Wildlife Viewing and Birdwatching at Quivira National Wildlife Refuge

Bird watching and wildlife viewing opportunities abound at Quivira NWR. What you see depends largely on the time of year as well as the time of day you are here. For optimum viewing, early morning or late afternoon are suggested. Bobcats, coyotes, and other mammals are often seen lurking about during the heat of the afternoon. At the extreme north end of the Refuge, a thriving prairie dog community can be found.

 

Beaver in marsh grass
Photo by Jim Glynn

Mink on Ice of Salt Marsh
Photo by Tom Porter
As you travel through the Refuge, keep your eyes open for white-tailed deer, beaver, raccoons, wild turkeys and other wildlife. There are many parking areas throughout the Refuge which afford visitors a chance to stop and walk around or take photographs. No matter what time of year you choose to come, a sharp-eyed visitor will certainly see something worth remembering.

Woodstork and snowy egret
Photo by Jim Glynn
Quivira NWR has two large salt marshes, one located at the south end of the Refuge and the other at the far north end. These are an excellent place to see a wide variety of waterfowl such as mallards, wood ducks, pintails, white pelicans and more. Fall is an excellent time to see large numbers of these birds. If you are more interested in shorebirds and water birds, the spring and early summer are the best times to visit. It is not uncommon to see large numbers of Great blue herons, American avocets, sandpipers, and snowy plovers, as well as the beautiful white-faced ibis, or the spinning phalaropes going round and round in circles stirring up the mud looking for a meal. Mallard pair in flight
Photo by Bob Troilo

Mammals you can find at Quivira NWR
Common Name
Scientific Name
Opossum
Didelphos virginiana
Cottontail
Sylvilagus floridanus
Thirteen-lined Ground Squirrel
Spermophilus tridecemlineatus
Black-tailed Prairie Dog
Cynomys ludovicianus
Fox Squirrle
Sciurus niger
Beaver
Castor canadensis
Muskrat
Ondatra zibethicus
Porcupine
Erethizon dorsatum
Coyote
Canis latrans
Red Fox
Vulpes vulpes
Raccoon
Procyon lotot
Mink
Mustela vision
Badger
Taxidea taxus
Striped Skunk
Mephitis mephitis
Eastern Spotted Skunk
Spilogale putorius
River Otter
Lutra canadensis
Bobcat
Lynx rufus
Mule Deer
Odocoileus hemionus
White-tailed Deer
Odocoileus virginianus

Reptiles and Amphibians of Quivira NWR
Common Name
Scientific Name
Tiger Salamader
Ambystoma tigrinum
Plains Spadefoot
Scaphiopus bombifroms
Great Plains Toad
Bufo cognatus
Woodhouse's Toad
Bufo woodjousii
Northern Cricket Frog
Acris repitans
Spotted Chorus Frog
Pseudacris clarkii
Boreal Chrous Frog
Pseudacris triseriata
Bullfrog
Rana catesbeiana
Plains Leopard Frog
Rana blairi
Snapping Turtle
Chelydra serpentina
Yellow Mud Turtle
Kinosternon flavescens
Painted Turtle
Chrysemys picta
Ornate Box Turtle
Terrapene ornata
Slider
Trachemys scripta
Smooth Softshell
Apalone mutica
Spiny Softshell
Apalone spinifera
Western Hognose Snake
Heterodon nasicus
Easterh Hognose Snake
Heterodon platirhinos
Racer
Coluber constrictor
Great Plains Rat Snake
Elaphe guttata
Rat Snake
Elaphe obsoleta
Prairie Kingsnake

Lampropeltis calligaster

Milk Snake
Lampropeltis triangulum
Western Ribbon Snake
Thamnophis proximus
Plains Garter Snake
Thamnophis radix
Common Garter Snake
Thamnophis sirtalis
Massasauga
Sistrurus catenatus

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Privacy, Disclaimer, Copyright

Contact Us:
Quivira National Wildlife Refuge
1434 NE 80th Street
Stafford, Kansas 67578
620-486-2393
Quivira@fws.gov

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service seeks to afford persons with disabilities full accessibility or reasonable accommodation. Contact Refuge staff for information or to address accessibility needs. For the hearing impaired, use your State Relay System for the Deaf.

Last updated: October 8, 2008