Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Complex: Facts, Discussion Forum, and Encyclopedia Article

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Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Complex

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	Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Complex
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	Topics Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Complex Topic Home The Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Complex is part of the United StatesUnited States The United States of America, also known as the United States, the U.S., the U.S.A., and America, is... system of National Wildlife RefugeNational Wildlife Refuge National Wildlife Refuge is a designation for certain protected areas of the United States managed by the United States Fish... s (NWR). It is located in northern CaliforniaCalifornia California is a state spanning the southern half of the west coast of the contiguous United States.... , in the valley of the Sacramento RiverSacramento River The Sacramento River is the longest river in the U.S.... . The Sacramento NWR Complex was created in an attempt to resolve the conflict between the needs of migratingBird migration Summary Long-distance land bird migrationMany species of land migratory birds migrate very long distances, the most common pattern being ... birdBird Birds are bipedal, warm-blooded, oviparous vertebrate animals characterized primarily by feathers, forelimbs modified as win... s using the Pacific FlywayPacific Flyway The Pacific Flyway is a major north-south route of travel for migratory birds in the Americas, extending from Alaska to Pata... , and those of agricultureAgriculture Overview Farming redirects here. For Farming in computer games, see Farmer .... . Before the arrival of European settlers in the nineteenth century, much of the Sacramento valley was taken up by seasonal wetlands and grasslands. By the beginning of the twentieth century much of this had been replaced by farmland, particularly for the growing of riceRice Rice refers to two species of grass, native to tropical and subtropical southern & southeastern Asia and to Africa, which t... , and the rivers no longer create new wetlands because their flow is controlled by leveeLevee A levee, leve , floodbank or stopbank is a natural or artificial embankment or dike, usually earthen, whic... s and irrigation schemes. Less than 10% of the original wetland area remains. Migrating birds have continued to use the area, and resting in the ricefields, consumed considerable quantities of the crop. In 1937 the United States Fish and Wildlife ServiceUnited States Fish and Wildlife Service The United States Fish and Wildlife Service is a unit of the United States Department of the Interior that is dedicated to m... , with the aid of the Civilian Conservation CorpsCivilian Conservation Corps The Civilian Conservation Corps was a work relief program for young men established in March 1933 during President Franklin... , began the process of creating a refuge within dry, alkaline lands between the towns of WillowsWillows, California Willows is the county seat of Glenn County, California.... and MaxwellMaxwell, California Maxwell, in Colusa County, California, is a small unincorporated farm town.... . This was the original Sacramento NWR. From the 1940s onward, additional refuges were created, so that the Sacramento NWR Complex now includes the following refuges, located between 80 km (50 miles) and 145 km (90 miles) north of the city of SacramentoSacramento, California Summary Sacramento is the state capital of California and the county seat of Sacramento County.... : Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Delevan National Wildlife Refuge (east of Maxwell) Butte Sink National Wildlife Refuge (east of the town of ColusaColusa, California Colusa is the county seat of Colusa County, California.... ) Colusa National Wildlife Refuge (between the towns of Colusa and WilliamsWilliams, California Summary Williams is a city in Colusa County, California, United States.... ) Sutter National Wildlife Refuge (east of ArbuckleArbuckle, California Arbuckle is a census-designated place in Colusa County, California, United States.... ) Sacramento River National Wildlife Refuge (east of GlennGlenn, California Glenn is a community ninety five feet above mean sea level along the Sacramento River in Glenn County, California.... ) The total area of the refuges is about 140 km² (35,000 acreAcre An acre is the name of a unit of area in a number of different systems, including Imperial units, and United States customar... s). The water flows in the refuge have to be controlled artificially, and the vegetation has to be managed actively through irrigation and burning, to ensure that the wetlands remain productive, and provide adequate food and resting places for the birds. Between them, the refuges provide a range of habitats: seasonal marshes, uplands, permanent ponds, and riparian areas. The refuges are provided with facilities for visitors, though these have to be limited to avoid conflict with their primary purpose of conservation. The layout of the wetlands has been planned to allow visitors a good view of the birds while minimising the risk of disturbance to them. There is a visitor's center at the Sacramento NWR, and routes for car tours on the Sacramento and Colusa sites, though visitors are allowed to leave their cars only at selected sites. There are walking trails at both those sites and also at the Sacramento River site. Limited huntingHunting Hunting is the practice