Over a century ago, one million Attwater's prairie-chickens graced the Texas and Louisiana gulf coastal prairie. Each spring, males gathered to perform an elaborate courtship ritual. They inflated their yellow air sacs and emitted a strange, booming sound across a sea of grasses.
Today, less than one percent of coastal prairies remain. With so little of its home left, the Attwater's prairie-chicken has come dangerously close to following the passenger pigeon to extinction.
You may not see the birds when you visit the refuge, but they are here, valiantly struggling to keep their speices alive, with a lot of help from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and others. Their presence deepens the experience of a visit among breathtaking spring wildflowers, marshes, ponds and virgin tallgrass prairie.
Directions
From Houston: Take I-10 west to Sealy. Drive south 1 mile on Highway 36, then right on Texas Farm to Market Road (FM)3013 for 10 miles.
From San Antonio: Take I-10 east to Sealy. Drive south 1 mile on Highway 36, then right on Texas Farm to Market Road (FM)3013 for 10 miles.
From Eagle Lake: Take FM 3013 northeast for 6.5 miles.
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