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Yellow River Forest/Effigy Mounds National Mounument BCA
Continental/Global IBA
Allamakee County
Directions:
Yellow River State Forest: From the junction of Iowa Highway 364 (Great River Road) and County Road B25 in Harper's Ferry, follow CR B25 southwest for 4.8 miles to the state forest boundary. Proceed another 1.5 miles to the headquarters, on the left. Effigy Mounds National Monument: From the junction of US 18 and Iowa Highway 76 in Marquette, follow IA 76 north for 3.7 miles to the park entrance on the right.
Description:
With approximately 8,000 acres in Yellow River State Forest and over 2,500 acres in Effigy Mounds National Monument, these two areas combined make up the largest public owned forest area in northeastern Iowa. The bird diversity in these areas is significant, and certainly at least 100 breeding bird species call this area home. Iowa Endangered species, which nest here, include the Bald Eagle and the Red-shouldered Hawk. Important woodland nesters include Veery, Cerulean Warbler, Kentucky Warbler, Prothonotary Warbler, Broad-winged Hawk, Acadian Flycatcher, Louisiana Waterthrush, Pileated Woodpecker, Wood Thrush, Black-billed and Yellow-billed Cuckoos, and a host of others. With the Yellow River and Paint Creek winding through these forests, and with the Mississippi River and its associated bluffs forming the eastern boundary, there exist unique habitats which contribute to bird diversity. During migration time, this Blufflands area hosts one of the best fall raptor migration viewing spots in the state. For the last 17 years, Effigy Mounds National Monument has hosted a Hawk Watch Weekend. This Environmental Education event allows thousands of people the opportunity to view migrating raptors, while biologists record the numbers and species of raptors migrating through. A raptor banding station also occurs at this site. Migrant Peregrine Falcons are occasionally banded here, and at least one historic Peregrine cliff eyrie exists within this area.
Criteria for this site
Endangered or threatened species habitat
High conservation priority
Rare or unique habitat
Significant species concentrations
Research and monitoring
Habitats found in this site
Wetland
Woodland
Grassland
Savanna/Shrub
Riparian
Ownership
State
Federal
See the Criteria Species Data for this Site
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Birds of Iowa
Ring-necked Pheasant
© Doug Harr
Fox Sparrow
© Doug Harr
Common Yellowthroat
© Doug Harr
Lesser Scaup
© Doug Harr
Mourning Dove
© Doug Harr
Common Gallinule
© Doug Harr
Pine Siskin
© Doug Harr
Eastern Kingbird
© Doug Harr
Pine Warbler
© Doug Harr
Turkey Vulture
© Doug Harr
Western Meadowlark
© Doug Harr
Red-eyed Vireo
© Doug Harr
Tree Swallow
© Doug Harr
Merlin
© Doug Harr
Indigo Bunting
© Doug Harr
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
© Doug Harr
Sora
© Doug Harr
Ring-billed Gull
© Doug Harr
Winter Wren
© Doug Harr
Trumpeter Swan
© Doug Harr
Eastern Towhee
© Doug Harr
Belted Kingfisher
© Doug Harr
Black-billed Magpie
© Doug Harr
American Bittern
© Doug Harr
House Wren
© Doug Harr
Northern Shoveler
© Doug Harr
Yellow-headed Blackbird
© Doug Harr
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
© Doug Harr
Eastern Wood-Pewee
© Doug Harr
Blue Jay
© Doug Harr
Pied-billed Grebe
© Doug Harr
Lark Sparrow
© Doug Harr
Blue-winged Teal
© Doug Harr
White-breasted Nuthatch
© Doug Harr
Red-bellied Woodpecker
© Doug Harr
Yellow-breasted Chat
© Doug Harr
Cedar Waxwing
© Doug Harr
Lesser Yellowlegs
© Doug Harr
Barred Owl
© Doug Harr
Tufted Titmouse
© Doug Harr
American Redstart
© Doug Harr
Northern Pintail
© Doug Harr
Mississippi Kite
© Doug Harr
Scarlet Tanager
© Doug Harr
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
© Doug Harr
Gray Partridge
© Doug Harr
Song Sparrow
© Doug Harr
Broad-winged Hawk
© Doug Harr
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
© Doug Harr
Hermit Thrush
© Doug Harr
Downy Woodpecker
© Doug Harr
Common Nighthawk
© Doug Harr
House Finch
© Doug Harr
Dickcissel
© Doug Harr
Northern Cardinal
© Doug Harr
Prairie Warbler
© Doug Harr
American White Pelican
© Doug Harr
Yellow Warbler
© Doug Harr
Least Sandpiper
© Doug Harr
Great Blue Heron
© Doug Harr
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
© Doug Harr
American Goldfinch
© Doug Harr
Eastern Bluebird
© Doug Harr
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Photos: Carl Kurtz, Larry Dau, Doug Harr
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