Medicine Lake National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) was established in 1935 to provide breeding habitat for migratory birds and other wildlife. It is situated in the heavily glaciated rolling plains of northeastern Montana known as the prairie pothole region, a transition zone between the mixed and short grass prairie dotted with numerous lakes and small wetlands. <P>The 31,660-acre Refuge contains 22 natural and artificial lakes and managed impoundments, along with numerous small wetlands or "potholes" encompassing more than 13,000 wetland acres. The dominant feature of the Refuge is the 8,213-acre Medicine Lake. The rest of the Refuge consists of gently rolling mixed-grass prairie with a few trees found along riparian areas. <P>Medicine Lake, and the numerous islands contained within it, and a 4-square mile sandhill area on the east side of the Refuge are designated as a Federal Wilderness Area encompassing 11,360 acres. In addition, the Refuge has four established Research Natural Areas. Medicine Lake Refuge was designated as a National Natural Landmark in 1980, and the Refuge is recognized by the American Bird Conservancy as one of the "Top 100 Globally Important Bird Areas in the U.S." <P>The Refuge is a prime breeding area for waterfowl, with more than 13 species producing up to 40,000 offspring annually. It is also home to a white pelican nesting colony containing approximately 10,000 birds, one of the largest white-pelican colonies in North America. The mixed-grass prairie is home to a large population of rare grassland birds such as Baird's sparrow, Sprague's pipit, and chestnut-collared longspur. <P>