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Photo by HelenB
Information about the endangered Attwater's Prairie-Chicken. Click on image to view larger version

Overview

This Texas refuge, 10,528 acres in size, was established in 1972, to preserve the critically endangered Attwater's subspecies of the Greater Prairie Chicken and the coastal prairie habitat that it needs to survive. This refuge is part of the Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail - site no. CTC 004. Special tours of the refuge, to see the chickens, are available during the Attwater's Prairie-Chicken Festival, held at the beginning of April every year.

Birds

Photo by HelenB
Teal Marsh during drought conditions in Dec. 2008

Photo by HelenB
Teal Marsh during wetter conditions in March 2005

Notable Species

The last few wild Attwater's Prairie-Chickens (a subspecies of the Greater Prairie Chicken) are located in an area not open to the general public, in order to protect them. There were 52 birds at the last count in Dec. 2008, on this refuge, and 20 more chickens at 2 other preserves - the Texas City Prairie Preserve and the Refugio-Goliad Prairie Conservation Area. There are 190 chickens in the captive breeding programs at the Houston Zoo, San Antonio Zoo and the Fossil Rim Wildlife Center, Glen Rose. The grand total is only 262 birds in the whole world!

Other notable species found here are: White-tailed Hawk, Crested Caracara, Sprague's Pipit, rails, sparrows and wintering ducks and geese, when the marshes are full of water.

Rarities

"to do"

Check-list

• Official checklist

Birds you can see here include:

"to do"

Other Wildlife

"to do"

Photo by HelenB
Attwater Prairie Chicken NWR Visitor Center and Refuge Headquarters

Site Information

History and Use

The refuge was established in 1972.

Areas of Interest

• 2 hiking trails: Pipit Trail (1.5 miles) and the Sycamore Trail (2 miles).
• Auto tour loop (5 miles) with views of the prairie, Teal Marsh and Pintail Marsh.

Photo by HelenB
Pintail Marsh with Snow Geese, Dec. 2004

Access and Facilities

• Open dawn to dusk, daily.
• Visitor Center: Monday - Friday, closed weekends.
• Entrance is free of charge.

Directions
The refuge is located 6.5 miles northeast of Eagle Lake, off FM 3013. If traveling from Houston, take I10 west, then south from Sealy on Highway 36 to FM 3013, and look for the Refuge entrance on the right. The HQ and Visitor Center are located 2 miles west of the main entrance on FM 3013.

Photo by HelenB
Sandhill Cranes wintering on the prairie, Dec. 2008. Click on image to see a larger version

Contact Details

Attwater Prairie Chicken NWR
PO Box 519
Eagle Lake, TX 77434
Phone: 979-234-3021
Email: FW2_RW_AttwaterPrairieChicken@fws.gov

Content and images posted by HelenB

External Links

• Attwater Prairie Chicken NWR
• Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail