Water Fowl Migration Hits the Heart of the Season

Thousands of geese, ducks, and swans passing through Greene County, Iowa

Mar. 20, 2026 at 3:31pm

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With warmer temperatures across Iowa, the annual water fowl migration season is in full swing. Jefferson bird enthusiast Matt Wetrich says mid-February marks the start of this migration, with the heart of the season happening right now. Wetrich explains that the timing is driven more by hormonal changes and day length rather than just weather conditions.

Why it matters

The water fowl migration is an important annual event in Iowa, with thousands of geese, ducks, and swans passing through the region. This provides birdwatchers and nature enthusiasts opportunities to observe these migratory patterns and the diverse array of waterfowl species that call the Midwest home.

The details

Wetrich notes that the prairie pothole regions of the northern Great Plains, including southwest Minnesota, northern Nebraska, and the Dakotas, are major breeding grounds for many waterfowl species. He recommends visiting habitats like Goose Lake, Snake Creek Marsh, and Dunbar Slough in Greene County to see the most birds, with the ideal viewing time around sunrise.

  • Mid-February marks the start of the water fowl migration season in Iowa.
  • Right now is the heart of the water fowl migration season.

The players

Matt Wetrich

A bird enthusiast from Jefferson, Iowa who provides insights on the annual water fowl migration.

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What they’re saying

“Really, it's a hormonal switch. A lot of that is triggered by day length, which is why it's not so much weather-driven by a lot of these things, it's photo period. So meaning, length of daylight that triggers different hormones kicking in for birds. So, that triggers them migrating, that triggers them to sing, it triggers them to do some of their courtship displays, things like that.”

— Matt Wetrich, Bird enthusiast

What’s next

April is the time frame when more shore and song birds will be migrating through Iowa from the south.

The takeaway

The annual water fowl migration is a natural spectacle in Iowa, driven more by hormonal changes and day length than just weather conditions. Birdwatchers can take advantage of this seasonal event by visiting key habitats in Greene County to observe the thousands of geese, ducks, and swans passing through the region.