malheur national wildlife refuge

Fantastic natural bird refuge for migratory birds. In the spring 300 bird species migrate through here. They also nest until summer. The ranger there very informative. It is in the middle of nowhere and is wonderful place to visit and camp! If you like to hear birds.

This is our second stay with fellow birdwatchers in "Owl East," a cozy unit for up to 6 visiting nature lovers at the Malheur Field Station near Burns, Oregon. In addition to some of the best birding in the west, it is also home base for the all day drive up Steens Mountain, a 30-mile long block fault ridge that rises to 10,000' and offers unparalleled views of the surrounding terrain and down into Aspen filled canyons and the Alvord desert to the east. This trip, in early October, was short on birds but long on gorgeous weather and stunning views. We enjoyed the usual delicious family-style dinner at the Diamond Hotel and are looking forward to another similar meal at the French Glen Hotel. Having 2 cars is helpful here, as the nearest reliable source of gas is in Burns, about 30 miles away. The Steens Mountain drive will suck up most of one gas tank so it's helpful to have a second car for birding excursions if staying for more than 1 night. A stop at Safeway in Burns is also recommended to stock up before entering the refuge. To arrive with an enhanced appreciation for this remote and unique environment, spend time at the High Desert Museum in Bend first. While access to the refuge is free, reserving one of the simple accommodations for a couple of nights is ideal. Restaurant reservations are also essential, as space is limited and there is only one nightly seating.

I'm just back from the week-long Road Scholar Fall Malheur Field Station (MFS) Birding Program. I've lived in Oregon for 27 years and knew about the Malheur NWR but had never heard if Malheuer Field station. What an incredible resource for groups or individuals interested in the Geology and Natural History of Eastern Oregon. The accommodations aren't fancy but the food is great. And whether you make reservations as group (Local audubon society, Landscape Photography or painting class...) or individual you'll find your contact with Co-Directors Duncan Evered and Lyla Messick tremendously informative. The nearby National Wildlife Refuge with it's migrating SandHill Cranes and other migratory waterfowl are the big draw. But there's so much more to see and do and learn from the MFS experts about places like the desolate Alvord desert & Steens mountain south of the MFS, Sage & Juniper High desert around the MFS as well as the arid Ponderosa Pine forest north of Burns. MFS is not a hotel or motel but a friendly place to visit or stay for a few days while you learn and explore this truly extraordinary area.

I was staying in Burns as visitor on a Archeology dig for a local Univesity. Afterwards it was suggested I go here. I found Agates, Jasper & Petrified wood along S. Harney Lake Ln. About 2 miles in. There were numerous different types of birds. The sky in this area was beautiful. During the 3-4 hours I spent in this area. A thunderstorm came through with seemed like hundreds of lightning strikes. It was awesome. ALSO!!! Be careful. When I was finding agates. I ran a crossed 3 rattlesnakes. Who weren't very friendly..…unless You consider toothy kisses friendly. This area is about 30 miles South of Burns.

I had been curious to visit Malheur Wildlife Refuge for some years as I am a birder and had heard it was a great place to visit. During a recent Oregon road trip, my husband and I spent a few days here. We checked out the birds at the refuge visitor center area twice and one day drove the very long auto tour road, looking for birds in the marshes and ponds along the road. The refuge is in a remote part of Oregon and there are few services and no towns of any size near the refuge, so it feels like a truly wild and natural place. I especially liked birding at the visitor center which is a lovely complex that includes grounds of large cottonwood trees, lawns, bird feeders, the visitor center building and museum. There is also a large pond nearby with a birding blind, but there were few waterfowl on the pond when we visited, so we did not go down near the pond. I loved seeing the western tanagers, yellow warblers, lazuli buntings, yellow-headed blackbirds and Baltimore orioles, to name my favorites. The drive on the auto tour (Center Patrol Road) is 42 miles long and goes through some pretty, open country. I would highly suggest getting the visitor access map and birding list at the visitor center before leaving since it is a long drive and will better orientate you to the area you are traveling through. I was somewhat disappointed that there wasn't a lot of waterfowl to view and some of the marshes seemed rather dry. I am not sure if it was the time of year, but my understanding was the spring (we traveled in mid May) was a good time to see ducks, shore birds, etc. I did not see the large flocks of ducks that I was expecting to see and few shore birds. I did enjoy a sighting of long billed curlews and there were a few avocets, black necked stilts and a few flocks of long billed dowitcher. The Buena Vista Ponds were an especially lovely area and one of the best areas with significant water. There is an overlook area above the ponds with a road that you can drive your car up and when we were there, a number of terns were flying around. What we did see were a very large concentration of white faced ibis. I have never seen so many flocks of these birds and they were everywhere! A truly remarkable sight. As you drive the tour road you will have nice views of Steens Mountain which was snowy when we visited. Along the route I would recommend stops at Frenchglen Hotel for lunch (they also serve dinner but I believe you need reservations) and the Diamond Hotel for dinner (reservations also needed). Both hotels serve a family style dinner so you will be sharing a table with other guests. Both of these hotels also have lodging which is hard to come by in this isolated part of Oregon. We opted to stay at a hotel in the town of Burns which is about a 30 minute drive to the refuge visitor center/headquarters. I would highly recommend a stay at the Horseshoe Inn, a wonderful deal price wise and nice rooms on the edge of town in a country setting. Malheur is a must see if you are a birder or nature lover and would like to visit the "outback" country of Eastern Oregon, a very different Oregon of high desert, sagebrush and cattle that one normally does not associate with Oregon.

