Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge

Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge is a National Wildlife Refuge in northwestern Missouri, United States (formerly Squaw Creek National Wildlife Refuge). It was established in 1935 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt as a refuge and breeding ground for migratory birds and other wildlife. The refuge comprises 7,350 acres (30 km2) along the eastern edge of the Missouri River floodplain south of Mound City, Missouri in Holt County, Missouri. The refuge is bounded by the Loess Hills on the east with a trail going to the top built originally by the Civilian Conservation Corps. The most dramatic moments occur during spring and fall migrations, when the refuge serves as a chokepoint for hundreds of thousands of ducks and geese (particularly snow geese) on the Central Flyway. As many as 475 bald eagles have been sighted on the refuge in the winter. The refuge annually celebrates the eagle visits with "Eagle Days" celebrations. In February 2013, over one million snow geese were counted. A weekly survey in early 2024 recorded nearly 4,200 trumpeter swans.