Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge (November 21, 2026)

Sat, 21 Nov 2026 22:00:00 GMT

Join us for some fall birding on the prairie. Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge offers about 6,000 acres of tallgrass prairie habitat and hosts a resident bison and elk herd. This long stretch of habitat is a common winter stopover sight for Short-eared Owls. The hunting flights of these birds can be observed just above the prairie around evening time. Other possible highlights include; Northern Harrier, Rough-legged Hawk, Lapland Longspur, and Northern Shrike to name a few.

This field trip is free to attend and open to any young birders and their parents/guardians. Iowa Young Birders welcomes everyone to the outdoors regardless of age, race, ethnicity, gender, orientation, religion, creed, national origin, or disability status. Our events can accommodate wheelchairs, vision and hearing impairments, and other health conditions. For questions, or to request accommodations for an upcoming event, please send us a message or email.

Photo: Short-eared Owl by Diane Crookham-Johnson

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Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge (November 21, 2026)