This Rainwater Basin (RWB) site consists of 760 acres of wetlands and 724 acres of upland habitat. This waterfowl protection area (WPA) is definitely worth checking in spring and fall, as it can be excellent location for birding.

The wetland attracts tens of thousands of Snow, Canada, Cackling and Greater White-fronted Geese in spring with numbers peaking in mid-March with up to 500,000 waterfowl. Occasional flocks of Sandhill Cranes stop over and Bald Eagles are regular in early spring. Listen for Greater Prairie-Chickens displaying in the upland habitat in April and May. Later in spring and summer, the main basin and several smaller wetlands to the south offer excellent shorebird watching.

This is one of the better fall migration wetlands. As with any RWB wetland, check conditions before visiting as they can sometimes be dry. Be cautious when traveling the roads around the RWB during wet periods.

Where to go in the WPA

There are several parking areas around the perimeter of this WPA. There are no trails, so birding this area requires driving around the perimeter or walking through the upland and wetland habitats.

Site’s notable birds

• Greater Prairie-Chicken
• American Avocet
• Great-tailed Grackle
• Least Bittern
• Eared Grebe

Birds recently observed

• View on eBird

Common summer birds

• Northern Shoveler
• Red-tailed Hawk
• Blue-winged Teal
• Yellow-headed Blackbird

Field checklist

• Download printable list