North Platte National Wildlife Refuge

Site Description:

The North Platte NWR was established in 1916 as a preserve and breeding ground for native birds in the Nebraska panhandle. The Refuge is superimposed over four Bureau of Reclamation irrigation projects: Lake Minatare, Winters Creek Lake, Lake Alice, and Stateline Island.

Ornithological Summary:

The refuge checklist is 228 species long, with 42 known nesters and 20 additional possible breeders. The American Bird Conservancy designated Lake Minatare as a “globally significant” wintering area for waterfowl. The Winters Creek Lake unit is 350 acres of water with accompanying 349 acres of grass/scrub and trees, and in the winter one can see every species of waterfowl in the area. Species of concern include long-billed curlews, red-headed woodpeckers, dickcissels, and northern harriers. Lake Alice is 1,360 acres in size and its low fall water levels providing excellent habitat for thousands of shorebirds. It also has a breeding bald eagle pair, and attracts migrating sandhill cranes and nesting lark sparrows.

Links:

http://crescentlake.fws.gov/
http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/othrdata/chekbird/r6/noplatte.htm
http://www.recreation.gov/detail.cfm?ID=1539
http://www.fws.gov/refuges/profiles/index.cfm?id=64511
http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/birds/platte/hypospec.htm
http://www.nebraskabirdingtrails.com/site.asp?site=19

For more information, call or write Kevin Poague, Important Bird Areas Coordinator, Audubon Nebraska, P.O Box 117, 11700 SW 100th Street, Denton, NE 68339 402-797-2301, Fax: 402-797-2304; Email.