The Mississippi River Flyway is the most important avian migratory route in North America . A total of 326 bird species - fully one-third of all species on the continent – use the river valley as a spring and fall migratory flyway, including forty percent of all the waterfowl in North America .

The Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge caps the Flyway's northern zone. It is an area of unequalled birding opportunity. It includes nearly all of Wisconsin 's Great River Road . It harbors a variety of birding habitat – marshland, backwater sloughs, rich bottomland, open water, sand prairie, and wooded bluffs. The river is a vital spring and summer nesting area for many species. Even in winter, the river's open water is a gathering spot for resident northern bird populations, including the bald eagle.

So, bring the binoculars.

The Audubon – Upper Mississippi River Campaign has produced a handy set of fifteen large foldout maps detailing hundreds of birding locations along the river. The maps collectively describe the Great River Birding Trail. Much of the birding information in this booklet comes from those maps. Wisconsin 's portion of the river is described on maps 5, 6 & 7. Maps are available at these three Wisconsin Travel Information Centers located along the state's border: in Grant County on Hwy. 61/151 (just across the river from Dubuque ); at La Crosse on Interstate 90; and at Hudson on Interstate 94 (just across the St. Croix River ).

Also, consider these Web sites:

National Audubon Society: www.audubon.org
Wisconsin Society for Ornithology: www.uwgb.edu/birds/wso
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources: www.dnr.state.wi.us
Mississippi River Parkway Commission: www.mississippiriverinfo.com
Mississippi Valley Partners: www.mississippi-river.org
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Services: www.fws.gov/midwest