Tour Highlights

• Based out of one hotel, we will explore northern Minnesota in winter for a variety of owls, winter finches, boreal specialties, gulls, and other notable species! 

• 9 owl species have been seen previously including Snowy Owl, Great Gray Owl, Northern Hawk Owl, and Boreal Owl!

• A full suite of boreal specialties are possible including Spruce Grouse, Rough-legged Hawk, Black-backed Woodpecker, Northern Shrike, Boreal Chickadee, Bohemian Waxwing, 8 different winter finches including Pine Grosbeak and Redpoll, and other songbirds like Snow Bunting and American Tree Sparrow!

• Stunning winter landscapes, special wildlife experiences, and Duluth’s cozy vibes fill out a really fun week birding northern Minnesota despite winter’s bitter cold!

Tour Description:

Minnesota provides a wonderfully rewarding experience to birders brave enough to venture into its frigid, snow-covered winter landscapes. This short 5-day tour of Minnesota’s northwoods highlights quality over quantity - looking for elusive northern owls, winter finches, grouse, and other boreal specialties. Our trip may not often exceed 50 species, but there are always sure to be some heavy-hitters on that list!

Northern owl species are the biggest attraction, especially during irruption cycles. Though abundance and distribution of each species vary largely from year-to-year, peak years can showcase incredible daytime encounters with these rare birds. From the nearly mythical Great Gray Owl, to the ‘bog-bullet’ Northern Hawk Owl, to the tiny duo of Boreal Owl and Northern Saw-whet Owl! The quintessential Snowy Owl is a major target too! Each year the owl diversity differs dramatically, but we’ll always try our hardest to track down these incredible birds throughout the extensive bogs, meadows, lakeshore, and boreal forests of northern Minnesota. Depending on snow depth and ice-cover we may find other winter raptors like Rough-legged Hawk, Bald Eagle, Red-tailed Hawk, and Peregrine Falcon. Of course, the holy grail of boreal raptors is the American Goshawk!

We’ll spend 3 full days traversing remote rural roads and touring Black Spruce/Tamarack forests exploring the famous Sax-Zim Bog and Superior National Forest looking for boreal specialties like Black-backed and American Three-toed Woodpeckers, Boreal Chickadee, Canada Jay, and Northern Shrike. We’ll visit local bird-feeders to look for Redpolls and Pine Siskins. Colorful winter finches like Pine Grosbeaks, Purple Finches, Evening Grosbeaks and adorable little Red-breasted Nuthatches also frequently visit feeders. Depending on the cone crop, there can be many ‘wild’ encounters away from feeders too. Red Crossbill and White-winged Crossbill never visit feeders, instead they roam the forests for cone-laden conifers. Snow Buntings can sometimes be found quietly foraging on bare ground along roadsides, totally camouflaged with the surrounding snowy landscape. We’ll check berry-laden bushes for flocks of hungry Bohemian Waxwings too!

Heading out in the early mornings to cruise the forest roads can produce Spruce Grouse sightings, while Sharp-tailed Grouse can be found foraging in open snowy fields, and Ruffed Grouse may climb high into birches to feed on catkins. Sax-Zim Bog also hosts the eastern-most population of Black-billed Magpie! Common Ravens and American Crows are abundant.

The bustling, midwestern city of Duluth rises up from the western tip of Lake Superior. We’ll use Duluth as our base for this tour, and will search any open bodies of water along the lakeshore for lingering waterfowl and gulls. Trumpeter Swan, Common Goldeneye, American Black Duck, Red-breasted Merganser, “Thayer’s” Iceland Gull, Glaucous Gull, and Great Black-backed Gulls are all possible. Of course, wherever ducks are congregated there are sure to be predators patiently waiting nearby… keep a close eye on buildings, dunes, and smoke-stacks for Snowy Owls, Bald Eagles, Peregrine Falcons, and maybe even a rare Gyrfalcon! We’re still waiting for that one…

Beyond the birding potential, exploring this region in the dead of winter provides the thrill of the unexpected. This vast landscape is home to many cryptic animals and you never know what might cross the road up ahead… American Marten, Red Fox, Snowshoe Hare, porcupine, and even Gray Wolf, Fisher, and Canada Lynx are possible! While the former are somewhat regular, the latter have each only been seen once in 13 tours. White-tailed Deer are fairly common, and Moose are rare but present. Keep your eyes peeled! There’s more to see than just birds!

