Medicine Lake National Wildlife Refuge is a 31,533-acre protected landscape in northeastern Montana established in 1935 to conserve wildlife habitat, especially for migratory birds. Managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, it includes the 11,366-acre Medicine Lake Wilderness, set aside in 1976 to protect its most remote sections, and the Medicine Lake Site became a National Natural Landmark in 1980. Named from the Assiniboine term Bda wauka, meaning “medicine water,” the refuge is known for its prairie wetlands, 283 documented bird species, 125 nesting species, a major American white pelican colony, and a notable 2003 whooping crane sighting.