Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge
Muleshoe vicinity, Bailey County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Founded in 1935 as a wintering area for migratory waterfowl, Muleshoe Wildlife Refuge is on the "central flyway" in a chain of refuges from Mexico to Canada. Migrating birds begin arriving in August and remain until April. The largest wintering concentration of sandhill cranes in North America is most noticeable here from October through March. The site, covering over 5,000 acres, provides habitat for many other species of birds and wildlife. Muleshoe is one of several national wildlife refuges in Texas that protect migratory waterfowl, endangered wildlife species, or unique natural habitats. (1967, 1985)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Established in 1935 as a wintering ground for migratory waterfowl, Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge sits along the Central Flyway, one link in a chain of sanctuaries stretching from Mexico to Canada. Each fall its playas fill with the largest wintering concentration of sandhill cranes in North America, alongside countless other birds. Spanning more than 5,000 acres, it is among the oldest of Texas's federal refuges.
Why it matters
As Texas's first national wildlife refuge, Muleshoe marks the New Deal–era birth of federal wildlife conservation on the Southern Plains.
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Themes & tags
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