Sparkling scenery dotted with picturesque barns and frozen lakes inspires photographers, birders, and nature-lovers alike. Our short tour each February yields a great appreciation for the harsh yet beautiful climate. Our focus will be to track down as many winter boreal specialties as we can, but our pace allows for an educational and rewarding experience. We will discuss the cycles of boreal specialties, the adaptations these animals have to survive in this challenging environment, and the conservation efforts working to protect wildlife in this region. Join us for this unique experience as we search for winter specialties in northern Minnesota! It is sure to be the trip of a lifetime! Just remember to wear layers!

Brief Itinerary:

Day 1 – Arrivals to Duluth International Airport (DLH) no later than noon/12pm. Duluth & Superior hotspots for gulls, ducks, and Snowy Owls! Night in Duluth.

Days 2 through 4 – Based out of one hotel in Duluth, we can customize each day’s itinerary based on our best options taking the weather and recent sightings into consideration. Each of the three full days will begin pre-sunrise, with one very early morning. We will visit many from Duluth, to Sax-Zim Bog, Two Harbors, and beyond! Many hours spent cruising snow-covered roads in search of owls, finches, and other wintertime specialties. Nights in Duluth.

Day 5 – Morning birding and mid-day departures from Duluth International Airport (DLH).

Number of times run: 13

Average species total: 47

Please plan arrivals to Duluth International Airport (DLH) and transfer to the hotel for check-ins. Switch to your winter gear, and we will depart at 12:30pm to spend our first afternoon birding hotspots along Lake Superior’s vast shoreline. We will search for waterfowl on pockets of open water like Trumpeter Swan, American Black Duck, Common Goldeneye, merganser, and any ‘seaducks’ like scoters or Long-tailed Duck. The Great Lakes are famous for their gull concentrations and species diversity, and we have a chance to see up to 5 species during February. In the past, we’ve seen Ring-billed Gull, American Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Glaucous Gull, and Iceland Gull (mostly Thayer’s type)!

For the evening, our main target will be to track down a Snowy Owl, and often the best odds are across the St. Louis River in Superior, Wisconsin! This also gives us an excuse to look for a few birds for your Wisconsin state list! Often Northern Shrike, Common Raven, Bald Eagles, Red-tailed Hawk, and various winter finches are around. Night in Duluth.

During these three full days we will thoroughly explore the Northwoods. From the bogs, scrublands, and meadows of Sax-Zim Bog to the old-growth spruce forests of Superior National Forest, to the frozen shoreline of Lake Superior – we will search far and wide for wintertime specialties! Our guides are experienced and very knowledgeable about the region and know where to be to get the wildlife! Each night is based out of the same hotel.

We will begin pre-sunrise and set off for our first site, often to Sax-Zim Bog in search of Great Gray Owls and other owl species! Recent sightings and weather conditions will dictate where exactly we go each day, but we are sure to make the most of it! Dress warm, bring your camera, and let’s get out there exploring!

The owls are the primary focus of this trip, and a whopping 9 species have been seen on this tour over the years. Snowy Owl, Northern Hawk Owl, Great Gray Owl, and Barred Owl are the most regular - though not present every season. But as with most species living at these extreme latitudes, their populations fluctuate dramatically year-to-year as the owl species adjust to prey availability and weather conditions. Some years we’ve seen 0 Great Gray Owls, and other years we’ve seen 12 in one day! Less common owls we’ve also found include Great Horned Owl (including the Subarctic subspecies),  Boreal Owl, and Northern Saw-whet Owl. Unusually warm temperatures and minimal snow cover in 2026 produced our first sightings of Long-eared Owl and Short-eared Owl at Sax-Zim! 

In addition to the owls, the other regional specialties feature an all-star list of classic boreal species including American Goshawk (rarely seen), Rough-legged Hawk, American Three-toed Woodpecker, Black-backed Woodpecker, Pileated Woodpecker, Northern Shrike, Canada Jay, Black-billed Magpie, Boreal Chickadee, Brown Creeper, Bohemian Waxwing, Snow Bunting, American Tree Sparrow, and Dark-eyed Junco!

