The Binocular Site
Medicine Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Montana
Medicine Lake National Wildlife Refuge is found in the northeast of the state of Montana between the Missouri River and the Canadian border.
The refuge, covering over 30000 acres, was first established in 1935 for the protection of vital breeding and stopover habitats used by a vast array of migratory birds.
The land is typical of the Northern Great Plains, with its large expanses of glacial prairies. These compose rolling grasslands dotted with water in depressions. In some places, however, sandhills dominate, resulting in one of only two sandhill habitats found in Montana.
Medicine Lake National Wildlife Refuge plays host to over 230 documented species of birds, with approximately 125 of these species staying to nest. It is also the site of one of the largest American White Pelican rookeries. Ultimately the refuge is a safe haven for waterbirds and waterfowl, with over 250,000 individual birds stopping over during migration.
You can see many birds at Medicine Lake including Lesser Scaup, Blue-winged Teal, and Western Grebe. Migrations also bring in Tundra swans and occasionally Snow Geese. The grassland also provides great grounds for Sharp-tailed Grouse, Chestnut-collared Longspur and Sprague's Pipits.
The Montana state bird is the Western Meadowlark and you can find a checklist for birding in Montana here.
Photo credit to kjsydney, used with permission under the creative commons license. You can learn more about the wildlife and habitat of the Medicine Lake National Wildlife Refuge and see quite a few photos here.
If you've visited the Medicine Lake National Wildlife Refuge, please take the time to share your experience and any tips or insight you have about this Montana birding location below.
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