Birding spots · Iowa
Best Birding Spots in Pottawattamie County, Iowa
Lake Manawa State Park leads Pottawattamie County's birding spots with 169 species reported, best in spring. 8 spots in the county have enough data to rank.
Species counts are birds reported at least three times in that season at that spot, 2016–2025. Busy spots list more species simply because more people look, so compare the checklist counts. Spot names come from public map data and hotspot listings.
| Spot | Species | Winter | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Manawa State Park | 169 | 53 | 137 | 71 | 98 |
| Hitchcock Nature Area | 146 | 31 | 97 | 71 | 117 |
| Big Lake Park | 93 | 19 | 72 | 41 | 47 |
| Smith Wildlife Management Area | 80 | 19 | 75 | 7 | 20 |
| Lake Manawa State Park (Indian Creek) | 79 | 13 | 49 | 42 | 23 |
| DeSoto Lake | 71 | 11 | 37 | 41 | 21 |
| Wilson Island State Recreation Area | 64 | 13 | 44 | 30 | 7 |
| Council Bluffs Riverfront | 59 | 12 | 28 | 36 | 21 |