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Friends of The Bosque del Apache
National Wildlife Refuge
P.O. Box 340
San Antonio, New Mexico 87832
Contact Us

Bosque del Apache National Wildlife refuge


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birding by season
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Bosque del Apache National Wildlife refuge

The Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, fondly known as "The Bosque," is in New Mexico near the small town of San Antonio, NM, 9 mi. south of Socorro, and less than an hour and a half from Albuquerque.

Sandhill Cranes, Snow Geese and many other migrating birds make the Bosque their winter home in beautiful New Mexico, the Land of Enchantment with incomparable sunsets, delicate multicolored mountains, intense blue skies and special light.

Bosque del Apache translates as "Woods of the Apache". Native Americans often camped at this river-side forest, and the area was occupied by Pueblo Peoples for centuries before the Spanish explorers established the Camino Real (the Royal Road from Mexico City to Santa Fe) in the sixteenth century. The Camino Real ran right through the present-day Refuge.

The Refuge is an important wintering home for Sandhill Cranes, and will host as many as 14,000 during the winter months. Cranes will begin arriving in November, and will leave as late as the end of February, heading for Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuge and Alamosa National Wildlife Refuge for a month or two before migrating onwards to Greys' Lake, Idaho, their breeding grounds.

The Bosque provides a critical Refuge for Sandhill Cranes and other migratory birds, providing food, protection and shelter. The Bosque is a critical habitat for a large number of resident birds and wildlife as well.


The Bosque is also home to over 32,000 Snow Geese and Ross Geese, dozens of Bald Eagles and Goldens, Great Blue Herons, Occasional Pelicans, Avocets, and many, many other birds. This beautiful Refuge is also home to small herds of Mule Deer and families of Coyotes. Seeing the sunset "Fly In" and the dawn "Fly Out" is an experience you will never forget! If you are lucky you can also see what we call "Puffs" of Snow Geese, thousands rising into the air, sometimes within 10- 20 feet of you. The sound of wings and the sound of geese talking is a fantastic, primordial experience, guaranteed to "wow" you out of your worries and "wow" you out of your own body, and guaranteed to lift your soul to join them.

The Bosque del Apache NWR is a Refuge for All Seasons, so if you are planning a trip to visit our refuge, you'll want to check what you might see when you are here. Our Seasonal Birding pages are helpful pages for planning photography trips, too. There you will find links to pages for each season with with bird and wildlife lists and locations

Clicking the words below will take you to some of our most informative and popular pages for birding and wildlife information:

Tour Loop
birding by season
bird checklist

(Please click to see Flyout page & Sound pages which open in separate windows)


Please see the wonderful Bosque photo slide show by photographer Wally Newman (also opens in a seperate window... 1MB file)

Please check both our FAQ and Refuge Rules & Regulations For Planning your Trip

the bosque sandhill cranes

A Trip Around the Bosque del Apache NWR
by Park Borgeson


"I saw them first many Novembers ago and heard their triumphant trumpet calls, a hundred or more sandhill cranes riding south on a thermal above the Rio Grande Valley, and that day their effortless flight and their brassy music got into my soul." .... Charles Kuralt

Charles Kuralt loved the Bosque del Apache NWR. He visited the Refuge many times and featured it on his Sunday Morning television show often. His vivid memory of first experiencing the sandhill cranes rings true with all of us who also love this beautiful oasis.

Let us introduce you to the wonders of the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge
Bosque del Apache means "Woods of the Apache". These Native Americans often camped at this river-side forest. The area was well used for centuries before the Spanish explorers established the Camino Real (the Royal Road from Mexico City to Santa Fe) in the sixteenth century. The Camino Real ran right through the present-day Refuge.The Spanish also stopped here, as did the Union Army and the Confederate Forces during the Civil War. The Bosque del Apache has a fascinating history, although today the wildlife is the big story.

The Visitor Center
Any visit to the Bosque del Apache NWR really must start with the Visitor Center (phone: 505-835-1828) , open from 7:30 to 4:00 daily (8:00 to 4:30 weekends) except major holidays. The volunteers at the Center keep current figures on the latest wildlife sightings, the best spots for viewing, and all sorts of local lore. The exhibits tell the story of the Refuge, and of the cranes, geese and seasonal wildlife you can expect to see, and a little about the Rio Grande river valley.
The Center Nature Store and Gift Shop is always a great stop for unusual gifts.

The Loop Tours
At the Visitor Center you can check out an audio-tape that explains all the secret corners along the 15-mile Loop Tour, as well as the work done each season to keep the Refuge in shape for the birds. The tour route is open from one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset, every day of the year. While vehicles must stay on established roads, the automobile can actually make it easier to see the wildlife. It acts as a "blind", since the wildlife is accustomed to traffic on the roads. Of course, you don't have to stay in your car; there are multiple viewing decks, boardwalks, bird blinds and nature trails accessible from the roadway. Just be sure to avoid the closed areas, which change from season to season to best protect the animals. And don't forget your camera; the Refuge is a wonderful place for photography.
 Viewing Tips
Dawn and dusk are the best times to see wildlife. The heat of midday discourages animal activity, especially in the summertime. Observe from the sidelines, and do not approach or feed the wildlife. Drive slowly and stop frequently to scan for hiding places. Often times the animals reappear after a quiet interval. Use binoculars or a spotting scope to get a closer look.

The Seasons
Each season has its own unique wildlife viewing opportunities. "High Season" is wintertime, when sandhill cranes, snow geese, bald eagles and a multitude of ducks crowd the Refuge. Spring is an excellent time for shorebirds and waders, who stop here to rest and re-hydrate while migrating across the desert. Summer and early fall are more quiet, but many ducks, hawks and songbirds make the Refuge their year-round home, along with deer, coyotes, turkey, pheasant and occasional elk. Then sometime in October, the excitement starts all over again with the fall migration.

The Wilderness Areas Bosque del Apache NWR has approximately 30,000 acres of declared wilderness. The Chupadera, Indian Wells and Little San Pasqual Wilderness Areas are desert habitat, with no available water. Hiking and nature observation can be enjoyed, but it's wise to check with the Visitor Center for current information before starting out.

A Place Full of Wonder The Bosque del Apache NWR is rightfully considered one of the most spectacular Wildlife Refuges in North America. Once you have experienced the honking of masses of geese, or the guttural calling of hundreds of cranes, or watched as a stalking coyote causes thousands of snow geese to lift off from a cornfield, or marveled at the lift-off of masses of birds just as the sun breaks the horizon, then you, with Charles Kuralt, will feel the Bosque del Apache "get into your soul"



Friends of
The Bosque del Apache
National Wildlife Refuge
P.O. Box 340
San Antonio, New Mexico 87832
Contact Us
Contact Friends of the Bosque




Freinds if the Bosque

© 1996-2007 by The Friends of the Bosque National Wildlife Refuge, All Rights Reserved
All photos and graphics are under copyright by the artists and photographers. Photos & Graphics ©Sandy Seth, ©Wally Newman
Please do not use without permission!