North Dakota is known for being an excellent place for birds. Whether you’re an avid hunter or a bird watcher, you’ll find thousands of birds on the prairie. Pheasants, waterfowl, raptors, and plenty of songbirds call this place home. But did you know that the Peace Garden State is also the nesting ground of the world’s largest colony of white pelicans? One particular lake here has thousands upon thousands of big, beautiful pelicans, and it’s certainly a sight to see when they return in the spring. Check out the pelican refuge in North Dakota that holds this title.

Every year, thousands of white pelicans travel to a specific lake in North Dakota that serves as their summer nesting grounds. They begin to arrive from their wintering grounds, usually the southern coasts of the US and as far as South America, in April.
Rick Bohn USFWS/Flickr
Throughout May and June, up to 30,000 pelicans nest and lay eggs along the edges of the water at Chase Lake National Wildlife Refuge. If you look closely at the photo below, you can see hundreds of white dots that are pelicans and their nests.
USFWS/Flickr
The eggs usually start to hatch by June, and with each pair laying an average of two eggs, there are thousands more pelicans brought into the world.
Char Binstock/USFWS/Flickr

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Throughout the rest of summer, the pelicans raise their young until they are old enough to fly and leave to the wintering grounds and repeat the process all over again.
Char Binstock/USFWS/Flickr
You can visit Chase Lake National Wildlife Refuge for yourself and see this amazing sight in person. There are tons of other birds beyond pelicans here, too.
USFWS/Flickr
When visiting, you'll likely spot birds like the eye-catching and elegant ibis, tall and majestic herons, grebes, loons, and even non-bird animals like deer and badgers. It's like a natural zoo that you can see up close and in person.
Neil Shook/USFWS/Flickr
Chase Lake is home to the world's largest colony of nesting white pelicans, and it is definitely a memorable experience if you see them in person.
Rick Bohn USFWS/Flickr

You can visit the Chase Lake National Wildlife Refuge yourself. It is open every day from sunrise to sunset. There are hiking trails, driving routes, and places to park to see the incredible sights. Learn more about the refuge here. Have you seen the white pelicans in North Dakota before?

Did you know that there are more wildlife refuges in ND than there are in any other state? Here is another awesome wildlife refuge in North Dakota you can explore.

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Featured Addresses
Chase Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Tappen, ND 58487, USA