Bird Watching

ducks, geese and owls – oh my!

Amana is a hotbed for birdwatchers and the two best “public areas” are the Lily Lake between the villages of Amana and Middle Amana and the Nature Trail just north of Homestead.

Lily Lake

The Lily Lake area has easy access with a parking area just of Highway 220 on the North side of the lake.  From this point, the Koloneiweg bike and walking trail can be accessed and leads around to the east and south sides of the lake.  The lake is home to numerous species of birds and wildlife depending on the season, shorebirds abound as do migratory birds and in the early spring eagles and pelicans are annual visitors. Spring and fall is a great time to see waterfowl (ducks and geese) and shorebirds (sandpipers, plovers) as well as gulls and terns, and warblers. The trumpeter swans are special and have been present year-round lately.

Amana Colonies Nature Trail

The Amana Colonies Nature Trail is located at the junction of Highway 151 and 6 with a parking area just off the roadway. The trail is open to the public except during the deer shotgun season in the very late fall.  What you’ll see as you walk the 3-mile trail depends a little more on luck, but turkeys, hawks, and owls are possibilities, along with warblers, thrushes and towhees. Woodpeckers for certain.

Happy Birding!

Trails Map

Kolonieweg Trail