Birding at Last Mountain Lake National Wildlife Area, Saskatchewan, Canada

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Home of the oldest bird sanctuary in North America (established in 1887), Last Mountain Lake National Wildlife Area features great birding in mid-May and fall staging during September and October. The most spectacular time of year is the fall when up to 50,000 Sandhill Cranes, 450,000 geese, and several hundred thousand ducks may be observed. Over 280 species of birds have been recorded here and over 100 of these species have been documented to breed in the area. Mixed grassland habitat including potholes, springs, fen bogs and saline wetland complexes. The site also contains shallow marshy bays and inlets separated by numerous points and islands, all surrounding a large freshwater lake which reaches depths to 30m. This site is recognized as a Migratory Bird Sanctuary, a Ramsar site, and also a National Historic Site. Last Mountain Lake is also important to numerous wildlife species including white-tailed deer, badger, coyote, fox, and three species of ground squirrel. Also, a number of rare and endangered species that use the area at some point during the year include the Peregrine Falcon, Burrowing Owl, Ferruginous Hawk, and the Whooping Crane.During dry years, the site provides a variety of secure wetlands suitable for shorebird staging and thus becomes a drought refuge for migrant and local breeding shorebirds as well as other waterfowl. Self-guided tour, program and trail information available. Observation tower.

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