UNION SLOUGH NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE
UNION SLOUGH NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE1710 360th St. Titonka, Iowa 50480
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Union Slough National Wildlife Refuge
'Family outing'
Trumpeter swan family on a nice peaceful morning
Union Slough National Wildlife Refuge
'A misunderstanding'
A pair of trumpeter swans, apparently in a serious territorial dispute
Union Slough National Wildlife Refuge
'Mink'
Yes, a mink will on occasion take to the water and have a swimmingly good time
Union Slough National Wildlife Refuge
'Pelicans and Ducks'
Peacefully sharing their territory
Union Slough National Wildlife Refuge
'Pelican in flight'
Union Slough National Wildlife Refuge
'Majecstic Trumpeter Swan'
Union Slough National Wildlife Refuge
'Taking Flight'
Trumpeter swan on liquid runway
Union Slough National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1937 to provide a refuge and breeding ground for migratory birds and other wildlife. The actual slough is all that remains of a pre-glacial riverbed, and its name is derived from the connection or "union" of two watersheds: the Blue Earth River of Minnesota and the East Fork of the Des Moines River. The terrain is nearly flat, allowing the flow of the water to be determined by the direction of the wind at times.
The refuge is on the eastern edge of the tallgrass prairie region of the Northern Great Plains. Common native range plants are bluestems, gramas, Indiangrass, coneflowers, butterfly milkweed, and leadplant, to name a few.
The refuge is a major producer of wood ducks, with approximately 2,500 produced annually, and also has been the site of several successful reintroductions of the trumpeter swan. This 3,334-acre refuge surrounded by a sea of corn and soybeans provides vital habitat for a variety of plants and animals.
FACILITIES AND ACTIVITIES OVERVIEW
Day-UseFishingyes
Huntingyes
Hiking Trailyes
