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New website a guide to Nebraska birding

A screen grab of the home page of the new Nebraska Birding Guide site that uses a sandhill crane, one of Nebraska's most iconic birds.
The new Nebraska Birding Guide website is a resource to help birders find and enjoy viewing opportunities across the state.

By Olivia DaRugna/Nebraska Game and Parks Commission

Birding is becoming one of the fastest growing outdoor recreation activities. With opportunities to observe birds from our yards to state parks, birds can be enjoyed by anyone and anywhere.

To help assist those new to birding, the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission has launched the revamped Nebraska Birding Guide website, formerly known as Nebraska Birding Trails. The site highlights the unique, wide-ranging birding opportunities across the state.

Birding opportunities are endless in Nebraska. There are colorful warblers along the wooded Missouri River, abundant shorebirds and waterfowl in the Rainwater Basin, and grassland birds in the Sandhills. Then there are the shortgrass prairie and Pine Ridge specialties of the western Panhandle.

With the diversity of birds and habitats in the state, it can be overwhelming trying to decide where to go birding. The Nebraska Birding Guide provides descriptions for 80 locations that offer great birding opportunities. Details are provided for each site, including habitat information, birds to observe, trails to explore, amenities, fees, and more.

It also showcases the unique ecological regions and habitats of the state, offering travelers opportunities to learn about the unique ecosystems they are visiting as well as the birds that inhabit them. There are so many exceptional places to discover, like the expansive Sandhills, which provide vital habitat for many species of wildlife, grassland-dependent birds and waterfowl like trumpeter swans.

The website launches just in time for Nebraska Bird Month, a celebration of birds and birding throughout May. With guided bird walks and educational programs during Nebraska Bird Month, there is no better time to start or resume this enriching hobby and connect with other nature enthusiasts. To learn more tips and resources for birding, creating bird-friendly yards, and ways to get involved with bird conservation visit NEBirdingGuide.org.

May also offers excellent birding opportunities, with the arrival of many shorebirds and songbirds flying up from their wintering grounds along the Gulf Coast or locations in Central and South America. Wetlands across the state fill with a variety of shorebirds like the American avocet and the Wilson’s phalarope, each with its own unique foraging strategy that is a joy to watch. Woodlands and riparian corridors spring alive with the beautiful and melodic warblers like the American redstart and yellow warbler. Visit the Nebraska Birding Guide to learn more about these and other peak birding experiences and that occur throughout the year.

With the launch of the Nebraska Birding Guide, both residents and visitors can learn about and enjoy some of the best birding locations in the state to create memorable experiences and a greater connection to nature through this outdoor activity.

With the many birding locations featured on the website, no matter where you are in the state, amazing birding is not far away. Learn more at NEBirdingGuide.org.

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