Colusa National Wildlife Refuge

Colusa National Wildlife Refuge
IUCN category IV (habitat/species management area)
Map of the United States
Location	Colusa County, California, United States
Nearest city	Colusa, California
Coordinates
Area	4,507 acres (18.24 km2)
Established	1945
Governing body	U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
http://www.fws.gov/sacramentovalleyrefuges/r_colusa.html

Colusa National Wildlife Refuge is one of six refuges in the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Complex located in the Sacramento Valley of north-central California. The refuge is located in Colusa County, California. It is around 70 miles (110 km) north of metropolitan Sacramento.

Geography

The 4,507-acre (18.24 km²) refuge primarily consists of intensively managed wetland impoundments, with some grassland and riparian habitats.

The Sacramento Valley is one of the most important wintering areas for waterfowl in North America.

Natural history

Colusa National Wildlife Refuge typically supports wintering populations of more than 200,000 ducks and 50,000 geese.

Wetland impoundments are intensively managed to provide optimal habitat for the dense concentration of wintering waterfowl, as well as habitat for resident wildlife and spring/summer migrants.

The grassland habitat supports several populations of endangered and sensitive species of plants. The refuge is a stronghold for populations of the endangered palmate-bracted bird's beak and the threatened giant garter snake. About 35,000 visitors come to the refuge each year for wildlife viewing and 4,000 come to hunt waterfowl and pheasant.

Gallery

• 

  A rare falcated duck, a "vagrant" from Asia that arrived at Colusa National Wildlife Refuge (December 2011).

External links

• Official Colusa National Wildlife Refuge website

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.