Spring Bird Migration Grows at Freezout Lake; Wild Wings Festival Set for March 20–22

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MISSOULA, Mont. — Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks reported that 11,400 light geese and 352 swans were counted Tuesday at the Freezout Lake Wildlife Management Area, according to the agency’s migration tracking dashboard.

Bird counters monitoring the area said the number of light geese continues to grow as the spring migration progresses.

“Light goose numbers continue to increase,” observers reported Tuesday. “There are also reasonably good numbers of ducks across parts of the WMA, with the primary species being Northern Pintails and Mallards.”

Each spring, tens of thousands — and sometimes more than 100,000 geese and swans per day — pass through the Freezout Lake area during migration. Wildlife officials say the movement typically reaches its peak during the last week of March.

The annual Wild Wings Festival, which celebrates the migration, is scheduled for March 20–22, 2026, in Choteau.