Attwater Prairie Chicken National Wildlife Refuge

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Eagle Lake, TX
Attwater Prairie Chicken National Wildlife Refuge

Home to one of the last populations of the critically endangered Attwater's prairie-chicken.

Due to being short staffed, we are typically best reached on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays through our general phone number (979-234-3021). If we don't answer, feel free to leave a voicemail and/or send an email to [email protected].

09/05/2026

Hello enjoyers of the prairie! Looking for an escape from Labor Day weekend hustle and bustle? Look no further. Our visitor center will remain open today, Saturday September 5th, from 8:00am - 3:30pm.

As a reminder, our public trails and Auto Tour Loop are open every day of the week from sunrise to sunset.

09/03/2026

They started the season as volunteers… but after all the prairie-chicken box hauling, straw loading, scrubbing, stacking, and cleaning, they have officially unlocked expert mode.

No longer are they just box cleaners — they have evolved into the Box Elders. ✨📦👵🏻

Around here, “W” stands for whatever it takes, whenever it needs doing — and our volunteer team takes that to a whole new level.

Photo and caption creds: Texas Master Naturalist Coastal Prairie Chapter

08/20/2026

🎵Doe, a deer, a female deer.
Ray, a drop of golden sun. 🌅

Apparently, early mornings at our refuge come with a soundtrack you didn't know you needed until now. New vocal stim unlocked!

🦌🎶🔅

Photo and caption creds: A lovingly dedicated volunteer part of the Texas Master Naturalist Coastal Prairie Chapter who would like to remain anonymous 😉

08/14/2026

Bees plus flowers equal Attwater's prairie-chickens. Is our math mathing?

Let us explain.

Both are prairie specialists that depend on healthy native grasslands to survive. They rely on a rich diversity of native wildflowers—just in different ways.

American Bumble Bees visit prairie flowers for nectar and pollen, pollinating the very plants that keep our prairies thriving.

Attwater’s Prairie-Chicken chicks depend on those same flowering plants because they attract insects. During their first few weeks of life, chicks need a protein-rich diet of insects to grow and survive.

No wildflowers = fewer pollinators.
Fewer pollinators = fewer flowers and fewer insects.
Fewer insects = fewer prairie-chicken chicks thriving.

It all comes back to one incredible ecosystem where every species plays a role. When we restore native prairie, we’re not just helping one species—we’re rebuilding an entire community, from buzzing bumble bees to booming prairie-chickens.

Every flower matters. Every pollinator matters. And without these two key components to the prairie ecosystem, we can't have the prairie-chickens we know and love.

Photo and caption creds: Jean Stipelcovich, Texas Master Naturalist Coastal Prairie Chapter

08/07/2026

Collaboration at its best! SFA staff visited APCNWR for team building, conservation learning, and a prairie‑chicken release.

08/03/2026

Have you ever seen a bird that swims like a duck, spears fish like a heron, and dries its wings like an eagle?

Meet the Anhinga, one of the most fascinating birds you can find from the Horseshoe Lake blind on our refuge.

After a successful hunt, you’ll often spot them perched with their wings spread wide, soaking up the Texas sun while they dry out.

Keep an eye out around Horseshoe Lake—you might just catch this “snakebird” gliding through the water with only its long neck showing above the surface.

Every visit brings another chance to discover something amazing.

Photo and caption creds: Jean Stipelcovich, Texas Master Naturalist Coastal Prairie Chapter

07/30/2026

Our volunteer crew spotted an unbanded Attwater's prairie-chicken on their way out to the field. Unbanded birds are wild-born and raised. We know this because the only birds that are banded on the refuge are those that we receive from our captive breeding partners. What a great indicator that the work we're doing is lending to success! Sidebar, look at these beautiful blazing stars that are in full bloom right now across the refuge!

Photo creds: Jean Stipelcovich, Texas Master Naturalist Coastal Prairie Chapter

07/25/2026

It’s officially Release Season!

What does that mean? Great question.

Every summer, beginning in mid‑July, our staff transports and acclimates captive‑bred Attwater’s prairie‑chickens.

This long‑standing captive breeding program, active since the late 1990s, plays a vital role in maintaining genetic diversity and boosting numbers for these critically endangered birds.

We are deeply grateful to our incredible partners — Houston Zoo, George Miksch Sutton Avian Research Center, Fossil Rim Wildlife Center, and Caldwell Zoo — whose dedication makes this work possible.

Thanks to their efforts, and the support of committed landowners working through easements with The Nature Conservancy, we’re able to sustain two populations of these birds… so far!

And keep your eyes peeled on the prairie — any Attwater’s prairie‑chicken sporting a purple leg band is one of this year’s newly released birds! Purple = 2026 fresh recruits taking their first steps into the wild.

Photo Creds: Jean Stipelcovich, Texas Master Naturalist Coastal Prairie Chapter

07/22/2026

Good morning folks! Our August 8th van tour sign up is open with 11 spots available!

Click the link below to reserve your spot!

Address

1206 APC NWR Road
Eagle Lake, TX
77434

Telephone

+19792343021

Website

https://www.fws.gov/refuge/attwater-prairie-chicken

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