Located in southeast Missouri and spreading across the abandoned channel of the Mississippi River, Mingo National Wildlife Refuge covers almost 22,000 acres of wetlands, bordered by the Ozark Uplift on the west and Crowley's Ridge on the east. This refuge, established to protect habitat for migrant and wintering waterfowl, is well known to naturalists for its excellent diversity of flora and fauna.
A Visitor Center, off Route 51 north of Puxico, Missouri, introduces visitors to the natural and human history of the area and to the many species that inhabit this vast preserve. Those who arrive in April-May or October-November can follow a 20-mile auto tour road (open 8am-4pm) which leads through the varied habitats of the refuge. Spring visitors should see a wide variety of wetland birds, including herons, egrets, rails, bitterns, Mississippi kites, wood ducks, hooded mergansers, barred owls, common yellowthroats and prothonotary warblers; wild turkey, barn owls and pileated woodpeckers are among the upland species. Resident mammals include river otters, mink, muskrat, beaver, red fox, bobcats and white-tailed deer.
Bald eagles nest along Monopoly Lake, which also attracts ospreys during the spring and fall migrations. Mingo is also known for rare summer visitors, including anhingas, roseate spoonbills and fulvous whistling ducks. Autumn brings huge flocks of wintering waterfowl to the refuge; among these travellers are tundra swans, trumpeter swans and snow geese.
