North Platte National Wildlife Refuge

North Platte National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) is located eight miles northeast of Scottsbluff in the Nebraska Panhandle. Superimposed over Bureau of Reclamation irrigation projects, the four refuge units consist of: Winters Creek, Lake Alice, portions of Lake Minatare, and Stateline Island (located south of Henry, Nebraska).

The North Platte NWR was established by Executive Order under President Wilson on August 21, 1916, as "a preserve and breeding ground for native birds." Many wildlife species use the Refuge. During the spring and fall, a wide variety of shorebirds and passerines visit the Refuge as a stop during migration. In the summer months, breeding ducks and geese populate the lakes. Red-tailed hawks and northern harriers search the meadows for prey. You can also find white-tailed deer, mule deer, and a variety of resident birds including pheasants and grouse. As many as 20 bald eagles and more than 200,000 waterfowl may concentrate on the Refuge during fall migration. Well over 200 bird species have been observed on the Refuge since 1975. Lake Alice has one of the oldest and most successful bald eagle nests in Nebraska.

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