Bird City

Birds & birdhouse by Little Manitowoc RiverThe City of Manitowoc has received the Bird City Wisconsin (BCW) designation each year since 2011 for its "willingness to act to promote healthy bird and human populations."  Click here to see what the Manitowoc community has done in recent years in order to achieve this designation.  Signs designating Manitowoc as a Bird City have been posted on Calumet Avenue and Waldo Boulevard for visitors to see as they enter the city.

Bird City Wisconsin defines a Bird City as "a community whose government educates its citizens about birds while implementing sound conservation practices." BCW gives the following as top 10 reasons to become a Bird City:

  • Community Pride
  • Conservation Reputation
  • Save Money on Pest Control
  • Make Money (Bird watching helps the economy)
  • Ecosystem Health
  • Family & Exercise
  • Understand Nature
  • Improve the Environment
  • Do it for People (it builds community spirit)
  • Do it for the Birds (Conservation actions combat populations declines)
Lakefront Birding Area
A birding "hot spot" was identified at the Manitowoc Containment Disposal Facility (CDF) / Lakeview Park in 2016.  This harbor area has been outstanding for birds, including sightings of the white-winged tern.  Many individuals from the Wisconsin Society for Ornithology have visited the area.  A photo of Ruddy Turnstones is featured on the sign.  As part of the 2017 Bird Migration Celebration, the birding hot spot was named the Manitowoc Lakefront Birding Area and was "designated in honor of Dr. Charles Sontag, Emeritus Professor Biology at the U.W. Manitowoc, whose 50 years of daily observations revealed that more than 300 species of birds have been found at that single location."  The Manitowoc Marina has a harbor cam which can be helpful to view birds in this area.

Purple Martins

The Woodland Dunes Nature Center & Preserve staff installed purple martin birdhouses in 2017 at the City of Manitowoc CDF in the Manitowoc Harbor.  Martins enjoy visiting the area, and the birdhouses will encourage them to nest in the area.  Martins are beneficial to the area, because they eat lots of mosquitoes and flies. Click here for a link to a video about purple martins by the Wisconsin Society for Ornithology or here for a link to Cornell University's online bird guide about purple martins.
Other Related Links:
 
 American Bird Conservancy (offers quick affordable ways to keep birds from hitting your windows)

 BirdCast (bird migration forecasts in real-time)

 Briess Grain Elevator Live Falcon Cam 

 Cats Indoors Initiative by the American Bird Conservancy
 
 Cornell Lab of Ornithology (offers safe window publications to reduce window  collisions)

 Great Wisconsin Birding & Nature Trail

 Invasive Plants Association of Wisconsin

 Lakeshore Invasive Species Management Area
 
 Lakeshore Natural Resource Partnership

 World Migration Bird Day
 
 Woodland Dunes Nature Center & Preserve (webcams to view birds, information regarding area birding events, free roaming cats, invasive species, etc.)