Malheur means "bad hour" or "bad time" in French, but the name is dead wrong for the place. It is a great time. The season really matters. You can go there during the height of birding season and see lots of people, too. Or you can go there after most of the birds have departed and have it pretty much to yourself. I did the latter. (Recall that nearby Steens Mountain is probably inaccessible during the best bird-viewing time.)The forty mile road that takes you through the refuge begins at the visitor's center where you can pick up a free CD to play at any or all of the 19 tour stops that lie along the road. We were pretty much alone in the refuge and, even though the migratory birds are long gone, there were many birds and other animals still hanging around.

Malheur National Wildlife Refuge is home to the country's largest freshwater marsh, thus attracting many birds and related wildlife. Even during the non-migration times of the year, there are many species to see and observe. There is a wonderful museum at the Headquarters where there are examples of local birds displayed and if you are lucky you will see their resident Great Horned Owl who nests in the vacated fire tower nearby. I traveled with a group organized by Road Scholar and had the immense privilege of being guided around the Reserve and to the nearby mountain ranges--the Blues, Strawberries and Steens Mountain to observe wonderful wildflowers and butterflies up close, as well as other species of birds. We stayed at the Malheur Field Station described aptly as "rustic" but the gold in the visit were our guides--Duncan Evered and Lyla Messick who manage the Field Station. They created our visit around the requests from our group--what we wanted to experience and learn. The information and visits ranged from the geological history of the area to the minute details of butterfly wings. Duncan has a wry sense of humor and kept us busy and engaged despite the heat and many bugs. We got used to it! Lyla shared her many artistic talents with us and come along on the ventures to the higher elevations to photograph and then share the beauty of the butterflies. The air conditioning in our bunk house made life tolerable and the food was home cooked and good. Everyone was very friendly and made us feel right at home. A very interesting and exciting visit but for more than just a day! A unique natural location that has one thinking much more about how wildlife live and survive.

well worth a drive- breath taking views and 20 degrees cooler at 9000 feet. Gravel road, the loop is not completely open- the Rooster tail was still closed so had to go back the way we came. Kiger Gorge was amazing too.

Our family (girls ages 8 and 11) visited during the Malheuir WIldlife Festival during the April spring migratory bird festival. Went on two wonderful tours, one with pack lamas and "Birding British Style". Saw over 65 sepcies of birds in two days, and our girls especially enjoyed getting to walk with their own llama. Great experience!

We camped in Frenchglen, just south of the Refuge. Even though we were a bit early for many of the birds' migrations, we saw a wide variety of birds and enjoyed the driving tour through the refuge. We got a map at the Visitors Center and followed it. The next day, we drove through the Diamond Craters tour - a bit east of the Refuge. Very interesting geology with good explanations on the tour map.

It is always a breath taking, learning experience. If you are in the area, I highly recommend that you visit this area.

The spring is the best time to visit, as the number of migrating birds is pretty overwhelming then. There are lots less mosquitoes in the fall, however, which is also a good time.

We frequently saw deer, antelope, rabbits and coyotes. Birds were also very interesting and a popular passtime for many visitors.

Great place for picture taking and teaching children..........

The Refuge was filled with a wild variety of birds...Bald eagles, White Pelicans, Sandhill cranes, Cinnamon teals, Ruddy ducks, American Avocet and so many more! The air was filled with a amazing bird calls. The Refuge Headquarters is very nice and the staff helpful. We only spent the afternoon in the Refuge but saw so much...including Pronghorn Antelope. I can't imagine how many birds were there during the months of January, February and March! Your vehicle acts as a blind, so just bring your binoculars and telephoto lens...and enjoy the birdlife!