DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge

**DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge**
	wildlife refuge in Iowa and Nebraska, U.S
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	Wikipedia
Instance of	National Wildlife Refuge;
Location	Nebraska
Operator	United States Fish and Wildlife Service;
IUCN protected areas category	IUCN category IV: Habitat/Species Management Area;
Inception	12 March 1958;
	official website
	41° 31′ 25.32″ N, 96° 01′ 04.44″ W
Authority file
	Q4156201; VIAF ID: 243204295; Library of Congress authority ID: sh87007898; J9U ID: 987007541533405171; WDPA ID: 367714; OpenStreetMap relation ID: 12308520
	Reasonator; Scholia; Wikidocumentaries; KML file; WikiShootMe; OpenStreetMap; Search depicted;

DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge in eastern Nebraska and western Iowa, USA is a 8,362 acre (3,383 ha) National Wildlife Refuge, managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Though the refuge has forestlands and meadows, it also has the 7 mile (11 km) long DeSoto Lake, created in 1960 when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers shortened the Missouri River channel by cutting off a large horseshoe shaped curve in the river. There are 240 bird species that have been recorded, as well as 30 species of mammals (including a herd of 900 White-tailed deer), 60 species of butterflies, more than a dozen species of reptiles and amphibians and numerous species of fish. The refuge is a popular destination for fishing and hunting in season. Additionally, the riverboat Bertrand, which sank in 1865 after hitting a log, was excavated in 1968-69, and over 250,000 artifacts were retrieved from the shipwreck and many are on display at the visitor center. It is considered the finest assemblage of mid 19th century cultural artifacts of its type.

DeSoto Lake

DeSoto Lake
DeSoto Lake

Birds

Green Heron
Red headed woodpecker
Northern Shoveler
Great blue heron
Great blue heron
Neotropical cormorant seen in DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge... image of an "accidental" or rare sighting for the Iowa/Nebraska region...
Neotropical cormorant seen in DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge... image of an "accidental" or rare sighting for the Iowa/Nebraska region...
Snow geese and morphs as well as White fronted geese