Wetland and Prairie Restorations Creates Birding Hotspot at Muirhead

If you build it, they will come’ goes the quote from “Field of Dreams.”

The saying can also apply to Muirhead Springs Forest Preserve in

Hampshire, where the Forest Preserve District of Kane County has restored prairie, begun restoring wetland, and now countless birds have now come to love the newly improved habitat.

Historically, the land that makes up this preserve was mostly wet, with hydric soils present throughout much of the site. In 1860, the site was drained and turned into farmland. It remained in

agriculture for 140+ years.  

When the Forest Preserve District of Kane County acquired the initial parcels for the preserve in 2003 and 2004, the District began converting the property into a high-quality prairie

restoration. However, once additionally acquired parcels increased the footprint of the preserve, it became apparent that a wetland and creek restoration could also be incorporated.

In late 2022, the District contracted with an engineering firm

to reintroduce water at Muirhead by breaking old drain tiles underneath former farm fields. Almost immediately, with the combination of restored prairie and newly created wet

areas, waterfowl, shorebirds, gulls, terns, pelicans and many other water-related birds have flocked to the site (and so have birders to watch them).

It has been astonishing to see how quickly species have responded

to these changes. Muirhead Springs has become a hotspot for outdoor enthusiasts to see myriad bird species seldom seen elsewhere in Kane County. It’s also offered an opportunity for

skilled birders to put their shorebird identification skills to the test.

A few highlights of species spotted include Black-necked Stilt,

American Avocet, Black Tern, Wildlife Technician Notebook

Wetland & prairie restorations create birding hotspot at Muirhead

American Bittern, Horned Grebe, Phalarope, Swan and American White Pelican. There are so many new species reported, a complete list truly can’t be fit in the confines of a single article.

Looking at data from eBird.org, there has been a

91 percent increase in bird diversity just in 2023, compared to all of 2019-2022. Even when we compare total species reported from 2001-2022, there is still a 39 percent increase in bird diversity reported in 2023 alone. 

While about 70 acres have been converted to open water and wetland habitat, we are still seeing species that rely on intact grasslands, too. An incredibly rare sighting of the Say’s Phoebe — a western desert bird — was discovered here in March 2023. Other great prairie species have been or continue to be reported such as

the Lark Sparrow, Grasshopper Sparrow, Longspur and Short-eared

Owl — all of whom rely on a variety of habitats including large, high-quality grasslands. Not only has there been an

increase in grassland bird diversity, nearly every category of bird species has grown: warblers, raptors, flycatchers, swallows, shrub and woodland passerines.

It’s clear that Muirhead Springs is becoming a critical migratory stopover site. We also hope it will offer nesting

and breeding opportunities for a wider range of species, and in particular, for those listed as threatened or endangered.

Most shorebirds have flown south by now, but waterfowl numbers are increasing each week as it gets colder. The best time of year to visit to see the most species would be during the early

spring and fall migration window, which will differ depending on species. 

Regardless of time of year however, there is always something

worth seeing at Muirhead Springs Forest Preserve. Be sure to visit, and see which birds you can spot. 

This article was written by Sadie Dainko, Kane County Forest Preserve Wildlife Technician and appears in the Winter 2024 edition of the Kane County Forest Preserve's newsletter, Treeline.  To read the entire newsletter or to subscribe CLICK HERE ​