For a few short weeks starting in late February, there is a window of opportunity to see an enormous congregation of geese, swans, ducks and other birds at a wildlife management area in Montana during their annual migration to northern breeding grounds. 

In this episode of “Our Wild Lives,” Brent Lonner, a wildlife biologist with Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks and Ali Marschner, a farm bill biologist with Pheasants Forever, dive into the annual staging of hundreds of thousands waterfowl at Freezeout Lake Wildlife Management Area. 

This episode tackles several issues, including the impact of drought, how a small-town festival built a tourism industry around the spring bird liftoff and the shifting uses of wildlife management areas. 

“Our Wild Lives” is The Wildlife Society’s weekly podcast, sharing compelling stories from wildlife professionals doing critical work around the world. Your hosts, Katie Perkins and Ed Arnett of The Wildlife Society, bring you thought-provoking conversations with leading experts and emerging voices. New episodes are released weekly wherever you get your podcasts.

Further reading:

Wild Wings Choteau Festival: https://www.wildwingschoteau.org/

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