Snow Birds
Birdwatching at Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center…
Crowned the country’s national bird in 1782, bald eagles were once in danger of going extinct. But with the habitat protection afforded by the Endangered Species Act, the banning of DDT and numerous conservation efforts, bald eagles can now be found in just about every state except Hawaii. One of
the best places to see them in winter happens to be right here in northern California on the eastern edge of Siskiyou County.
“Tule Lake and Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuges host the largest concentration of wintering bald eagles in the contiguous United States,” explains John Fitzroy, the Visitor Services Manager for the Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuge Complex. “These magnificent birds are drawn to the region due to the abundance of waterfowl that inhabit the refuges during the winter months. The eagles rely on these large waterfowl populations as a critical food source during the colder season.”
But this season, eagles aren’t the only ones with a critical place to congregate at the refuges. A new visitor center, made possible with funding from the Great American Outdoors Act of 2020, opened its doors to the public in spring 2024. According to Fitzroy, the building’s “unique architectural structure blends the built and natural environment while establishing a modern sense of place and community for all visitors.” And, he argues, it should be the first stop on any visit to the area. “It contains a variety of exhibits, displays, brochures and wildlife-oriented programs, and it’s manned by staff and volunteers who can help plan activities and answer questions. For both new and returning visitors, it can deliver an orientation with practical advice and up-to-date information on wildlife sightings. It’s also delivered personally by volunteers and refuge staff in a context that often gets lost in the information overload of the internet.”
For Fitzroy, the visitor center serves a number of purposes, including functioning as an economic driver for the region. “Although refuges are places where wildlife comes first, refuge visitor centers add real value to local economies by attracting recreational users. Some visitors take part in hunting and fishing, others enjoy hiking, paddling, wildlife viewing or nature photography. These visitors pay for lodging, meals, and other purchases from local businesses to sustain the pursuit of their recreational experience.”
In 2017, the combined economic contribution to communities nationwide from National Wildlife Refuges was more than six times the amount appropriated by Congress to the entire refuge system, he adds. The center also offers a critical public education piece between the work the refuge does and the general population. “Helping the community connect with and support the work of the refuge is where the rubber meets the road, so the visitor center helps do that by creating a more fulfilling experience, maybe even one that generates the respect, support and defense necessary to ensure they will be here to inspire future generations.”
Staff at the center can give real-time insight about the best places to catch a glimpse of wildlife, including eagles, but one of the best overall ways is to drive one of the auto tour routes that pass through both the Tule Lake and the Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuges. These self-guided tours allow visitors to drive at their own pace, and provide places along the route to stop and take pictures or just sit and observe the majesty of nature. “The auto tour routes on Tule Lake and Lower Klamath offer four types of grebes along with a multitude of waterfowl species that occupy the waters spring through fall. During the winter when the lake freezes, dozens of bald eagles can be found near areas of open water. You just have to follow the signs to stay on the route,” explains Fitzroy.
Fitzroy also encourages visitors to the Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge in particular to take advantage of the free GPS-enabled narrated driving tour that begins at the new visitor center and explores the southern shore of Tule Lake. This tour takes a deep dive into the history of the region, along with the ongoing efforts to protect the largest wetlands area west of the Mississippi River.
No matter the season, getting outdoors at the Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuges affords visitors access to world-renowned wildlife-related recreation activities. But watching the high-speed dive of an eagle after its prey or seeing a convocation of this magnificent species unlike anywhere else in the contiguous United States should be at the top of anyone’s winter bucket list.•
Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center
4009 Hill Road, Tulelake
(530) 667-2231
www.fws.gov/refuge/lower-klamath
www.fws.gov/refuge/tule-lake
