Busch Conservation Area.
Close to St Louis, this area is good for birding all year long, containing a variety of habitats offering good locations for Waterfowl, Shorebirds, Raptors, Sparrows, Warblers, and other migrating Passerines. To get there take Highway 94 South from US 40. Go 1 mile to Hwy D, turn right and go about 1.5 miles to the Busch entrance on the right.
Castlewood State Park.
Just to the west of St Louis, the park includes floodplain, upland woods, river bluffs, gravel bars, and the river itself. Enough woodland habitat variety exists that this park is a wonderful location for migrating and nesting warblers and other passerines, riverside specialties, and a very interesting blend of raptor species. The best areas in this park are the River trail and the Grotpeter trail. Birding is at its best in spring and summer. To get there, take Big Bend road West from I-270 for about 6 miles. Turn left on Ries Road and follow it to its termination.
Clarence Cannon National Wildlife Refuge.
On the Mississippi River, just north of Quincy, this refuge has recorded over 200 species. The best time to visit is during spring migration, but throughout the year it offers good birding. From St. Louis the simplest route is to take Rte. #61 north.
Powell Gardens.
50 minutes from downtown Kansas City are the Powell Gardens. The Byron Shutz Nature Trail is a 3.25 mile trail through woods, meadows and along a creek to a lake, offering good birding all along the trail. To get there, take Interstate 70 east toward St. Louis. Exit at Bates City. Take Highway Z south 13 miles to Highway 50. Turn left on Highway 50. Travel one mile.
Squaw Creek National Wildlife Refuge.
Located in northwestern Missouri near Mound City, and just off US interstate 29, this refuge is a major stop-over for waterfowl, with more than one-half million birds in the fall and lesser, but still spectacular, numbers in the spring. Because the refuge contains a diversity of habitats, it has an impressive 300+ species recorded here