Watch for osprey feeding on fish while perched in shoreline trees.
NPS/VanTatenhove
Common Riverway Species
You are likely to see these species on most stretches of the Riverway and during most seasons of year with the exception of winter.
Bald Eagles
Over 30 pairs are known to nest on or near the St. Croix and Namekagon rivers.
Large concentrations of eagles heading north are common after ice breakup.
Eagles are abundant at times with 30-40 birds seen per hour in St. Croix Falls during fall migration.
You can see occasional year-round resident birds near open water, especially between Highway 8 and the hydroelectric dam.
Osprey
Osprey breed within the park boundaries, building nests similar to eagle nests.
Watch for interactions between ospreys and bald eagles.
Common Mergansers
Swimming groups, containing multiple females with broods of their young, are common on the rivers.
They dive for fish and are sometimes called "sawbills" because of their serrated beaks.
Great Blue Heron
Several heron rookeries are located on or near the rivers.
Watch for them stalking prey near the shoreline.
Turkey Vultures
These large birds gather over the dam in St. Croix Falls and Taylors Falls, riding the thermal air currents as they rise.
They hold their wings in a "V" and tip from side to side as they soar.
A prothonotary warbler shows its colors.
Brian Collins
Home to Uncommon Species
The Riverway is a stronghold for these birds which are sometimes rare in other places.
Red-shouldered Hawks
The St. Croix River is one of the best places in Minnesota and Wisconsin to find these birds.
Common from St. Croix State Park south on the St. Croix.
Prothonotary Warblers
These birds nest in tree cavities in bottomland forests and are common south of St. Croix Falls/Taylors Falls, especially along the smaller back channels.
Golden-winged Warblers
The Riverway is located at the heart of their breeding range.
See them north of Highway 70 on the St. Croix and on the Namekagon River.
This species is under consideration for the Federal Threatened and Endangered Species List.
Trumpeter Swans
Successfully reintroduced to this area in the 1980s.
Some birds wear yellow collars with numbers that help biologists track individuals and estimate populations.
In winter, they congregate on the St. Croix River near Nevers Dam Landing and at the mouth of the Willow River in Hudson—anywhere near open water.
Louisianna Waterthrush
Listed as rare by the State of Wisconsin and of special concern by the State of Minnesota.
Requires mature forest in wet areas.
Frequently found along rocky, swift flowing streams in forested steep sided valleys.
Cerulean Warbler
Listed as threatened by the State of Wisconsin and of special concern by the State of Minnesota.
These birds prefer lowland deciduous forests dominated by mature stands of trees.
Last updated: April 30, 2019
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Contact Info
Mailing Address:
401 North Hamilton Street
St. Croix Falls,
WI
54024