Tucked between the
Mississippi River and Salt rivers, the Shanks area is a wetland teeming with waterfowl, songbirds, mammals and wildflowers. Seven river islands, a wetland complex, large bottom-land forests and many waterfowl management pools make up the area.
Prairie Slough and Oval Lake are designated natural areas within the Shanks area. For the best bird viewing, visit the sloughs and marshes in spring and summer to see ducks, geese, prothonotary warblers, northern parulas, swamp sparrows and marsh wrens.
Hiking trails on the levees cross the marsh and wetlands at the junction of the rivers. Here, watch for American and least bitterns, sandpipers, egrets, green herons, black-crowned night herons, yellow-legs, snipes and king rails and Bald eagles, too.
Return each winter to hunt the waters of the Shanks area. Watch for other water wildlife, such as river otters, beaver, muskrat, mink and weasels.
