20th Anniversary of Shorebird Recognition of Bowdoin National Wildlife Refuge

Lying in the traditional lands of the Gros Ventres or Atsina, the Piegan of the Blackfoot Confederacy, and the Assiniboine, Bowdoin National Wildlife Refuge provides important wetland habitats for shorebirds during their spring and fall migrations. Surveys conducted by biologists on the Refuge between 1996 and 2001 indicated that at least 45,000 to 58,000 used Refuge wetlands during their twice-annual migrations. Based on this work, the Refuge was recognized as a Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network (WHSRN) site of regional importance in April 2002. This year marks the 20th anniversary of Bowdoin's acceptance into the Network! Regional designation recognizes that a site supports 20,000 – 100,000 shorebirds annually. WHSRN is a non-regulatory program whose mission is to conserve shorebirds and their habitats across the Americas through action at a network of key sites. Bowdoin is one of 114 sites recognized in the Americas.

So what is a shorebird? This group of birds includes avocets, stilts, plovers, curlews, godwits, sandpipers and phalaropes. Thousands of migrant Semipalmated Sandpipers, Stilt Sandpipers, and Long-billed Dowitchers stop at Bowdoin National Wildlife Refuge on their way to Mexico and even southern South America. Besides these hemispheric travelers, some American Avocets, Upland Sandpipers, Marbled Godwits, Long-billed Curlews, Willets and Wilson's Phalaropes will remain on the Refuge to nest.

The month of May is a great time to observe migrant shorebirds at Bowdoin and other National Wildlife Refuges throughout the Great Plains as the birds move north to breed. It is also a perfect time to observe the wonderful displays and hear the interesting songs of breeding grassland shorebirds. Grab your binoculars and spotting scopes and spend World Migratory Bird Day (14 May) searching for this marvelous group of birds!

Learn more about your Bowdoin National Wildlife Refuge at: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/bowdoin