Best Alkali
Quivira National Wildlife Refuge is a protected wetland and grassland complex in south-central Kansas, established in 1955 along the Central Flyway. Its salt marshes, freshwater wetlands, dunes, and prairie provide feeding and resting habitat for large numbers of migratory birds, including occasiona...
Why this score?
Internationally important salt marsh and prairie refuge with huge bird concentrations; water-rights disputes and drought create persistent ecological uncertainty.
Scoring methodology
The Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge is a wetland preserve located in Siskiyou and Modoc counties in northern California, United States. It is part of the Klamath Basin refuge complex and provides habitat for large populations of migratory waterfowl, bald eagles, and other bird species. The refuge...
Why this score?
Historically outstanding waterfowl refuge with dramatic migrations, but chronic drought, disease outbreaks, and agricultural water conflicts weaken current standing.
Scoring methodology
Freezout Lake is a wildlife management area in north-central Montana, covering several thousand acres of freshwater and alkali wetlands, marshes, and surrounding uplands. It is best known as a major spring staging area for migratory waterfowl, particularly snow geese and Ross's geese, with flocks th...
Why this score?
Montana wetland complex delivers spectacular snow goose migrations and mountain backdrops; seasonal crowds and heavily managed water levels temper experience.
Scoring methodology
