U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service - Midwest

We understand the thrill of pulling a fish through the ice on a brisk winter day. On February 10, warmed by cupfuls of hot chocolate, more than 250 youth ages 5 to 12 and their families converged on Genoa National Fish Hatchery in Wisconsin for an afternoon of ice fishing.

Check out our best stories from around the web and social media. This week features waxwing treats, porcupine defense, finch food and more!

Check out our best stories from around the web and social media. This week features staying warm, eagle talons, a welcome return and more!

We're celebrating Hamden Slough National Wildlife Refuge, which was established 30 years ago in early January. The refuge is nestled within Minnesota's working landscape of agriculture, industry, conservation and the tight-knit communities that weave them together. Take a moment to learn more about this prairie gem and plan a trip to experience it first-hand.

Have you ever wondered how birds can stay warm in the cold winter months? Common redpolls are a great example. These energetic foragers weigh less than 15 grams and can survive temperatures that plunge nearly 100 degrees below the freezing point! How do they do it? Birds of all shapes and sizes have special adaptations for living in cold climates. Here are just a few examples of tough birds and their tips for staying warm.

In the language of the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, his name is Bimaajii, or “one who moves about.” He’s an endangered Great Lakes piping plover, found in May 2018 on High Island in Lake Michigan by Bill Parsons and Archie Kiogama, wildlife biologists for the Odawa. After discovery, Bimaajii was banded with a unique combination of colored bands and named Of,YL:X,R in the unique parlance of the University of Minnesota researchers that study the Great Lakes piping plovers. The colors selected for Bimaajii’s bands -- yellow, red and black -- are the colors of the Odawa medicine wheel.