15. MAC Observation Platform

Welcome to the Montezuma Audubon Center’s observation platform. You are looking over newly restored grassland and marsh habitats. The grassland is full of native wildflowers and grasses that provides important habitat for pollinators like butterflies, moths, honeybees and birds like the Song Sparrow, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, and American Goldfinch.

The water levels in the two marshes are managed to provide ideal habitat for migratory birds throughout the year. During the spring and fall migrations the water levels are high for waterfowl such as the Wood Duck, Mallard, Green-winged Teal, Northern Pintail, American Black Duck, Hooded Merganser, and American Wigeon.

During the late summer months, water levels will be lowered to provide habitat for migratory shorebirds like the Least Sandpiper, Semipalmated Sandpiper, Semipalmated plover, Killdeer, Spotted Sandpiper, Greater Yellowlegs, and Lesser Yellowlegs.