Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center

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Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center Award-winning Nature Center located in the heart of the Loess Hills. Hike, explore, play and learn. Hope to see you soon!
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Surrounded by over 1,000 acres of woodlands and loess hills prairies, the Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center is the perfect setting for outdoor learning. Hands-on exhibits engage visitors in learning about the plants and animals of the Loess Hills and three miles of trails give them a chance to explore our natural habitats. People from all over the country (and world!) visit this Nature Center to learn, appreciate and revel in our natural world. Visitors can view our Raptor House and see live birds of prey. The Discovery Forest Nature Playscape is a safe way for youngsters (and adults) to explore nature in a safe and fun manner. Check out our calendar of events for cool educational programs, hikes, Summer Day Camps and special events.

Happy International Bat Week! Bat Week is an international, annual celebration designed to raise awareness about the nee...
10/24/2026

Happy International Bat Week!
Bat Week is an international, annual celebration designed to raise awareness about the need for bat conservation. Bats are amazing creatures that are vital to the health of our natural world and economy. Although we may not always see them, bats are hard at work all around the world each night - eating tons of insects, pollinating flowers, and spreading seeds that grow new plants and trees.

Little Sioux Park – Union Bridge Trail ReopenedWoodbury County Conservation has reopened the Union Bridge Trail at Littl...
10/23/2026

Little Sioux Park – Union Bridge Trail Reopened

Woodbury County Conservation has reopened the Union Bridge Trail at Little Sioux Park near Correctionville, Iowa, as of Friday, October 23, 2026. The trail has been closed the past two weeks to repair damage sustained during the 2024 flooding.

We appreciate the public’s patience and understanding throughout the repair process and look forward to welcoming visitors back to enjoy the trail.

For questions or additional information, please contact the Woodbury County Conservation Board office at (712) 258-0838.

Don’t over-clean your yard this fall! It can be tempting to cut back every plant and tidy up your garden, but leaving so...
10/23/2026

Don’t over-clean your yard this fall!

It can be tempting to cut back every plant and tidy up your garden, but leaving some dead stems and dried plants standing can help wildlife through the winter.

🐝 Insects use hollow stems and plant debris for shelter.
🐦 Birds feed on seeds left behind.
🦋 Pollinators and other small wildlife use these areas for winter habitat.

So this fall, leave a little mess behind. A tidy yard isn’t always a healthy yard for wildlife!

Little Dots, Big Impact!Did you know that birds don’t always recognize glass as a solid surface? Reflections of trees an...
10/22/2026

Little Dots, Big Impact!

Did you know that birds don’t always recognize glass as a solid surface? Reflections of trees and sky can make windows look like open air, which can lead to dangerous collisions.

Thanks to volunteers from the Loess Hills Audubon Society, bird-friendly window decals have now been installed at the Nature Center to help make our windows more visible to birds. These simple dots give birds a visual cue that there’s a window ahead—and can help prevent collisions.

We’re grateful to the Loess Hills Audubon Society for donating the decals and helping with the installation! The decals are currently only on the lower-level windows, but we plan to add them to all windows on the building.

Pictured are Marla and Kevin Kerr with the Loess Hills Audubon Society and Volunteer Coordinator/Receptionist, Shelby Campbell

As the days get shorter and temperatures cool, trees begin to prepare for winter. They stop producing chlorophyll—the pi...
10/21/2026

As the days get shorter and temperatures cool, trees begin to prepare for winter. They stop producing chlorophyll—the pigment that gives leaves their green color. As the green fades, other pigments that were there all along become visible, revealing beautiful shades of yellow, orange, and red.

So next time you’re admiring the fall colors, you’re actually seeing a little bit of the science happening right before your eyes!

Tomorrow, join us for coffee and conversations about conservation! Discover how your morning coffee can help support bir...
10/20/2026

Tomorrow, join us for coffee and conversations about conservation! Discover how your morning coffee can help support birds and their habitats! Join us for a presentation by Nick Topf from Council Oak Supply and learn what makes coffee “bird friendly” and what it takes for a coffee farm to earn the Smithsonian Bird Friendly certification. Explore the connection between coffee production, conservation, and bird habitat—and learn how your daily cup can make a difference. Refreshments are provided. Registration not required.

Leave the leaves! Before you rake up every last leaf this fall, consider leaving some behind. Leaf litter provides impor...
10/19/2026

Leave the leaves!
Before you rake up every last leaf this fall, consider leaving some behind. Leaf litter provides important habitat for pollinators and other wildlife, giving them a place to shelter and overwinter.
Yard-care tip: Instead of removing all your leaves, rake them into garden beds, around trees, or other less-used areas of your yard.
A few leaves can make a big difference for wildlife!

This female northern harrier was spotted cruising low over Owego Wetlands, searching the grasses for an unsuspecting mea...
10/17/2026

This female northern harrier was spotted cruising low over Owego Wetlands, searching the grasses for an unsuspecting meal. Their low, buoyant flight and bright white rump patch make them easier to identify—but there’s more to these unique hawks than meets the eye!

Northern harriers have an owl-like facial disc that helps funnel sound toward their ears, giving them incredible hearing to detect prey hidden in vegetation.

So next time you’re exploring Owego Wetlands, keep an eye on the horizon—and watch for a hawk flying low, slow, and just above the grass!

Photo by Jerry Mennenga.

Meet the Merlin (Falco columbarius)Merlin populations declined in the 1960s due to pesticide contamination. These change...
10/16/2026

Meet the Merlin (Falco columbarius)

Merlin populations declined in the 1960s due to pesticide contamination. These changes were first detected through hawk migration counts, showing the power of long-term monitoring.



Because Merlins travel across broad regions, surveys conducted throughout their range were critical in identifying these losses. Today, more than 300 hawk migration surveys take place across the Americas each year, helping scientists track population trends, map migration routes, and guide conservation priorities.
Ways you can help:
🔭 Join a hawk migration survey
Community science projects welcome participants of all experience levels and provide valuable data for researchers and land managers.
Find a watch site near you: https://www.hmana.org
🧭 Build your raptor skills
By visiting a migration watch site or joining a local survey, you can sharpen your raptor ID skills while supporting conservation research.

Address

4500 Sioux River Road
Sioux City, IA
51109

Opening Hours

Tuesday 9am - 4pm
Wednesday 9am - 4pm
Thursday 9am - 4pm
Friday 9am - 4pm
Saturday 9am - 4pm

Telephone

+17122580838

Website

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