Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge

Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge, in east-central Mississippi near Starkville, is one of the most wildlife-rich and ecologically significant refuges in the Southeast — 48,000 acres of bottomland hardwood forest, cypress sloughs, beaver ponds, upland longleaf pine, and managed impoundments on the Noxubee River, protecting one of the largest and most successful red-cockaded woodpecker recovery colonies in the Southeast and outstanding concentrations of waterfowl, bald eagles, wild turkeys and white-tailed deer.

The refuge’s combination of large bottomland hardwood tracts, productive impoundments and active wildlife management programs makes it exceptional for birding, wildlife watching, fishing and hunting. The red-cockaded woodpecker colony — an endangered species requiring old-growth longleaf pine — is a flagship conservation success. Noxubee NWR is a treasured natural icon of Mississippi.

Noxubee NWR offers wildlife watching and birding (the red-cockaded woodpecker colonies are accessible from designated observation areas; bald eagles winter in large numbers; massive wood duck concentrations in fall and winter; wild turkey, white-tailed deer and alligators year-round), fishing in the refuge lakes and sloughs (excellent crappie, bass and catfish), hunting in designated areas in season, hiking and driving on the refuge roads and trails, and photography of the outstanding wildlife concentrations. The red-cockaded woodpecker colony, the wintering bald eagle concentrations and the wood duck flocks are the signature draws.

Fall (October through December) is spectacular, with massive wood duck concentrations, wintering bald eagles, large waterfowl flocks and the best fishing. Winter brings the peak bald eagle concentrations (some of the most accessible eagle watching in Mississippi). Spring brings the red-cockaded woodpecker nesting activity and turkey gobbling. Any season rewards patient wildlife watchers. Fall for the waterfowl and eagles, and spring for the woodpecker nesting and turkeys, are the highlights — visit in November for the wood duck spectacle.

The Noxubee River bottomlands were the homeland of the Choctaw Nation, who were removed to Oklahoma on the Trail of Tears in the 1830s. The bottomlands were later farmed and timbered. The refuge was established in 1940 to restore the wildlife and the bottomland hardwood ecosystem. The red-cockaded woodpecker recovery program, begun in the 1980s and 1990s, has made Noxubee one of the flagship recovery colonies in the Southeast. Noxubee NWR preserves the bottomland hardwood ecology and its wildlife heritage, a treasured icon of east-central Mississippi.

Noxubee NWR occupies the bottomland and upland terrain of east-central Mississippi — the Noxubee River floodplain (a broad, flat bottomland of alluvial silt and clay supporting bottomland hardwood forest and cypress sloughs), transitioning to rolling uplands (underlain by Cretaceous and Eocene-age chalk and sedimentary rocks) that support the longleaf pine and mixed pine-hardwood forest where the red-cockaded woodpeckers nest. The Noxubee River, the alluvial bottomland, the chalk uplands and the longleaf pine created the diverse habitat mosaic of the refuge.

Noxubee NWR protects one of the largest red-cockaded woodpecker recovery colonies in the Southeast (hundreds of active cavities, with ongoing monitoring and management), a major wintering bald eagle concentration (dozens to over a hundred eagles in peak winter), one of the most significant wood duck wintering areas in Mississippi (tens of thousands of wood ducks in fall and winter), wild turkeys, white-tailed deer, alligators, river otters, wood storks (occasional), and a rich diversity of bottomland and upland forest birds. Noxubee offers some of the finest wildlife watching and birding in Mississippi.

Noxubee NWR protects a large block of bottomland hardwood forest in east-central Mississippi — one of the most biodiverse and productive forest ecosystems in the South, with the cypress sloughs, beaver ponds and managed impoundments providing critical waterfowl and fish habitat. The longleaf pine uplands support the red-cockaded woodpecker and a fire-maintained community of diverse ground-level plants and wildlife. Prescribed fire, water-level management and the active woodpecker recovery program are the primary management tools. Protecting the bottomland, the longleaf pine and the woodpecker colonies sustains this recovering ecosystem.

Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge holds a treasured place among the wildlife icons of the Southeast — one of the premier bottomland hardwood refuges in the region, home to one of the most successful red-cockaded woodpecker recovery colonies in the US, a major wintering bald eagle site and a spectacular wood duck wintering area, all on the homeland of the Choctaw Nation. Its wildlife richness and conservation success make it exceptional. Noxubee NWR is a cherished natural icon of Mississippi.

Noxubee NWR is in east-central Mississippi, approximately 20 miles south of Starkville and 20 miles southeast of Columbus, off State Road 25. The refuge visitor contact station provides information, and refuge roads and the Bluff Lake area are open to the public. Starkville (home of Mississippi State University) is the nearest city with full services. Check the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service for current refuge access, hunting seasons, road conditions and wildlife watching opportunities before visiting.

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service manages Noxubee NWR and its wildlife populations. Visitors help by respecting the red-cockaded woodpecker cavity trees and buffer zones (marked; do not disturb), following all hunting and fishing regulations, staying on designated roads and trails, not feeding wildlife, respecting the managed impoundment water-control structures, and packing out all trash. The red-cockaded woodpecker colony, the eagle wintering habitat and the managed impoundments are sensitive and managed. Protecting them sustains the exceptional wildlife of Noxubee NWR.

Alligators are present in the refuge waters — never approach, feed or harass them. Water moccasins and other venomous snakes are present in the bottomland; watch where you step and do not put hands into brush or logs near water. Hunting occurs seasonally in designated areas; wear blaze orange during deer and turkey seasons if hiking. Check for any current hunting season closures before hiking. Respect the alligators, the venomous snakes and the hunting season safety requirements.

Free and open to the public during daylight hours. Hunting requires Mississippi licenses and compliance with USFWS Noxubee rules (check the refuge for current seasons and areas). Fishing requires a Mississippi license. Respect all woodpecker buffer zones and closures. Do not disturb cavity trees. Pets must be leashed. Pack out all trash. Check the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service for current access, hunting seasons, road conditions and rules before visiting.

The city of Starkville (about 20 miles north, home of Mississippi State University and its museum), the town of Macon (nearby, with the historic Noxubee County courthouse), the Mississippi University for Women in Columbus, and the rolling east-central Mississippi piney-hills landscape define the region. The refuge is the premier outdoor destination of east-central Mississippi. Noxubee NWR anchors the wildlife-watching experience of the region, easily combined with a visit to Starkville and Mississippi State University.

Visit the Bluff Lake impoundment area at dawn in November for the extraordinary wood duck morning flight — tens of thousands of wood ducks leaving their roost over the impoundment in a spectacular cloud of wings is one of the great wildlife spectacles in Mississippi. Ask the refuge staff for the locations of the active red-cockaded woodpecker colonies and the best eagle-viewing spots (they change with management). Carry binoculars and arrive early (the refuge is quiet and the wildlife most active at dawn). Come in winter for the bald eagles: some of the most accessible eagle watching in the state.