IBA Site Information

Toolesboro Access/Odessa
State IBA
Louisa County  
Toolesboro Access/Odessa
Directions:  Out of tiny Toolesboro on state hwy. 99 simply drive northeast down Prairie St., which becomes the access road.
Description:  The access road is surrounded by heavily wooded Mississippi River backwater on both sides, which is to say swamp, the east side being private property, and always has several Prothonotary Warblers. I have had one sighting of Pileated Woodpecker while walking the dike. A wetland/pond just off the access road regularly hosts Hooded Merganser broods. A trail inland passes three ponds which have also had Prothonotaries, and most significantly I have had Yellow-crowned Night-Heron in one of these (although of course only Black-crowned Night-Heron is an IBA criteria bird). Following my report of this bird another birder found two specimens of Yellow-crowned. One would have to suspect the whole area is conducive to Black-crowned Night-Heron as well.
Criteria for this site
Rare or unique habitat
Habitats found in this site
Wetland
Riparian
Ownership
Private
State
Iowa Audubon

Birds of Iowa

  • Mourning Dove
    © Doug Harr
  • Indigo Bunting
    © Doug Harr
  • Common Nighthawk
    © Doug Harr
  • Lark Sparrow
    © Doug Harr
  • Rose-breasted Grosbeak
    © Doug Harr
  • American Goldfinch
    © Doug Harr
  • Lesser Scaup
    © Doug Harr
  • Eastern Bluebird
    © Doug Harr
  • Common Yellowthroat
    © Doug Harr
  • Ruby-throated Hummingbird
    © Doug Harr
  • Tree Swallow
    © Doug Harr
  • House Finch
    © Doug Harr
  • Lesser Yellowlegs
    © Doug Harr
  • Song Sparrow
    © Doug Harr
  • Sora
    © Doug Harr
  • Eastern Kingbird
    © Doug Harr
  • White-breasted Nuthatch
    © Doug Harr
  • Tufted Titmouse
    © Doug Harr
  • Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
    © Doug Harr
  • Winter Wren
    © Doug Harr
  • Eastern Towhee
    © Doug Harr
  • Broad-winged Hawk
    © Doug Harr
  • Yellow-breasted Chat
    © Doug Harr
  • Barred Owl
    © Doug Harr
  • Blue-winged Teal
    © Doug Harr
  • Pine Siskin
    © Doug Harr
  • Hermit Thrush
    © Doug Harr
  • Northern Cardinal
    © Doug Harr
  • Dickcissel
    © Doug Harr
  • Eastern Wood-Pewee
    © Doug Harr
  • Prairie Warbler
    © Doug Harr
  • Least Sandpiper
    © Doug Harr
  • Western Meadowlark
    © Doug Harr
  • Black-billed Magpie
    © Doug Harr
  • Gray Partridge
    © Doug Harr
  • Trumpeter Swan
    © Doug Harr
  • Pine Warbler
    © Doug Harr
  • Red-bellied Woodpecker
    © Doug Harr
  • Belted Kingfisher
    © Doug Harr
  • Yellow-billed Cuckoo
    © Doug Harr
  • American White Pelican
    © Doug Harr
  • Pied-billed Grebe
    © Doug Harr
  • Yellow Warbler
    © Doug Harr
  • Downy Woodpecker
    © Doug Harr
  • Yellow-headed Blackbird
    © Doug Harr
  • American Redstart
    © Doug Harr
  • Northern House Wren
    © Doug Harr
  • Blue Jay
    © Doug Harr
  • Mississippi Kite
    © Doug Harr
  • Ruby-crowned Kinglet
    © Doug Harr
  • American Bittern
    © Doug Harr
  • Ring-necked Pheasant
    © Doug Harr
  • Great Blue Heron
    © Doug Harr
  • Northern Shoveler
    © Doug Harr
  • Red-eyed Vireo
    © Doug Harr
  • Cedar Waxwing
    © Doug Harr
  • Northern Pintail
    © Doug Harr
  • Ring-billed Gull
    © Doug Harr
  • Fox Sparrow
    © Doug Harr
  • Common Gallinule
    © Doug Harr
  • Turkey Vulture
    © Doug Harr
  • Scarlet Tanager
    © Doug Harr
  • Merlin
    © Doug Harr

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