The Mississippi

The Mississippi reaches far beyond the Deep South; its fingers stretch into nearly half of the USA. From the frozen north – where coyotes learn to fish in icy water – down through the nation’s agricultural heart and then to the mysterious, steamy southern swamps where alligators still rule. The many faces of the Mississippi unite a nation.

Each January, in the northern reaches of the the Mississippi River Basin, over 22,000 holes are drilled into the frozen surface of Gull Lake – through ice up to two feet thick. The following day, over 11,000 people arrive in this corner of Minnesota to take part in the largest charity ice-fishing contest in the world: the Brainerd Jaycees Ice Fishing Extravaganza.

Each spring, Marsh Lake in Eastern Minnesota plays host to a huge migration. Over 22,000 American White Pelicans arrive here to breed on a few isolated islands. But they also come here to feed – and the outflow of a small dam provides the perfect site. When one pelican finds a shoal of suitably sized fish, it's the cue for over 100 of them to pile in. The fish don’t stand a chance.

The Mississippi River provides the perfect route for moving goods up and down the length of this country – often destined for export around the world. Much of it is transported in huge barges – each able to carry 1,500 tons. The barges are pushed up and down the river 24 hours a day, and the equivalent of 49 million truckloads of goods are transported on the river every year.

Reddish Egrets were once pushed to the brink of extinction by hunting, but thanks to protection they are now found right across the wetlands of the Mississippi River Delta. Here in coastal Louisiana, they show off their extraordinary hunting style – running erratically through the shallows, scaring and chasing fish in the muddy water. But their bizarre strategy is surprisingly effective.