Long Lake National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), located near the community of Moffit in south central North Dakota, was established in 1932 as a migratory bird refuge by President Herbert Hoover. Due to a long history of avian botulism outbreaks caused by a bacterial toxin that attacks a bird's central nervous system, a system of dikes was developed to aid in water control. Through manipulation of water levels, the incidence and severity of avian botulism outbreaks have been reduced.
The Refuge consists of 22,300 acres, 16,000 of which are lake bottoms, with rolling prairie and cultivated uplands on the remaining 6,300 acres. The Refuge attracts both resident and migratory birds and animals. In late August, spectacular concentrations of waterfall begin the fall migration. Populations peak with up to 25,000 ducks and 20,000 geese occurring in late October. The Refuge is famed as a staging area for migrating sandhill cranes with fall concentrations often exceeding 10,000 birds. The Refuge is frequently visited by whooping cranes during their bi-annual migrations. During the spring and fall, bald eagles are often seen as they follow migrating waterfowl.
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