Birding & Wildlife Watching
What's new this season
The wild doesn't perform on cue, but it gathers on a schedule — and that schedule comes back around every year. Every season has its own show. Here's what to look for right now, and where to check for what's moving today.
No matter when you read this, something is happening outside. Missouri's wildlife runs on a yearly cycle, so each season hands you a different show — and the calendar always loops back around. Right now we're in summer, so start there, then read ahead to see what's coming next.
☀️ Right now — summer (June–August)
Summer (June–August) — nesting and southern specialties. Birds raise their young; the southwest glades hold their rare specialties; hummingbirds and butterflies build up (monarchs too); fireflies light warm Ozark nights; and shorebirds peak in August.
The year, season by season
Every season has its show
🌱 Spring
March–May
Spring (March–May) — migration and courtship, the richest season. Warbler and songbird migration peaks late April into May (if you go out once a year, go in May). The last snow geese head north (the spring return at Loess Bluffs usually peaks around mid-March), prairie-chickens boom at dawn (rare), frogs sing, and hummingbirds return.
☀️ Summer
June–August
Summer (June–August) — nesting and southern specialties. Birds raise their young; the southwest glades hold their rare specialties; hummingbirds and butterflies build up (monarchs too); fireflies light warm Ozark nights; and shorebirds peak in August.
Happening now
🍂 Fall
September–November
Fall (September–November) — migration in reverse. Hawks stream south (sometimes in swirling 'kettles'), monarchs migrate, elk bugle at Peck Ranch (Sept–Oct), and the fall snow geese at Loess Bluffs usually peak mid-to-late November.
❄️ Winter
December–February
Winter (December–February) — the great gatherings. Bald eagles concentrate along open water below dams — Missouri is one of the best states in the lower 48, with 2,000+ eagles in winter (best December–February, many sites strongest late December into January). Eagle Days events make it easy (some require registration). Snow geese, trumpeter swans, and ducks crowd the refuges.
The daily clock
The daily clock: dawn is best for most birds and mammals; dusk brings out owls, deer, and short-eared owls.
Weather matters
Weather matters: a calm morning after a spring cold front drops migrants out of the sky, and the coldest snaps push the most waterfowl and eagles to open water.
What's moving right now?
What's moving right now? Use BirdCast during spring and fall migration for live migration forecasts, eBird for recent hotspot sightings and seasonal bar charts, and the Loess Bluffs weekly survey for current goose and eagle counts.
Ready to pick a spot for this season's show? See Where to watch for the refuges, wetlands, prairies, and free nature centers — and What you'll see for the cast of characters by habitat. And on a warm summer night the show moves to the sky — fireflies, then the stars themselves: see the Dark Skies hub. If you run into an animal up close instead of watching one from afar, the Wildlife hub covers what to do.
Before you go
Missouri Porch explains; the season and the wildlife decide.
Last checked: 2026-06-18. Check the managing area or refuge for current hours, closures, and rules before you go — and check eBird for what's being seen right now.
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