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Description
Located in Lincoln Park, Montrose Point Bird Sanctuary attracts tens of thousands of migratory birds to rest, eat, and shelter each spring and fall. It's the habitat diversity with open parkland, scattered trees, copses, shrubs, hedgerows, dunes and grassy fields that attracts the birds. But also the location along a natural corridor for migrants and the fact that Montrose Point protrudes well into Lake Michigan. A famous area is “the Magic Hedge”, a 150-yard stretch of shrubs and trees, so-called because it attracts a curiously high number of migratory birds. Over 340 species of birds have been recorded at Montrose Point Bird Sanctuary and the adjacent Montrose Beach Dunes Natural Area, making it an internationally recognized area for birding. Important migrants include most species of warblers seen in the Chicago area, thrushes, sparrows, purple martins, woodpeckers, owls, and many others.
The best birding areas, including the Magic Hedge (see star on the map) and Montrose Dunes (see star on the map), are to the east and northeast. Many rarities and vagrants have been observed in the area. Among these are Magnificent Frigatebird, Reddish Egret, Black Rail, Wandering Tattler, Ancient Murrelet, Ross's, Ivory Gull, Sandwich Tern, Cassin's Kingbird, Rock Wren, Sage Thrasher, Grace's, Kirtland's, and Townsend's Warblers, and Painted Bunting.
Details
Access
Montrose Point Bird Sanctuary is located within Lincoln Park on the north side of Chicago and is open from dawn to dusk daily. To reach the main birding areas at Montrose Point, take West Montrose Avenue (4400 North) east until you reach West Montrose Harbor Drive. Turn right (east) at West Montrose Harbor Drive and proceed about 1/5 of a mile. You can park along either side of the road. Click on the P in the map for directions or coordinates. A series of well-marked foot trails and paths wind through the area and provides opportunities to view birds in prairie, shrubland, and woodland habitats.
Terrain and Habitat
Scattered trees and bushes , Forest , Grassland , Lake , DunesConditions
Open landscape , FlatCircular trail
YesIs a telescope useful?
Can be usefulGood birding season
All year roundBest time to visit
Spring migration , Autumn migrationRoute
Wide pathDifficulty walking trail
EasyAccessible by
Foot , WheelchairBirdwatching hide / platform
NoExtra info
Photo Purple Martin by VJAnderson, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Photo the Magic Hedge by Brandon Olafsson, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons