Pahranagat and Moapa Valley National Wildlife Refuges

03/20/2026

Refuge staff changed the sign outside the Visitor Center making it official - Spring has sprung!

02/26/2026

Fun, family event this weekend at Desert NWR. Check it out!

🌵🐟 Join us for "Desert Fish Tales" on February 28, 2026, from 9 am to 1 pm at the Corn Creek Visitor Center in the Desert National Wildlife Refuge! Enjoy story time at 10 am and 12 pm with author Gisa Nico and her book "Fish in the Desert: The Untold Story of the Death Valley Pupfish." At 11 am, dive into an engaging interpretive talk about four unique desert fish and their conservation stories. Explore the visitor center with a fun scavenger hunt; get creative with desert fish coloring pages; and craft your own pupfish using recycled materials—highlighting the importance of protecting our fragile desert waters. Don't miss this exciting day of stories, discovery, and conservation! 🌊🐠Bringingnationalparkstolife

02/25/2026

Last week's storm left a dusting at Pahranagat NWR. The snow has since faded, but the beauty remains.

All photos: T.Bixby/USFWS

10/01/2025

Due to the federal government shutdown, this account is not being actively updated.
For more information, please visit:

Operations in the Absence of Appropriations

09/24/2025

The votes are in for People's Choice! As always, the artwork is incredible.

09/22/2025

If the calendar didn’t let you know that fall is here then the rabbitbrush will. As a late summer to fall bloomer, rabbitbrush is an important plant for pollinators during this season. It’s blooming in abundance at Pahranagat right now, so use the dropping temps to get out on the trail to enjoy it!

Photo taken on September 16 at Pahranagat NWR. Credit: FWS

09/19/2025

Did you know parts of Pahranagat refuge were purchased with Federal Duck Stamp sales? Every year one piece of beautiful artwork is turned into a nonpostal stamp. Sales raise funds for habitat protection.

BREAKING DUCK NEWS! 🦆
The 2025 Federal Duck Stamp Art Contest winner was just announced!

Congratulations to James Hautman of Minnesota, with an acrylic painting of three buffleheads. His artwork will become the 2026–2027 Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp.

Since 1934, Federal Duck Stamp sales to hunters, bird watchers, outdoor enthusiasts, and collectors have raised more than $1.2 billion to conserve over 6 million acres of habitat for birds and other wildlife.

Congrats to all the winners! See the comments for the 2nd and 3rd place finishers.

Image by © James Hautman, used by USFWS with permission.

09/03/2025

Wintering waterfowl are on their way south! Pahranagat was established for migratory birds, and we look forward to their arrival every year.

The USFWS Migratory Birds Program Division of Migratory Bird Management coordinates and conducts numerous surveys to gather essential population status and hunting activity data for migratory bird species across North America each year. This monumental effort in species monitoring involves a tremendous amount of data management to ensure data quality and accessibility. The information gained is valuable data that we then synthesize and summarize into annual status reports.

These reports aren't just numbers and facts; they're living narratives that resonate with our many partners in conservation, from hunters to researchers and bird enthusiasts alike.

View the 2025 Population Status Reports by clicking the link in the comments. The infographic covers waterfowl, but there are also reports available to read about sandhill crane, band-tailed pigeon, mourning dove, and American woodcock, as well as Migratory Bird Hunting Activity & Harvest Reports.

https://www.fws.gov/story/migratory-bird-annual-status-reports

2025 Waterfowl Population Status Report infographic: Brima Battle/USFWS

08/28/2025

Good News! Moapa Valley National Wildlife Refuge is opening for the season. Starting September 5, the Refuge will be open Friday-Sunday, 8:00am - 4:00pm. We hope to see you there.

06/27/2025

This Western Kingbird was not happy about a recent morning visitor at it's nest!

06/20/2025

It's the first day of summer and Southern Nevada is already feeling the heat! This is your reminder to practice proper outdoor safety precautions if you are visiting any desert getaways this summer. Plenty of water and sun protection are a must. Plan outdoor activities in the morning when it is the coolest. Stay safe!