Wild Wings Spring Migration Festival

The spring bird migration is the centerpiece of this annual festival in Choteau. There are educational offerings, films, raffles, guided tours and a Wild Game Potluck dinner.
The epicenter of the spring bird migration in Montana is Freezout Lake Wildlife Management Area (WMA) and the surrounding agricultural lands. The WMA is approximately 12,000 acres in size and is managed by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks.
The spring migration for light geese begins as early as late February when geese begin flocking to gathering areas located in northern California and southern Oregon. For many, the next major staging area in the lower 48 states in the Pacific Flyway is Freezout Lake WMA. The geese arrive here, rest and refuel, before crossing the border into the prairies of Saskatchewan and Alberta. Their final summer nesting destinations are various locations along the Alaskan, Canadian and even Russian arctic.