DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge

DeSoto National Wildlife refuge offers great birding year round. The visitor center viewing windows provide great birding of waterfowl and bald eagles during the spring, fall and winter season. Bird feeders are stocked daily at the visitor center and provide good “backyard” birding opportunities. The auto tour route, Bob Starr Wildlife Overlook and refuge trails are also great ways to explore the Missouri River floodplain habitat and the tremendous diversity of birds that utilize the refuge habitat.

 ALL waterfowl hunting is PROHIBITED on DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge.

UPDATE FOR 2024 SEASON COUNTS: This year the refuge will transition from the traditional weekly waterfowl count to posting a waterfowl trend update that provides general abundance numbers for species that are being seen on the refuge.  Traditional bird counts require a lot of staff time and with the current staffing limitations it is more critical to devote our staff resources to managing pumps, water control structures and wetland management to optimize the habitat for the migrating waterfowl.  We will continue to provide frequent trend updates on what we are seeing throughout the migration this year.

10/8/24: This weeks minor cold front managed to push some new birds into the area but overall warm temperatures seems to be delaying the migration. Over all bird numbers are very similar to our long term trend for this time of year.  Food conditions are good for this year, but flooded wetlands are lagging behind during this drought. Wood ducks, mallards, blue wing teal, green wing teal, pintails and shovelers are all present on the refuge wetlands and DeSoto Lake but none in large numbers. 

11/1/24: The recent weather and cold front pushed more ducks into our area including an increase in mallards.  Drought conditions are impacting the ability to flood some of our wetland units but within the ones flooded we are seeing large numbers of pintail, green-winged teals and mallards along with gadwalls, shovelers, widgeon and even a few blue-winged teal that are still in the area.  Overall goose numbers are low but we are starting to see some flocks of white-fronted geese migrate through along with Canada geese.  Besides waterfowl, we still have pelicans on DeSoto Lake.  Best viewing is at Bob Starr Wildlife Overlook and off the lakeside of Cottonwood Nature Trail.  The wetland unit just south of our fee box area is also starting to see an increase in duck use.

11/23/24: Our wetland units continue to hold a lot of ducks with mallards being the most abundant along with northern pintails, and green-winged teals.  Canada geese and white-fronted geese can also be seen on the wetlands and periodically on DeSoto Lake. We are starting to see some ice forming on the wetlands especially in the morning and waterfowl use continues to be concentrated on the wetlands but this could start to change with colder weather in the forecast.  The wetland just south of the main entrance fee area has been one of the more active units. This week we did see some small flocks of diving ducks on DeSoto Lake.  Species observed include common goldeneyes, buffleheads, scaup, ring-necked ducks and redheads.  Other bird species observed on the lake include American white pelicans, double-crested cormorants, and pied-billed grebes.  We are still not seeing big flocks on snow geese on the refuge but will provide updates if this changes.