Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge lies in northern Utah, where the Bear River flows into the northeast arm of the Great Salt Lake. It is a 12 mile driving loop home to over 4,000 different species of migratory birds. One of the neatest places I have ever visited … and it is free of charge. On the ancestral homelands of the Shoshone, Paiute, Bannock, and Ute people known as the Newe or Meme (the People), the Refuge protects the marshes found at the mouth of the Bear River. Surrounded by arid desert lands, these marshes are the largest freshwater component of the Great Salt Lake ecosystem and are an oasis for waterbirds and wildlife.
Black-necked Stilt
American White Pelicans
American White Pelicans cooperate when feeding. Sometimes, large groups gather in wetlands. They coordinate their swimming to drive schooling fish toward the shallows. The pelicans can then easily scoop up these corralled fish from the water. These guys are huge with an average wingspans of 96-114 inches.
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