Mississippi Flyway

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The Mississippi Flyway is a bird migration route that generally follows the Mississippi River in the United States and the Mackenzie River in Canada. This main endpoints of the flyway include central Canada and the region surrounding the Gulf of Mexico; the migration route tends to narrow considerably in the lower Mississippi River valley in the states of Missouri, Arkansas, and Louisiana, which account for the high number of bird species found in those areas. Some birds even use this flyway to migrate from the Arctic Ocean to Patagonia.

This route is used by birds typically because no mountains or even ridges of hills block this path over its entire extent. Good sources of water, food, and cover exist over its entire length. About 40% of all North American migrating waterfowl and shorebirds use this route.

The other primary migration routes for North American birds includes the Atlantic, Central and Pacific Flyways. The Central Flyway merges with the Mississippi Flyway between Missouri and the Gulf of Mexico.