IBA Site Information

South Twin Lake

State IBA

Calhoun County

Directions: Three miles west of Manson on Hwy 7, then south on 124, this road runs along the east shore of North Twin Lake. South Twin Lake is southwest of the north lake and accessed by gravel roads.

Description: South Twin Lake is shallow and marshy and is a waterfowl refuge. It certainly holds concentrations of waterfowl in migration and probably terns and wading birds as well. I am not as familiar with these areas having only stopped there a couple of times, but I would suspect there could also be wetland species of high conservation priority nesting there. This 1269 acre area is mostly lakes surrounded by what used to be oak savanna. Priority species found during BBA project include common moorhen, forster's and black terns, black-billed cuckoo, grasshopper sparow, and bobolink. Not sure if this area qualifies for "significant species concentrations" category, but there were several thousand gulls and terns using this area when I drove by it this fall, as well as several hundred waterfowl.

Criteria for this site
High conservation priority
Rare or unique habitat
Significant species concentrations

Habitats found in this site
Wetland

Ownership
Private
State