Agassiz National
Wildlife Refuge
 Habitat: Large pools, marshes, grassland,
brushland, aspen woodlands.
Features: Located in the Aspen
Parkland of MN, this National Wildlife Refuge, managed by the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service, is 61,500 acres and was designated as a
globally important bird area in 2001. It contains over 40,000 acres
of managed shallow wetlands and is a premiere spot for viewing
wetland wildlife. One of the best 100 birding sites in North
America. One of the best 50 wildlife observation areas in the U.S.
Best Times To Visit: April through November.
Birds To Look For: Five species
of grebes; Black-crowned Night-Heron; waterfowl; rails; American
Bittern; Black-billed Magpie; Yellow-headed Blackbird; Sandhill
Crane; shorebirds; Short-eared Owl; Sedge Wren; LeConte’s and
Nelson’s Sharp-tailed Sparrows. Rarities recorded include:
Snowy and Cattle Egrets; White-winged Scoter; Golden Eagle and
Willow Flycatcher.
 Notes For Birding The Area:
Bird checklist, general brochure and refuge map available. Stop at
the office for current information. Office hours are 7:30 a.m. to
4:00 p.m. weekdays year-round. Closed Federal Holidays. Gift shop.
Auto tour route open May-October. Two short hiking trails, one
wheelchair accessible, at Headquarters. Pools in drawdown are good
for shorebirds. Two hundred and ninety-nine bird species have been
sighted
at the refuge. It has the largest colony of nesting Franklin’s Gulls
in North America and is home to 17 nesting species of waterfowl.
Moose and wolves can also commonly be seen here. There is excellent
wildlife viewing from several roads in the refuge, as well as an
observation tower and an interpretive center.
Contact: Agassiz NWR, 22996 290th Street NE, Middle
River, MN 56737-9754, 218-449-4115,
E-mail: agassiz@fws.gov
http://www.fws.gov/midwest/agassiz.
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