Lesser Known Birding Hotspot: Goose Pond FWA in Indiana
Updated: May 03, 2022Goose Pond is one of the many birding hotspots that make Indiana a wonderful place for birding. Discover the species you can see.
Goose Pond FWA in Indiana has only existed for about 20 years. Prior to being restored, it was open farm land. When the Natural Resources Conservation Service got a conservation easement on the property, they started to restore 7,000 acres of land to its original wetland state. In 2005, the Indiana Department of Natural Resources purchased 8,064 acres of land including all of the 7,200 acre restoration area. The result has been the creation of one of the top birding hotspots in the Midwest.
I was lucky enough to be living only about an hour away from this property during some of the early stages of the restoration project. I visited the area often to check on the progress and to see if the birds were starting to return to the wetland. Many wetland species quickly returned to the area. Having been drained for about 100 years, I was expecting a years long process of the birds attempting to find the area again. Instead, they return almost immediately to suitable habitat.
Bird Species at Goose Pond in Indiana
Migrating shorebirds began to use the area right away. The resulting species list has been incredible. From thousands of yellowlegs to extreme rarities such as spotted redshank, you never really know what you might find during shorebird migration. A large population of Black-necked stilts also breed on the property now.
Marsh and grassland nesting birds have found Goose Pond. Spring mornings are filled with the songs of birds setting up territories and finding mates. Henslow’s and grasshopper sparrows are abundant and marsh and sedge wrens can be found with a little more work. Dickcissels can also be found throughout the property and blue grosbeaks are present in the proper habitat.
Look for Rare Birds
In addition to all of the regularly occurring birds of the property, Goose Pond seems to be a rare bird magnet! Incredible records from the property include roseate spoonbill, fulvous and black-bellied whistling ducks, hooded crane, curlew sandpiper, and neotropic cormorant. If you are hoping to find a rare bird in Indiana, Goose Pond is the place to be! Next time you find yourself in southern Indiana, I encourage you to check out this amazing hotspot.
