Come enjoy the fall migration! A Refuge naturalist will be available on Saturdays and Sundays beginning Sat. November 7 through Sun. November 22, 2026 from 10am – 2pm, weather permitting. The naturalist will have a spotting scope and bird ID guides during these FREE programs to help visitors identify birds and answer questions about the migration.
The Brownsville Overlook is one of the best places along the river to view thousands of tundra swans, ducks, pelicans and bald eagles. This roadside pull-off is located about 3 miles south of Brownsville, Minn. alongside MN-HWY 26.
Though peak migration is difficult to predict, the best time to see the tundra swan migration is usually mid-to-late November. The arrival of the swans depends a lot on the temperatures in their northern breeding grounds in Canada and Alaska – as bodies of water begin to freeze there, the swans gradually migrate to the Mississippi River. The swans will usually stay here for about one month or until the river freezes. If it's a warm fall here, the swans may not spend as much time close to the overlook – as the water on the Mississippi River freezes, it pushes them to group up in areas where they can best find food and shelter. Recent bird sightings will be updated weekly on our website – https://www.fws.gov/refuge/upper-mississippi-river – beginning late October through the end of the naturalist season.
For more info, please call the La Crosse District Visitor Center, 608-779-2399. The Visitor Center is located at N5727 County Road Z, Onalaska, WI 54650. Open winter hours Tuesday – Friday, 9am – 3pm; closed on federal holidays.
