Mississippi River Flyway Webcam – Pelicans, Eagles, Swans

The Mississippi River Flyway Webcam looks out from a small island in Lake Onalaska, a wide backwater of the Mississippi River at Brice Prairie, Wisconsin, about 14 kilometers (9 miles) north of downtown La Crosse. Low sandbars and shallow flats run across the foreground, open water fills the middle of the frame, and a wooded shoreline dotted with houses closes the view, with a ridge of hills behind it. Birds rest on those sandbars, so the picture follows the migration calendar. On an early October afternoon, long white rafts of American white pelicans floated in the middle distance while Canada geese preened in the shallows below the lens. Late fall brings tundra swans, and bald eagles are around all year.

About the Mississippi River Flyway Webcam

The camera stands inside the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge, which Congress established in 1924 as a refuge and breeding place for migratory birds, fish, other wildlife and plants. The refuge covers about 97,000 hectares (240,000 acres) of floodplain along a nearly continuous 420 kilometers (261 miles) of river, from Wabasha, Minnesota, to Rock Island, Illinois. This stretch runs through the Driftless Area, a region of high ridges and narrow valleys called coulees, which explains the hills on the far side of the frame.

Lake Onalaska itself is a reservoir. It formed in the 1930s, when Lock and Dam No. 7 was built as part of the lock and dam system on the upper river, and both the Black River and the Mississippi flow through it. The lake spreads over 3,111 hectares (7,688 acres) and reaches about 6.4 kilometers (4 miles) across, the widest point anywhere on the Mississippi. Its elevation is 193 meters (633 feet) and its deepest spot reaches 13 meters (43 feet), though the flats in front of the camera are shallow enough for geese to stand in.

The Raptor Resource Project, a nonprofit founded in 1988 that maintains more than 50 nests and nest sites for falcons, eagles, ospreys, hawks and owls, built the camera together with the refuge, the Brice Prairie Conservation Association, Riverland Energy Co-Op and Explore.org. Volunteers ferried people and supplies to the island, raised two utility poles, and installed solar panels, radios and the camera, eight long days of work spread over two months. The stream went live in September 2018.

Weather and Climate at Lake Onalaska

La Crosse, the nearest city, has a hot-summer humid continental climate. January is the coldest month, with average highs near -3 C (27 F) and lows near -12 C (11 F), and about 118 centimeters (46 inches) of snow falls in a typical year. April highs climb to around 15 C (60 F). July is the warmest month, with highs near 30 C (85 F) and nights around 18 C (65 F). Annual precipitation comes to about 895 millimeters (35 inches).

Fall is the busiest season on camera. October highs average 16 C (62 F) with lows near 6 C (42 F), and this is when the birds pile up on the bars. Tundra swans begin arriving in late October, reach their largest numbers in mid November and stay until freeze-up. Once ice closes the lake, the swans move on, but bald eagles stay on the refuge through the winter, and from November to March paired eagles renew their bond with aerial displays and nest repairs. Small flocks of swans pass back through in late March on the way to breeding grounds on the tundra of Canada and Alaska. From March to October, young eagles learn to fly and hunt along the river.

Things to Do Near Lake Onalaska

The refuge’s La Crosse District Visitor Center, at N5727 County Road Z on Brice Prairie, is the natural first stop. It has displays on the river and its wildlife, walking trails outside, and a glass floor laid over a model river bed, so you can look down at what lives under the water as you walk across it. Opening hours are seasonal, so check before you drive out.

Anglers on Lake Onalaska fish for northern pike, walleye, crappie, bluegill, and largemouth and smallmouth bass. A Wisconsin state record spotted sucker, 52 centimeters (20.5 inches) long and just over 2 kilograms (4 pounds 10 ounces), came out of the lake in 2018. For a view over the river valley, head south into La Crosse and up Grandad Bluff, a landmark Mark Twain mentioned, which stands 150 meters (500 feet) tall and looks out over the three states that meet along this stretch of the Mississippi: Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa.

Similar Webcams You Might Like

More river and bird cameras to try after this one:

• Alma Webcam
• Mississippi Headwaters Webcam
• Big Bear Eagle Nest Webcam

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is the Mississippi River Flyway Webcam located?

On an island in Lake Onalaska, inside the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge near Brice Prairie, Wisconsin. Brice Prairie is part of the Town of Onalaska in La Crosse County, and downtown La Crosse is about 14 kilometers (9 miles) to the south.

What can you see on the Mississippi River Flyway Webcam?

Sandbars, shallow flats and open water, with a wooded shoreline and houses in the distance. The birds are the subject: the operators list bald eagles, American white pelicans, sandhill cranes, Caspian terns, cormorants, and many species of ducks, gulls and other waterfowl. Canada geese often rest on the bars right in front of the lens.

What is the weather like at Lake Onalaska?

Cold, snowy winters and warm, humid summers. In La Crosse, January highs average about -3 C (27 F) and July highs about 30 C (85 F), and the lake freezes over in winter.

When do tundra swans stop on Lake Onalaska?

From late October until freeze-up, with the biggest numbers in mid November. Each fall, 20 to 45 percent of the eastern population of tundra swans rest and refuel on the refuge on their way to wintering areas on the Atlantic Coast. They use their webbed feet to loosen the buried tubers of arrowhead, wild celery and sago pondweed, then reach down with their long necks to eat them. Small flocks return in late March.

How can you identify a tundra swan?

Adults are white with black bills. Young birds, called cygnets, are gray with pink bills, so a family on the water shows up as a few gray birds among white ones. Flocks flying overhead give a soft, melancholy “woo-hoo” call.

Are there bald eagles on Lake Onalaska all year?

Yes, bald eagles live on the refuge year round. Adults have a brown body with a white head and tail, while birds under five years old are mottled brown and white. With a wingspan of 1.8 to 2.4 meters (6 to 8 feet), they are among the largest birds in North America.

Who runs the Mississippi River Flyway cam?

Volunteers from the Upper Mississippi River refuge, the Raptor Resource Project and Explore.org operate it. The camera runs on solar power, and the refuge also plays the stream at its La Crosse District Visitor Center.

Source: Explore.org and the Raptor Resource Project