On the banks of the Illinois River, two important migrations unfold. Each year, thousands of barges carry grain, coal, chemicals, and other products along the river, which has served as a major inland shipping route since 1862, when the I&M Canal linked the Great Lakes with the Mississippi River by way of the Illinois. Each year, millions of birds also travel this river corridor in a seasonal migration that has taken place for thousands of years. The Illinois River lies within the Mississippi Flyway, a route used by roughly 40% of all North American waterfowl and shorebirds. Many species live in and pass through this river valley, including bald eagles, American white pelicans, herons, ducks, geese, and migratory songbirds. A three-mile drive from Cedar Street in Chillicothe to just south of Cedar Hills Drive in Rome offers views of the Illinois River, with Nellie Jackson Park providing a place to watch bald eagles and other migratory birds. Although a small number of bald eagles nest along the river, most breed farther north and migrate south to ice-free water as winter approaches. From late December through early February, bald eagles are commonly seen at Shore Acres Park and along River Beach Drive, roosting in riverside trees and scanning the water for fish. As the river freezes in mid-winter, they gather around small open stretches of water to feed.