Some boreal gamebirds can be found quietly lurking the northwoods, including Wild Turkey, Ruffed Grouse, Sharp-tailed Grouse, and Spruce Grouse. Numbers vary, but we will try our hardest to spot these unique birds! 

The diversity of winter finches in northern Minnesota is fantastic, with 8 species possible including Pine Grosbeak, Evening Grosbeak, Purple Finch, Redpoll (both Common and, rarely, Hoary types), White-winged Crossbill, Red Crossbill, Pine Siskin, and American Goldfinch! As with most species here, numbers of each can fluctuate year-to-year from none to hundreds!

We will spend a few hours birding in the morning as time allows based on people’s flights. Often we visit the Lake Superior shoreline to check for any waterfowl, gulls, or other species we haven’t seen yet or need better views of. Please plan for morning or mid-day departures from Duluth International Airport (DLH).

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Additional content:

iNaturalist Guide to Wildlife & Plants seen on this tour!

• Spruce Grouse

• American Goshawk

• Snowy Owl

• Northern Hawk Owl

• Great Gray Owl

• Boreal Owl

• Northern Saw-whet Owl

• Boreal Chickadee

• Pine Grosbeak

• Evening Grosbeak

• Redpoll (Common & Hoary possible)

• American Tree Sparrow

• Snowy Owl

• Great Horned Owl

• Northern Hawk Owl

• Barred Owl

• Great Gray Owl

• Long-eared Owl

• Short-eared Owl

• Boreal Owl

• Northern Saw-whet Owl

• Trumpeter Swan

• American Black Duck

• Ruffed Grouse

• Sharp-tailed Grouse

• Glaucous Gull

• Iceland Gull (mostly Thayer’s)

• Rough-legged Hawk

• American Three-toed Woodpecker

• Black-backed Woodpecker

• Pileated Woodpecker

• Northern Shrike

• Canada Jay

• Black-billed Magpie

• Bohemian Waxwing

• Purple Finch

• White-winged Crossbill

• Red Crossbill

• Pine Siskin

• American Goldfinch

• Snow Bunting

• American Tree Sparrow

• Dark-eyed Junco

• Harlequin Duck

• White-winged Scoter

• Long-tailed Duck

• Golden Eagle

• Townsend’s Solitaire

• Eurasian Tree Sparrow

• Snowshoe Hare

• North American Porcupine

• Southern Red-backed Vole

• Moose

• Short-tailed Weasel (Ermine)

• American Marten

• Canada Lynx (1 sighting in 13 trips; tracks found often)

• Gray Wolf (1 sighting in 13 trips; tracks found often)

• Trails & Walking: There will be very little walking due to snow depths, though we may explore well-compressed snowy paths on wooden boardwalks and take short walks along plowed roads and sidewalks. Most of our birding will be done from inside the vehicles or standing near them along (sometimes) icy roads.

• Pace: Leisurely, but with early mornings and frequent stops. Starting 5:30am-6:30am each day, with daily field time 8+ hours. Easy access right to the birding spots. Plenty of time to stop and enjoy the birds, with helpful tips from our expert guides! Frequent bathroom breaks.

• Elevation: Low (600-1000ft) with minimal elevation gain.

• Weather: February in northern Minnesota is defined by overcast skies, freezing temperatures, persistent snow cover (often 10+ inches), and short days. Average high temperatures range from 23°F to 31°F (-5°C to -1°C), while average lows are 8°F to 15°F (-13°F to -9°C). Temperatures can occasionally plunge below -15°F (or lower!) during severe arctic blasts. We’ve had 70°F temperature swings during this tour! Please be prepared for the cold conditions and bring good boots, gloves, and hats. The warm vehicles are never far away though!

• Logistics: By staying in one hotel for the whole trip, guests may elect to skip whole days or portions of some days, but please consult with your guide(s).

• Vehicle Seating: We typically use 12-passenger Ford Transit rental vans or large rental SUVs for this tour. There are no drives longer than 2 hours during the course of this tour, although staying in one hotel for the whole week does mean that some days we travel pretty far afield in order to reach all the hotspots. We expect participants to rotate seating each day.