The lake is managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as a flood control reservoir, which means most of its banks are wild and natural, except for places that provide necessary services. Bird watchers will enjoy viewing eagles at Wappapello year round now, with nests on and near the lake. In winter, Missouri is one of the nation's major wintering ground for eagles and many of them show up at Wappapello. Eagle and wildlife photos from close-by Mingo National Wildlife Refuge, Duck Creek, and surrounding lake areas will also be included. Located in the upper end of the lower Mississippi River valley, Mingo Refuge, at 21,592 acres, is the largest remnant of bottomland hardwoods remaining out of an original 2 1/2 million acres in the Missouri bootheel. A major migration and wintering area for migratory waterfowl, populations of 125,000 mallards and 75,000 Canada geese have been recorded. Bald eagles have been successively nesting on the refuge since 1985... In the most southeastern part of Missouri, thousands of snow geese can be seen in the winter, soaring above the wetlands and crop fields. A drive to southern conservation areas such as Ten Mile Pond, Otter Slough, and Duck Creek can result in better waterfowl identification
...“February is a great time to see northern pintails, gadwalls, and American green-winged teal in the fields and mallards in the timber,” said Keith Cordell, manager of Duck Creek Conservation Area. “Duck Creek is a place where you can drive along the borders of the timber and fields and really get a good look at these ducks.”