The Ohio Important Bird Areas Program began in 1999, with a gathering of bird conservation stakeholders critiquing the IBA concept and establishing the first cut of potential IBAs in the state. In 2000, Audubon Ohio hired an IBA coordinator and then the Ohio IBA Technical Committee was formed, to develop the state level criteria, procedures, and nomination forms. Over 200 nomination packets were distributed, with more than 160 nominations returned. Since then, the technical committee has reviewed these nominations to determine those that meet requirements for at least one of the four criteria for IBAs. This process has resulted in the documentation and research of over 100 sites, of which 66 are recognized as Important Bird Areas for Ohio. The Ohio IBA Program has served as a catalyst for community-based action to ensure the long-term stewardship and conservation of the state’s diverse natural resources. A state-wide IBA Technical Committee continues to prioritize monitoring and conservation planning on different sites. Workshops to recruit and train volunteers for surveying birds on IBAs have been conducted across the state. Community partners are receptive and actively engaged in the program. Advocacy for IBAs at risk has been effective. The IBA name is being increasingly used as justification for conservation in the state.
Important Bird Areas (IBAs) for the United States, Canada, Mexico, Nicaragua, Peru, and the Caribbean are visible for eBird output. The links below provide information about the eBird hotspots in each IBA in Ohio, bar charts which collect data from both hotspots and personal locations within the IBA, maps of the IBA, and more.
Berlin Lakes System
Big Walnut
Black River Mouth
Black River-West Branch
Burnet Woods
C.J. Brown
Caesar Creek
Camp Myeerah
Chagrin River Corridor
Clear Creek
Cleveland Lakefront
Conneaut Harbor
Cowan Lake
Crown City Wildlife Area
Cuyahoga River-Upper
Cuyahoga Valley National Park-Lower Cuyahoga River
Dike 14-Doan Brook
East Fork
Edge of Appalachia
Egypt Valley
Exchange Road Grasslands
Forrest Woods Nature Preserve
Funk Bottoms
Germantown
Gilmore Ponds
Grand River-Lower Watershed
Grand River-Upper
Great Miami River-Lower
Hocking Hills
Hueston Woods
Kendrick Woods
Killbuck Valley
Killdeer Plains-Big Island
La Su An
Lake Erie Central Basin
Lake Erie Western Basin
Lawrence Woods
Liberty Park
Little Beaver Creek
Little Miami River
Mansfield Lahm Airport
Maumee River-Lower
McAfee Tree Farm
Metzger and Ferguson Reservoirs
Mohican
Mosquito Creek Corridor
Oak Openings
Pickerington Ponds
Pleasant Hill Lake
Pymatuning Creek Corridor
Ravenna Arsenal
Rocky River-East Branch
Sandusky River
Scioto River-Greenlawn
Scioto River-Lower
Scioto Trail
Shawnee
Springville Marsh
St. Marys River-Grand Lake
Tar Hollow
Tri-Valley Wildlife Area
Vermilion River
Voice of America
Wayne National Forest-Athens
Wayne National Forest-Ironton
Wayne National Forest-Marietta
Wilderness Center
Wilds
Woodbury Wildlife Area