Watchable Wildlife Manitoba

Pembina Valley Provincial Park

Site Services
	Drinking Water
	Restrooms
	Marked Trails
	Boardwalk
	Viewing Tower
	Picnic Shelter
	Camping
	Concession
	Visitor Centre
	Interpretive Signs/brochures
	Primitive Site

Description: If you would like some variety in your wildlife watching landscape, visit Pembina Valley Provincial Park. The valley is approximately two kilometres wide and 100 metres deep. The park is 180 hectares of meadows and aspen-oak forest on the edge of the valley.

Visit in spring for the raptor migration. Sit in a sunny meadow on the upper slopes of the valley and watch the hawks and eagles playing on the thermals as they migrate north. You may see Rough-legged Hawks, Peregrine Falcons, Northern Harriers, Golden and Bald Eagles, Swainson’s Hawks, and hundreds of Red-tailed Hawks on a good day. Even Ferruginous and Red-shouldered Hawks have been seen migrating up the Pembina Valley. The best time to catch the migration is the last week of March and first week of April. While you are sitting quietly watching the raptors soar by, don’t forget to keep an eye out for does with fawns venturing into the meadow. There are plenty of white-tailed deer in the park. Listen for the breeding songbirds – Great Crested Flycatcher, Red-eyed and Yellow-throated Vireo, Veery, Orange-crowned Warbler, American Redstart, Scarlet Tanager, Indigo Bunting and Eastern Towhee. The trees are alive with warblers during migration. A year-round resident is the Wild Turkey. Not native to Manitoba, this hearty bird is able to survive our harsh winters on the sunny slopes of the Pembina Valley.

There are lots of trails in the park. Some are challenging and take you down to the valley floor. All provide great opportunities to look for wildlife.

Don’t Miss:

The wildlife viewing tower on the Pembina Rim Trail.

Habitats:

aspen-oak forest, riparian, mixed-grass prairie

Site Specialties:

white-tailed deer, Red-tailed Hawk, Wild Turkey, Scarlet Tanager, American Redstart, Indigo Bunting, warblers in migration

Directions:

1. The park is in southwestern Manitoba, close to the Canada-U.S.A. border. It is located off Provincial Road 201, which is accessible from Highway 31, south of Darlingford, or from Provincial Road 432 south of Morden and from Highway 32, south of Winkler. There is a large park sign at the entrance.

Cautionary Notes:

Watch for poison ivy.

Admission:

No admission fee: provincial park vehicle permits are waived in 2009 and 2010.