Bowdoin National Wildlife Refuge

An oxbow of the Missouri River before the last ice age, Bowdoin National Wildlife Refuge is a massive series of lakes and wetlands just off U.S. 2 a few miles east of Malta. The 15,000-acre preserve shelters numerous birds and mammals. Aside from typical prairie animals and field songbirds, there are sizeable populations of pelicans, gulls, and herons. Several protected species also live here, including the piping plover, black-footed ferret, bald eagle, and peregrine falcon. The Bowdoin Wildlife Refuge Headquarters, at the main entrance, provides information on refuge conditions, species lists, a variety of mounted birds and mammals, and instructions for the Bowdoin Refuge Auto Tour Route.