Merced National Wildlife Refuge

The Merced National Wildlife Refuge encompasses 10,258 acres of wetlands, native grasslands, vernal pools, and riparian areas. It was established in 1951 under the Lea Act to attract wintering waterfowl from adjacent farmland where their foraging activities were causing crop damage. In the last few decades, changes in local agricultural practices and Refuge management activities have reduced these wildlife/crop issues.

The Refuge plays host to the largest wintering populations of lesser Sandhill cranes and Ross’ geese along the Pacific Flyway. Each autumn more than 20,000 cranes and 60,000 arctic-nesting geese terminate their annual migrations from Alaska and Canada to make the Refuge home for six months. Here they mingle with thousands of other visiting waterfowl, waterbirds, and shorebirds – making the Refuge a true winter phenomenon.

The Refuge also provides important breeding habitat for Swainson’s hawks, tri-colored blackbirds, marsh wrens, mallards, gadwall, cinnamon teal, and burrowing owls. Tri-colored blackbirds, a colonial-nesting songbird, breed in colonies of more than 25,000 pairs in robust herbaceous vegetation. Coyotes, ground squirrels, desert cottontail rabbits, beaver, and long-tailed weasels can also be seen year-round.

The Refuge features an auto tour route and three nature trails for the public to view and photograph wildlife in a natural setting. The Refuge also has a large waterfowl hunting program.

San Luis National Wildlife Refuge
https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/san-luis-national-wildlife-refuge

Los Banos Wildlife Area
https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/los-banos-wildlife-area

Great Valley Grasslands State Park
https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/great-valley-grasslands-state-park less ↑