Birding Paradise

Great Bend is located in the middle of the Central Flyway and is bordered by two wetlands of international importance. With Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area to the north and Quiviria National Wildlife Refuge to the south, Great Bend is a birding paradise. Wildlife enthusiasts will find just what they're looking for here in the heartland. A local naturalist sums it up, "There are 320 bird species to be found at Cheyenne Bottoms. Besides birds, the Bottoms is also home to 23 species of mammals, 19 species of reptiles, and 9 species of amphibians." For current water conditions, please call 620-793-7730 or view the KDWP website page for Cheyenne Bottoms.

Wings & Wetlands Weekend

Every odd-numbered year in the Spring, the community showcases its amazing birding and wildlife watching at the Wings & Wetlands Weekend. Great Bend invites visitors for a "natural" weekend of birding, education, networking, fabulous sunsets and fun! Bird watchers of every experience level discover something wonderful when the town welcomes birders to two of the hottest birding sites in the world - Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area and Quivira National Wildlife Refuge. Both have been designated as Wetlands of International Importance by the International Ramsar Committee. Click here to see pictures from the 2005 festival.
Next festival: April 27-29, 2007

Cheyenne Bottoms - Jewel of the Prairie

This 41,000 acre lowland basin six miles north of Great Bend is the most important ecosystem in Kansas and the most important migration point for shorebirds in North America. Over 100 species nest in the area and 63 species are permanent residents. It is considered the largest marsh in the interior of the U.S. and has been designated a "Wetland of International Importance."

The Nature Conservancy owns and manages more than 7,200 acres at Cheyenne Bottoms. The Nature Conservancy is a private, nonprofit, conservation organization with over 900,000 members.

Quivira National Wildlife Refuge

Quivira National Wildlife Refuge is 21,820 acres of prairie grasses, salt marshes, sand dunes, canals, dikes and timber. A system of 15 miles of canals and 25 miles of dikes provides nearly 5000 acres of managed wetland and marshes.

Kansas Wetlands & Wildlife Scenic Byway

Kansas is now home to the Kansas Wetlands & Wildlife Scenic Byway. Cheyenne Bottoms and Quivira National Wildlife Refuge are the natural jewels of this byway. These ancient wetlands shape the natural beauty of the area and are vital to the thousands of birds that rest here during migration and provide world-class opportunities for bird and wildlife watching.

This Byway showcases the huge wetlands of North America's central flyway. The byway reveals a scenic visual surprise and a rare and intimate look at the acres of radiant water that dazzle the eye and clouds of birds that take the breath away. Cheyenne Bottoms and Quivira National Wildlife Refuge are international treasures nestled in the heart of America.

Click here for a map of the Wetlands & Wildlife Scenic Byway.

Click here to view a live camera at Cheyenne Bottoms.