North Alabama is fortunate to be home to the Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge. It is a premier birding site in the region, largely due to the huge numbers of waterfowl that call the refuge their winter home. Located in north Alabama near the city of Decatur, Wheeler NWR has become an important component in maintaining viable waterfowl populations along the Mississippi Flyway. In the past, as many as 60,000 geese and 100,000 ducks have spent the winter there.
The refuge has seen dynamic population changes over the decades. By the 1990s the winter goose populations declined dramatically due to several environmental factors. Now, only about 6,000 geese show up annually—a dramatic decrease from the 1960s when 60,000 Canada geese overwintered on the refuge. Similarly, duck populations have declined and now number about 60,000 ducks. But the refuge remains a vital overwintering destination for many species of waterfowl.
As the goose and duck populations decreased, sandhill crane populations skyrocketed. In the 1990s the first Sandhill cranes started to show up on the refuge; they were an unusual sight at the time. Today, more than 20,000 Sandhill cranes overwinter on the refuge. Even more remarkably, the refuge now hosts a small number of endangered Whooping cranes. The first two whooping cranes showed up in Limestone County, near the refuge, in 2004. In the ensuing years, numbers have increased slowly but consistently and now around twenty Whooping cranes spend their winters on the refuge.
Other species are increasing on the refuge. Snow geese have increased somewhat; a population of around 2,000 now spend their winters on Limestone Bay in the northern reaches of the refuge. Greater white-fronted geese have also increased in numbers, 500 or so can often be spotted on the refuge. Alongside the Snow geese, American white pelicans congregate in Limestone Bay and near the refuge headquarters complex where 500 or more feed in Flint Creek. Around thirty species of ducks and geese can be spotted in the refuge’s water impoundments, wetlands and in the Tennessee River. Gadwalls, Pintails, Buffleheads, Ring-necked ducks, Mallards, Hooded mergansers and Green-winged teal are just a few species of ducks that are commonly spotted. Today you can reliably count on seeing good numbers of waterfowl. During the height of the 2022 migratory waterfowl season, the refuge hosted almost 20,000 sandhill cranes, 60,000 ducks, 9000 geese and sixteen endangered whooping cranes.
The most popular area to bird on the refuge is in the fields around the Visitor Center complex which includes the newly updated Observation Building. The Observation Building overlooks an expanse of open water that attracts ducks and geese as well as 3,000-4,000 Sandhill Cranes and occasional appearances by Whooping cranes. The Observation Building is one of the best places in the state to view wintering waterfowl and arguably one of the best places in the nation to view endangered Whooping cranes. The building is heated and has bleachers and scopes, making for warm and comfortable birding.
Other productive winter birding spots are Limestone Bay, White Springs, Beaverdam Peninsula and Blackwell Swamp on the north side of the Tennessee River; and Dinsmore Slough and Flint Creek on the south side of the river.
While winter is prime birding time on the refuge, the varied habitats of swamps, wetlands, hardwood forests, pine forests and agricultural fields mean good birding can be found most of the year. Songbirds stop on their annual spring and fall migrations, making Wheeler a must-bird location for migration season birding.
There are eight sites on the North Alabama Birding Trail located within Wheeler NWR, (Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge) offering a variety of habitats and possibilities for adding to your birding lists. Almost 300 species of birds have been spotted on the refuge, so keep your eyes open!