Kellys Slough National Wildlife Refuge, Wildlife refuge in Grand Forks County, North Dakota.
Kellys Slough National Wildlife Refuge is a protected area in Grand Forks County covering about 1,270 acres of wetlands and grasslands. The land sits in the Red River Valley and provides habitat for numerous bird species and other regional wildlife.
The refuge was established in 1936 by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to create a sustainable wetland system in North Dakota. Its creation reflected a broader effort to protect bird habitats during a period of significant environmental change.
The refuge serves as a research site for the University of North Dakota's bird tracking studies using the Motus Wildlife Tracking System.
Visitors can watch wildlife from an elevated viewing platform on the eastern boundary or from nearby roads. Early morning and evening hours offer the best viewing opportunities when birds are most active.
During migration season, the refuge hosts more than 35,000 shorebirds and serves as a breeding ground for twelve duck species. This concentration makes it a crucial stopover point along migration routes across North America.
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