Wildlife watching at Benton Lake Wetland Management District

Two children looking at a herd of elk from the bed of a carriage in a snowy landscape with mountains in the background

Visiting Waterfowl Production Areas throughout the District provides visitors with an opportunity to experience a variety of habitats and associated wildlife. The Wetland Management District is a collection of diverse landscapes, from wetlands and mixed-grass prairie in the east to forests, intermountain grasslands, and rivers in the west. Likewise, animal species that inhabit the District lands are diverse and reflective of a variety of habitats. Spring and fall are great times to see large numbers of waterfowl and shorebirds on any of the wetlands in the District. Grasslands are also abundant and provide many opportunities for viewing and photographing wildflowers and grassland birds. Visitors to the Blackfoot WPA are likely to see nesting Trumpeter Swans in the spring and large herds of elk in the winter. Burrowing Owls have been spotted at Kingsbury WPA, and numerous raptors nest in the rock outcrops there.