U.S. farmers are intentionally flooding their fields to revive ancient "prairie potholes," creating temporary "pop-up" wetlands that deliver a huge boost to migratory birds while improving soil health. In regions like California's Central Valley and the Mississippi Delta, innovative programs—most notably BirdReturns (launched by The Nature Conservancy in 2014)—pay farmers to strategically flood low-lying or post-harvest fields at precise times during bird migrations. These short-term wetlands mimic the natural prairie potholes and seasonal marshes that once dotted the landscape but were largely drained for agriculture. By timing floods to align with peak migration periods (e.g., spring and fall for shorebirds, waterfowl, and sandhill cranes), farmers provide essential stopover habitat: shallow water, mudflats, and abundant food for millions of birds traveling along flyways like the Pacific Flyway. The approach has transformed tens of thousands of acres of working farmland into critical refueling stations, with studies showing dramatic increases in bird use and numbers—sometimes 3.5 times higher in these managed pop-up wetlands compared to standard fields. Farmers also gain practical benefits. Seasonal flooding enhances soil structure, boosts nutrient cycling (as bird activity and water help break down residues), recharges groundwater, reduces erosion, and supports long-term land productivity—often without hurting crop yields in subsequent seasons. This win-win model proves that modern agriculture and wildlife conservation can reinforce each other, turning productive farmland into flexible ecological assets that sustain both birds and resilient farming systems. [The Nature Conservancy. BirdReturns: Creating Dynamic Habitat for Migratory Birds. The Nature Conservancy California]