Columbia, approximately 20 miles northeast of Aberdeen, is located near the Sand Lake National Wildlife Refuge. This sprawling area is home to more than 266 species of birds, 40 mammal species, and a variety of fish and reptiles.

Due to its location on both the Central and Mississippi flyways, WildBird Magazine named Sand Lake as one of the top 15 birding sites in North America. As many as one million birds can stopover at the refuge during the fall and spring migrations.