder of the morning back and forth between the Sax-Zim Welcome Center and the feeder station on Arkola Road. At the center we picked up our first finches of the trip, Redpoll, Purple Finch, and Pine Siskin. We then staked out the feeders at Arkola for about 30-40 minutes where we enjoyed Red-breasted Nuthatch, Hairy Woodpecker, Canada Jay, and a stunning male Pine Grosbeak. Once we were properly frozen, it was back to warm up inside the welcome center, of course we waved to the sleeping Barred Owl as we passed by it again. After  we warmed up with coffee and window watching feeders, we made another pass by the Barred Owl and stopped in at the Arkola feeders again. This time our persistence paid off, as a Boreal Chickadee visited the feeders. This was important, as it was a very difficult year for this species. It was then time to warm up again and fill our bellies with some tasty food from Wilbert Café.

We all enjoyed stellar views of this Northern Hawk Owl on a wire

After our tasty lunch, we made the decision to keep this positive owl luck in our favor and drive out to Aitkin County, about an hour and a half journey. It turned out to be a great decision. As we pulled up, we were greeted by our main target, the striking Northern Hawk Owl! It was a very tough year for this species, so to enjoy one perched on poles and wire was a real treat. However, while we were there, we got word of a special bird that was spotted back on Arkola Road. So, after thorough enjoyment of the Northern Hawk Owl, it was back in the vehicle and back to the bog. Thankfully we arrived in time to find about 50 other birders and photographers all aimed at a cozy, sleeping Boreal Owl! What an incredible bird and our fourth species of owl for the day, somehow breaking yesterday’s mark of three. After about 30 minutes, the sun was getting low and the Boreal Owl woke up and flew back into the woods to begin its night of hunting and surviving the cold temperatures. As we walked back to the van, we managed to finally get onto a flock of Two-barred (White-winged) Crossbills as they foraged in the treetops. Typically, this species is just a fly-by, so to get some views was really nice. It was already time to make the journey back to Duluth and celebrate an incredible, owl-filled day!

Day 4, 30^th January 2025. Sax-Zim Bog and northern forest birding

We headed north this morning, back toward Sax-Zim Bog. Along the way, as the sun began to rise, we got onto a Great Grey Owl along the roadside. It was truly spectacular to watch this amazing bird hunt for about 20-30 minutes, before it finally moved further away from the road. It’s tough to beat that start to the day. As we approached the bog, we entered through the Meadowlands, an area of pasture and farm fields. Here we managed to spot a Black-billed Magpie foraging amongst some cows.  We continued on with a quick stop at the Welcome Center to visit the restrooms and say hello to the Pine Siskins and Redpolls visiting the feeders. We cruised the bog roads but things were a bit quiet this morning, until we reached the feeder station on McDavitt Road, known as the Zabin. Here we were treated to our top target of the morning, Evening Grosbeak. It was then off to Mary Lou’s house and her fantastic feeders. We spent some time with Purple Finch, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers, and American Goldfinch, a new species for the trip.

It was a fantastic year for Purple Finch around Sax-Zim Bog.

Just outside of Mary Lou’s, we spotted a Ruffed Grouse up in an Aspen tree. We managed to back up and, for the first time all trip, everyone managed to get a nice view of the bird before it flew off into the forest. It was getting close to lunch time, so we headed off to Hibbing, where we made a short detour to visit the childhood home of Bob Dylan. Lunch was full of fun, laughs, and Bob Dylan jokes. Once we were full and warmed up, we continued our journey north through the Iron Range of northern Minnesota, until we eventually reached Plum Creek Road. We unloaded and walked along this quiet and peaceful section of the forest, listening for any signs of woodpeckers. We saw a small flock of Two-barred (White-winged) Crossbills. Just as we were about to leave, the faintest taps could be heard and, sure enough, a lovely female Black-backed Woodpecker was working near the top of the tree. After we all enjoyed this great woodpecker, we loaded back up and headed for Johnson Road nearby. Here, we experienced something very similar to the quiet and peaceful forest of Plum Creek Road. The only real difference was that this time we managed to find a male Black-backed Woodpecker working hard. It was getting late in the day, and we had ventured far to the north, so it was time to begin our drive back to Duluth and listen to some Bob Dylan tunes to close out a fantastic day of birding.

Day 5, 31^st January 2025. Lake Superior and Superior National Forest

Today, the plan was to bird along Lake Superior, cut into Superior National Forest for a bit, and really enjoy some amazing scenery along the way. We set off north along Highway 61 and stopped just outside of Duluth to take in a stunning sunrise on the lake. Along our journey we spotted two Great Grey Owls hunting the highway medians and margins. As we approached the town of Two Harbors, we cut inland towards Superior National Forest. A trio of Ruffed Grouse posed nicely for us along the roadside. Eventually we made it to Greenwood Lake, a small portion of forested land. It was beautiful but quiet and all we managed to turn up here was a  Hairy Woodpecker. We continued our drive through the scenic forest until we made it back to Lake Superior. Another hour or so later we finally arrived in Grand Marais where we took a break for lunch.

