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The Stephen A. Forbes Biological Station, established in 1894, is located along the Illinois River on Chautauqua National Wildlife Refuge near Havana, Illinois. It is the oldest inland field station in North America and one of nine field stations of the Illinois Natural History Survey. The Frank C. Bellrose Waterfowl Research Center is housed at the Forbes Biological Station.

Staff of the Bellrose Waterfowl Research Center conduct research on various topics relevant to wetland ecosystems, with a specific focus on the ecology and management of wetlands, waterfowl, and other waterbirds. Our research efforts focus on the Illinois and Mississippi rivers and the wetlands throughout the state.