“Fish gotta swim, birds gotta fly....” So begins a song from the musical Show Boat. And many fish and birds do swim in and fly over the Mississippi.
The Mississippi River valley is home to 241 fish species. It is also home to 37 mussel species, 45 amphibian species, and 50 mammal species. Plus, it provides habitat for 60 percent of the nation’s migratory birds.
