Birding and Wildlife
Aitkin County is a birder’s paradise. The county offers nearly one million acres if public forest land that is available for birding. Rice Lake National Wildlife Refuge and Savanna Portage State Park are just two of the areas for birding opportunities. Aitkin County covers 1, 828 square miles of varied habitat, including forested upland, marshland, tamarack bog, open farmland, and numerous lakes and rivers. Wild Bird magazine featured Aitkin County in their Sept 1997 edition as a year-round birding hotspot. The region is host to the Sharptail Grouse, all breeds of ducks, swans, and geese, and many small birds such as the Yellow Rail, the Pine Grosbeak, and the Bohemian Waxwing. You’ll see the great Gray Owl, the Hawk Owl and the beautiful Bald Eagle. The Minnesota’s most recognizable bird, the Common Loon, is plentiful and easily spotted in this area.
Birding Links