Bird Checklists of the United States Bird Checklists of the United States Bear Lake National Wildlife Refuge Montpelier, Idaho A Place for Wildlife - Especially Birds Bear Lake National Wildlife Refuge was established to protect, restore, and manage nesting habitat for waterfowl and other migratory birds.
Primary emphasis is on canvasback and redhead ducks as well as white-faced ibis.
Numerous other species, from Canada geese and songbirds to deer and muskrats, benefit from this management. Look for a Species in its Favorite Habitat Several habitat types occur on the refuge and different bird species can be found in each. These habitats include shallow and deep water marshes, mud flats, grassy meadows, sagebrush foothills, willow thickets and dense stands of bulrush and cattail. Each bird species is uniquely adapted to live in different habitats. For example, American avocets have long legs and slender bills for wading and probing in shallow water and mud while western grebes have heavy, pointed bills, and legs placed far back on a streamlined body so they can dive under water to catch fish.