Indiana Dunes' least-populated bird season is the winter. During this season, most native birds in Indiana Dunes migrate south for warmer temperatures. However, some birds remain in the dunes, during the winter. Birds who winter in Indiana Dunes arrive from places with colder temperatures -- Alaska and Canada -- or have a high tolerance for cold weather. The most commonly seen wintering birds at Indiana Shores include the Canada goose, mallard ducks, common goldeneye and bufflehead. ring-necked pheasants and peregrine falcons are also seen during the winter, but are not as common.
In the spring, many of Indiana Dunes' native bird species return from their wintering destinations. This season also marks the exodus of birds who wintered at the dunes. Common duck species in Indiana Dunes are wood ducks, redheads and red-breasted mergansers. Spring also draws bird of prey species -- red-shouldered hawk, American kestrel and turkey vulture. Sandpiper bird species return to Indiana Dunes in the spring; among these species are the pectoral, spotted, solitary and least sandpipers. Uncommon birds in Indiana Dunes during spring are the northern pintail and great egret.
Summertime at Indiana Dunes heralds the return of nearly all of the area's native bird species. Birds return to Indiana Dunes in this season for the warm weather. During the summer, many of Indiana Dunes bird species go through their nesting period. Frequent inhabitants at Indiana Dunes during the summer include herons such as great blue herons and green herons; sandpipers, such as American woodcocks and sanderlings; and ducks, such as wood ducks and mallards.
During the fall, many of the birds who spent the summer at Indiana Dunes begin their exodus to warmer conditions in the southern United States and Central America. Some of Indiana Dunes' birds migrate as far as South America. The fall season brings birds to Indiana Dunes that are not present in the area during other seasons of the year. Some of these bird species include red-throated loons, common loons, horned grebes, pied-billed grebe and the double-crested cormorant. Most of birds who spend their fall in Indiana Dune are early arrivals for the wintering season or on their way to warmer destinations.