Quivira National Wildlife Refuge

Quivira National Wildlife Refuge, in the Great Bend Prairie region of south-central Kansas, protects nearly 22,000 acres of salt marshes, freshwater marshes, sand flats, sand dunes and native prairie along Rattlesnake Creek — one of the most important wetland complexes on the Central Flyway, a critical stopover for hundreds of thousands of migratory sandhill cranes, shorebirds, waterfowl and other birds each year.

The refuge is particularly significant as a regular stopover for endangered whooping cranes — among the rarest birds in North America — which use Quivira’s salt marshes and wet flats on their migration between their Texas wintering grounds and Canadian nesting areas. The refuge’s mix of salt and freshwater marsh, wet sand flats, prairie and the unusual inland salt flats creates outstanding and diverse habitat. A world-class birding destination, Quivira NWR is a treasured natural icon of Kansas.

Quivira is primarily a wildlife watching and birding destination — two auto tour routes and walking trails through the salt marshes, wet sand flats, freshwater impoundments and prairie for birding and wildlife photography, with outstanding opportunities to see sandhill cranes (huge concentrations in fall and spring), shorebirds, waterfowl, wading birds and occasionally whooping cranes. Hunting is also permitted in designated areas in season. Fall and spring crane and shorebird watching, and the chance to see whooping cranes, are the signature draws. The diversity of habitats and the crane concentrations make Quivira exceptional.

Fall (October through November) is spectacular for sandhill crane concentrations (hundreds of thousands can stage at Quivira) and the best chance for whooping cranes; spring (March through May) brings shorebird migration and more whooping cranes on the northward journey. Winter brings waterfowl and bald eagles. Spring and fall for the crane and shorebird spectacle are the highlights — come in late October or early November for the peak sandhill crane staging, scan carefully for the much taller white whooping cranes among the flocks, and plan for early-morning birding at the impoundments and sand flats.

The Great Bend Prairie region and Rattlesnake Creek are part of the homeland of the Wichita people and earlier cultures who thrived in the Kansas plains. The refuge was established in 1955 to protect wetland habitat along the Central Flyway. Its salt marshes — fed by saline groundwater from underlying salt deposits — are a rare and important habitat type in the interior plains. The refuge has been a landmark for whooping crane conservation for decades. Quivira NWR preserves this extraordinary wetland complex and its flyway heritage, a treasured icon of Kansas.

Quivira’s salt marshes are fed by saline springs and groundwater dissolving underground Permian salt deposits beneath the Great Plains, emerging as brine and creating the inland salt flats and salt marshes that are a rare and critical habitat on the otherwise freshwater Central Flyway. The refuge also has freshwater impoundments managed by water control structures, sand dunes (remnants of ancient dune fields), and the upland prairie. The Permian salt beds, the saline groundwater, the managed impoundments and the Rattlesnake Creek corridor created this diverse wetland complex.

Quivira NWR hosts extraordinary concentrations of migratory birds — hundreds of thousands of sandhill cranes staging in fall (one of the largest concentrations in North America), along with endangered whooping cranes (a regular but rare occurrence), hundreds of thousands of ducks and geese, and tens of thousands of shorebirds in season. Year-round the refuge supports bald eagles, pelicans, egrets, herons, avocets, stilts and diverse marsh and prairie birds. Quivira offers some of the finest birding in the central plains, and seeing whooping cranes is a special experience.

Quivira NWR protects a rare combination of salt marsh, freshwater marsh, wet sand flat, sand dune and native prairie habitats in the Central Flyway, providing critical migration stopover habitat for the flagship whooping crane (one of the world’s rarest birds) and millions of sandhill cranes, shorebirds and waterfowl. The saline marsh is a nearly unique inland habitat. Water management, maintaining the saline water quality and balancing the needs of different species are the management priorities. Protecting the wetland complex and its saline habitats is critical for the Central Flyway.

Quivira National Wildlife Refuge holds a treasured place among the natural icons of Kansas and the birding world — an internationally significant wetland on the Central Flyway where endangered whooping cranes and hundreds of thousands of sandhill cranes stage each fall in one of the great wildlife spectacles of North America, set in the saline marshes and sand flats of the Great Bend Prairie. Its extraordinary birding and the drama of the crane migrations make it a pilgrimage destination for birders and naturalists. Quivira NWR is a cherished icon of Kansas.

Quivira National Wildlife Refuge is in south-central Kansas in Stafford and Reno Counties, near the town of Stafford, about 15 miles south of Great Bend off K-14 (U.S. 281) and K-19. The refuge is free and open to the public during daylight hours; two auto tour routes (Big Salt Marsh and Little Salt Marsh loops) and several walking trails provide access. A refuge office provides information (call ahead for current crane numbers and conditions). Check the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service for current access, auto-tour status and conditions before visiting.

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service manages Quivira NWR and its wetlands. Visitors help by staying on the auto tour routes and trails (do not enter the restricted impoundment areas), driving slowly and quietly to avoid flushing concentrating birds (especially the rare whooping cranes), not using drones (which disturb concentrating birds, especially rare species), packing out everything, and following all refuge rules. The salt marsh, the whooping crane use areas and the concentrating cranes and shorebirds are sensitive. Protecting the wetland and the birds sustains this critically important flyway stopover.

The refuge is flat and open — carry sun protection and water (summers and warm fall days can be hot with little shade). The auto tour roads are mostly gravel; some areas flood seasonally and can be muddy after rain. Ticks and mosquitoes are common in and near the marsh (use repellent and check for ticks after visiting). Keep noise low to avoid flushing concentrating birds, especially near the whooping crane areas. Respect the heat, the ticks and insects, and the muddy roads after rain.

The refuge is free and open during daylight hours. Stay on the auto tour routes and designated trails; do not enter restricted impoundment areas. Hunting is permitted in designated areas and times (check USFWS for current rules). Drones are prohibited or restricted (they disturb concentrating birds). Pets must be leashed. Pack out all trash. Do not disturb concentrating birds, especially the endangered whooping cranes. Check the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service for current access, hunting rules, crane sightings and conditions before visiting.

The city of Great Bend (regional center, with services), Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area to the north (the other great Central Flyway wetland of the Great Bend region), the Great Bend Prairie Birding Trail, the town of Stafford, and the central Kansas plains lie near Quivira. The Great Bend Prairie and the Central Flyway define the region. Quivira and Cheyenne Bottoms together anchor one of the premier shorebird and crane birding destinations in North America, a centerpiece of a Kansas birding trip, easily combined as a Great Bend Prairie birding loop.

Visit Quivira in late October or early November for the peak sandhill crane staging — arrive at dawn and drive the Big Salt Marsh auto tour route slowly, scanning every flock of sandhill cranes carefully for the much taller, all-white whooping cranes (scan with a spotting scope). Check the refuge office for the most recent whooping crane location and numbers before you go. Bring sun protection and water, use insect repellent, drive slowly and quietly to avoid flushing the birds, and combine Quivira with a visit to Cheyenne Bottoms to the north for a full Great Bend Prairie birding experience.