OutdoorSignal
Waterfowl intelligence

Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge

Answers field/weather and mapped habitat context; it does not predict migration or bird presence.

86/100Excellent
Evidence completeness: 100/100. Derived conditions help with planning; official alerts, rules and local conditions always take priority.
THE DECISION

Today and tomorrow are broadly similar

The difference is only 3 points (86/100 today, 83/100 tomorrow), so there is no strong conditions-based reason to postpone solely for the forecast. The main forecast change is that maximum wind rises from 6 to 12 mph.

Today86/100
Tomorrow83/100
ConfidenceMedium

Most important: Mapped wetland habitat: The surrounding area has a substantial mapped wetland footprint. That supports habitat context, but it does not prove birds are present today.

Temperature71°F
Wind3 mph
Rain chance2%
ForecastPatchy Fog
INTERPRETATION

What the numbers actually change

Good

Mapped wetland habitat

151,518 acres within 10 mi

The surrounding area has a substantial mapped wetland footprint. That supports habitat context, but it does not prove birds are present today.

Context

Wind / field setup

6 mph max

Very light wind may make some setups feel static, but this does not predict migration.

Official recreation record

Source: Recreation.gov / RIDB. Verify current reservation, closure and facility details on the official service.

Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge is located in northwest Missouri, near Mound City. Originally known as Squaw Creek National Wildlife Refuge, the name was changed to Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge on January 11, 2017 in order to remove the derogatory word squaw from the name.The refuge was established on August 23, 1935 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt as a refuge feeding and breeding ground for migratory birds and other wildlife. The refuge contains 7,440 acres…

RIDB record1616
ReservableNo

Official directions: The refuge is located five miles south of Mound City, MO, and 30 miles north of St. Joseph, MO, just off of Interstate 29. Take exit 79, and drive 3 miles west on highway 159.

Terrain context

Center elevation950 ft
Sampled low852 ft
Sampled high1,056 ft
Elevation range204 ft

Sampled terrain is planning context, not a survey or route assessment.

Wetland context

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service National Wetlands Inventory. Mapping is not a regulatory wetland determination or property-boundary survey.

151,518 mapped wetland acres were returned within the 10-mile query area.

WHAT THIS PAGE DOESN'T KNOW YET

Important gaps

  • Regional snow/freeze progression, crop/food context and live bird observations are not yet part of this score; do not treat it as a migration forecast.
Condition-aware gear

Gear justified by these conditions

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Waterproof field bag

The mapped wetland footprint makes waterproof storage more relevant than on a dry-land outing.

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