While we looked over the menu and ordered our food, we spotted a small flock of birds out of the emergency exit window. Bohemian Waxwings! We ran out of the restaurant to try for some better views, but the birds had flown off already and would have to wait for now. After a delicious lunch, we headed off in search of those waxwings around town. First, we checked out near the harbor and picked up Common Goldeneye and Red-breasted Merganser. We continued our search at the Grand Marais RV park, where we discovered a nice flock of waxwings. Most of the birds were actually Cedar Waxwings but, with careful inspection and patience, we picked out several Bohemian Waxwings as well. It was a real treat to see both species side by side at times for excellent comparisons. We enjoyed these birds in the sun for a while before it was time to load up and begin our journey back to Duluth. Along the way, we took in the scenic views of Lake Superior, before eventually stopping in Two Harbors for a quick break. Down at Agate Bay Beach we spotted a fantastic Great Grey (Northern) Shrike, our first for the trip! We made it back to Duluth with just enough time to bird around the Canal Park and Park Point areas before sunset. We added American Black Duck to our trip list, always a great species to see up close. Just as the sun was setting and conditions were dark, Dan spotted a white blob way out on the ice. We hopped out to investigate and that blob started to fly. Snowy Owl! An incredible way to cap off a great day.

The sun was perfect on this Cedar Waxwing as it gobbled up berries.

Day 6, 1^st February 2025. Highway 61 and back to Minneapolis

On our final morning, we had a little bit of time for some early birding. We packed our things and headed out for Highway 61. It was another gorgeous sunrise over Lake Superior, and it wasn’t too long before we were on a stunning Great Grey Owl perched right along the highway! We got to enjoy some quality time with this incredible species, and it even flew off and perched on the Highway 61 sign, certainly a nod to our Bob Dylan themed group. It was time to head back to Minneapolis with a stop for some coffee and delicious treats along the way. After our first round of airport drop-offs, the rest of the group still had time for some bonus birding. We ate lunch and headed out to some farm fields for more adventure.

Unfortunately, it was a very windy day, and some snow flurries didn’t help our visibility. We drove up and down some gravel roads as we searched the fields for new trip birds. Some brush along the edge of the field hosted American Tree Sparrow as well as Dark-eyed Junco, a new species. Finally, on our third pass, we stumbled into a small group of Lapland Longspurs and Horned Larks! A couple of great species to add to our Minnesota lists. As we made our final pass, we spotted a Peregrine Falcon sitting in the field, getting blasted by the wind, another new species. It was time to head back towards the airport. We picked up some new arrivals for the next tour and merged our groups for a short time. We had just enough time for a time scan of the airport area. It was a whole lot of nothing until, just before we hit the main road,  Dan spotted something. Snowy Owl! This one was incredibly close and allowed for some excellent views. A great cap on our tour and a great start for those who had just arrived! It was back to the terminal where we said our goodbyes and farewells.

This adorable Barred Owl found a great place to sleep in the warm sun.

Bird List – Following IOC (14.2)

The following notation after species names is used to show conservation status following BirdLife International: CE = Critically Endangered, EN = Endangered, VU = Vulnerable, NT = Near Threatened.

Mammal List

This is a sample trip report. Please email us ([email protected]) for more trip reports from this destination.

PREPARING FOR MINNESOTA IN WINTER

A Great Grey Owl descends silently upon an open field to catch a vole hidden in the deep snow. Flocks of colorful winter finches noisily visit a feeder, rivaling even the tanagers of the tropics in color. Grouse strut along an open field with their amazing snowshoe-like feet, perfectly adapted in both form and color to the depths of winter. These are the images that come to mind when one thinks of a birding trip to Minnesota in winter.

Although visiting this frigid state in winter may seem like madness to the uninitiated, the birds that occur in northeastern Minnesota are among some of the most special and charismatic in the world, such as Northern Hawk-Owl, Great Grey Owl, and Snowy Owl. Sitting on the southern edge of the vast boreal forest biome, northeastern Minnesota is the southern limit of distribution for many other boreal forest species that do not regularly occur further south, such as Boreal Chickadee and Grey Jay. However, one must keep in mind that a trip list to this state in January will only include about 40 or so hardy species, with few individuals overall. It will definitely be a case of quality over quantity.

Another factor to consider is the weather. Average high temperatures in Duluth in January range between 15 to 20 degrees Fahrenheit (-9 to -6 degrees Celsius), but it can potentially never go above 0 degrees Fahrenheit (-17 degrees Celsius) on some days. Although it will be very cold by most standards, most of our birding will be done along roadsides, either near or within the warmth of our vehicle. There may be a few very short walks of a couple of hundred meters/yards or less. Notwithstanding these details, please dress in multiple warm layers!

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