Coronavirus (COVID-19) Notice
Although most refuge lands and outdoor spaces have remained open for the public to enjoy, we ask that you recreate responsibly.

  • Check alerts and local conditions on this website and call ahead for current information. Operations vary based on local public health conditions.
  • Consistent with CDC recommendations, all visitors (age 2 and older), who are fully vaccinated are required to wear a mask inside of federal buildings in areas of substantial or high community transmission.. All visitors who are not fully vaccinated must continue to wear masks indoors and in crowded outdoor spaces.
  • Most importantly, stay home if you feel sick and continue to watch for symptoms of COVID-19 and follow CDC guidance on how to protect yourself and others.


Features

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    Refuge Gallery

    Enjoy photos of the refuge's namesake bird and an iconic symbol of prairie ecosystems, the Attwater's prairie-chicken.

    See the birds

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    Saving the Prairie Ecosystem

    The refuge uses many different tools and strategies to maintain and restore the coastal Texas prairies.

    Learn more

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    Saving the Attwater's

    This excellent video tells the story of the efforts to bring back the Attwater's.

    Texas Parks & Wildlife Video

News

Attwater's Prairie Chicken Festival

In keeping with guidance from the White House and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and acting out of an abundance of caution, we are suspending the annual Attwater’s Prairie Chicken Festival this year. We are committed to doing our part to slow the spread of COVID-19 and to ensure the health and safety of our employees, volunteers, and you--our friends and neighbors. We apologize for any inconvenience and look forward to seeing you next year!

Breeding Season Management

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Spring brings the start of the breeding season for the Attwater’s prairie-chicken, and refuge staff invest countless hours monitoring the birds during this time. Management activities include conducting population surveys, protecting nests, and tracking daily movements of hens and their broods of chicks. All this work brings the Attwater’s closer towards recovery and eventual de-listing from the Endangered Species List.

Learn more ...

Wild Texas Film Tour

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The Friends of the Attwater Prairie Chicken Refuge funded a new short film about the refuge entitled “Little Grouse on the Prairie.” The film was accepted into the Wild Texas Film Tour, and it was shown in 14 Texas cities from January through March 2019.

Learn more ...
Featured Stories

Red Imported Fire Ants

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Many birds depend on insects as a food source for their chicks. Red imported fire ants decimate insect numbers on the prairie to the point that there are not enough insects for young prairie-chicken chicks to feed on when they hatch in the spring. That’s why the refuge is going after the ants.

Learn more...

About the NWRS

National Wildlife Refuge System

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The National Wildlife Refuge System, within the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, manages a national network of lands and waters set aside to conserve America's fish, wildlife, and plants.

Learn more about the NWRS
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