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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. Special tours of the refuge, to see the chickens, are available during the Attwater's Prairie-Chicken Festival, held the second weekend of April every year (unless that is Easter).
- The 2013 festival is being held April 13th-14th ~ tel: (979) 234-3021 ext. 221 or 223. Tours need to be pre-booked.
This refuge is part of the Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail - site no. CTC 004.
Birds
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
Birds you can see here include:
"to do"
Other Wildlife
"to do"
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.
Access and Facilities
- Open dawn to dusk, daily.
- Visitor Center: Monday - Friday, closed weekends.
- Toilets at the Visitor Center open every day
- 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.
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: [email protected]
Content and images posted by HelenB
