At 19,050 acres, Woodbury is Ohio’s largest state Wildlife Area. Although it’s probably best known for its reclamation grasslands, within Woodbury’s borders are large woodland tracts, marshes, many ponds, and the full spectrum of successional habitats in between. Its birdlife is equally varied. In fact, Woodbury might be the most characteristic place to view Ohio birdlife. A first-time visitor to the state can get a real feel for what Ohio birding has to offer by visiting Woodbury.

From Coshocton take OH-541 west. From Newark take OH-16 east to OH-60. On OH-60 head north to OH-541 and head west into the area.

Open all year during daylight hours.

There are several designated parking areas throughout the wildlife area (mostly for hunters), but parking is possible anywhere along any of the little-used back roads throughout the area.

Winter
The grasslands host numerous raptors and Short-eared Owls. A wide range of Ohio wintering passerines can be found in the fields, thickets, and woodlands.

Spring
The arrival of the long list of breeding birds.

Summer
Some of the many nesting species include Northern Bobwhite, Wild Turkey, Yellow-billed and Black-billed Cuckoos, Downy, Hairy, Red-bellied, Red-headed, and Pileated Woodpeckers, Acadian and Willow Flycatchers, Eastern Kingbird, Eastern Phoebe, Eastern Wood-Peewee, White-eyed, Yellow-throated, Warbling, and Red-eyed Vireos, Carolina, Marsh, and House Wrens, Wood Thrush, Veery, Gray Catbird, Brown Thrasher, Horned Lark, Blue-winged, Yellow, Yellow-throated, Prairie, Cerulean, Kentucky, and Hooded Warblers, American Redstart, Ovenbird, Common Yellowthroat, Louisiana Waterthrush, Yellow-breasted Chat, Scarlet Tanager, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Eastern Towhee, Chipping, Field, Grasshopper, Henslow’s, Savannah, Swamp, and Song Sparrows, Indigo Bunting, Dickcissel, Bobolink, and Eastern Meadowlark. Always unpredictable and erratic anywhere in Ohio, Sedge Wrens were noted singing on territory in May 2004. Alder Flycatchers are near the southern edge of their range here and probably nest in the wetter thickets. Short-eared Owls have also probably nested, but do not do so annually.

Fall
From late summer onward, the edges of drying ponds sometimes host an interesting variety of migrating shorebirds.

Woodbury lies in east-central Ohio approximately five miles west of Coshocton. Access to the area may be gained from a number of state routes including OH-16, OH-36, OH-60, and OH-541. OH-541, which runs east-west through the center of the area, provides good access to a series of county and township roads.

The land comprising Woodbury has undergone many conversions. From early agriculture and timbering to recent strip mining, the area contains a diverse mixture of habitat types from expanses of grasses and legumes to relatively undisturbed woodlands. Approximately 35 percent of the area is in open land, 8 percent in brushland, and 57 percent in woodland. There are over 150 small water impoundments in the area, most of which were developed during strip-mining activities. This number includes 42 wetlands and 116 ponds.