of pursuing animals to capture or kill them for food, recreation, or trade in their products.... is permitted on some of the sites. Over 300 species of birds and mammalMammal The mammals are the class of vertebrate animals characterized by the presence of mammary glands, which in females produce mi... s use the refuges, not all of them migratory. Among those most likely to be seen by visitors (depending on the season) are: Grebes: Pied-billed GrebePied-billed Grebe The Pied-billed Grebe,, is a member of the grebe family of water birds.... , Eared Grebe Pelicans, Cormorants: American White PelicanAmerican White Pelican The American White Pelican is a very large white bird with black wing tips and an enormous orange bill.... , Double-crested CormorantDouble-crested Cormorant The Double-crested Cormorant is a North American member of the cormorant family of seabirds.... Herons etc: American BitternAmerican Bittern The American Bitternis a wading bird of the heron family Ardeidae.... , Great Blue HeronGreat Blue Heron The Great Blue Heron, Ardea herodias, is a wading bird of the heron family Ardeidae, common all over North and Central A... , Great EgretGreat Egret The Great Egret, also known as the Great White Egret, White Heron, or Common Egret, is a wading egret, f... , Snowy EgretSnowy Egret The Snowy Egret is a small white heron.... , Black-crowned Night HeronBlack-crowned Night Heron The Black-crowned Night Heron, Nycticorax nycticorax, is a medium-sized heron.... , White-faced IbisWhite-faced Ibis The White-faced Ibis is a wading bird in the ibis family Threskiornithidae.... Ducks and geese: MallardFacts About Mallard The Mallard.jpg\|FemaleImage:Female_mallard_with_ducklings.jpg\|Female with young ducklings... , Pintail, American WigeonAmerican Wigeon The American Wigeon, Anas americana, is a common and widespread duck which breeds in northern North America: specificall... , Cinnamon TealCinnamon Teal The Cinnamon Teal, Anas cyanoptera, is a small dabbling duck.... , Green-winged TealGreen-winged Teal The Green-winged Teal is a common and widespread duck which breeds in the northernmost areas of North America.... , BuffleheadBufflehead The Bufflehead is a small sea duck of the genus Bucephala, the goldeneyes.... , Northern ShovelerNorthern Shoveler The Shoveler or Northern Shoveler is a common and widespread duck which breeds in the northern areas of Europe and As... , Ring-necked DuckRing-necked Duck The Ring-necked Duck is a smaller diving duck.... , Wood DuckWood Duck The Wood Duck, Aix sponsa is a medium-sized perching duck.... , Snow GooseSnow Goose Overview The Snow Goose is a North American species of goose.... , White-fronted GooseWhite-fronted Goose The White-fronted Goose is a goose closely related to the smaller Lesser White-fronted Goose.... , Ross's GooseRoss's Goose Summary The Ross's Goose is a North American species of goose.... Raptors: Turkey VultureTurkey Vulture The Turkey Vulture is the most common vulture in the Americas.... , OspreyOsprey The Osprey is a medium large raptor which is a specialist fish-eater with a worldwide distribution.... , White-tailed KiteWhite-tailed Kite The White-tailed Kite is an elanid kite found in western North America and parts of South America.... , Northern Harrier, Red-tailed HawkRed-tailed Hawk The Red-tailed Hawk is a large Buteo which breeds from western Alaska and northern Canada to Panama and the West Indies.... , American KestrelAmerican Kestrel The American Kestrel is a small falcon.... , Golden EagleGolden Eagle The Golden Eagle is one of the best known birds of prey in the Northern Hemisphere.... , Bald EagleFacts About Bald Eagle The Bald Eagle , also known as the American Eagle, is a bird of prey found in North America, most recognizable as the ... (the eagles are not common, but there is a chance of seeing them). Waders and other shorebirds: Ring-necked Pheasant, Virginia RailVirginia Rail The Virginia Rail, Rallus limicola, is a small waterbird, of the family Rallidae.... , SoraSora (crake) The Sora is a small waterbird, of the family Rallidae, sometimes also referred to as the Sora Rail or Sora Crake.... , Common MoorhenCommon Moorhen The Common Moorhen is a bird in the rail family with an almost worldwide distribution outside Antarctica and Australasia.... , American CootAmerican Coot The American Coot is a large waterbird, of the family Rallidae.... , KilldeerKilldeer The Killdeer, Charadrius vociferus, is a medium-sized plover.... , Black-necked StiltBlack-necked Stilt The Black-necked Stilt, Himantopus mexicanus, is a locally abundant resident of American wetlands and coastlines, from t... , American AvocetAmerican Avocet The American Avocet is a large wader in the avocet and stilt family, Recurvirostridae.... , Greater YellowlegsGreater Yellowlegs The Greater Yellowlegs, Tringa melanoleuca, is a large shorebird similar in appearance to the smaller Lesser Yellowlegs.... , Western SandpiperWestern Sandpiper The Western Sandpiper, Calidris mauri, is a very small shorebird.... , Least SandpiperLeast Sandpiper The Least Sandpiper, Calidris minutilla, is the smallest shorebird.... , DunlinDunlin The Dunlin, Calidris alpina, is a small wader.... , Long-billed DowitcherLong-billed Dowitcher The Long-billed Dowitcher, Limnodromus scolopaceus, is a medium-sized shorebird.... , Wilson's SnipeWilson's Snipe Wilson's Snipe is a small, stocky shorebird.... Gulls etc: Ring-billed GullRing-billed Gull The Ring-billed Gull is a medium-sized gull.... , Herring GullHerring Gull The Herring Gull, Larus argentatus, is a large gull which breeds across North America, Europe and Asia.... Pigeons and doves: Mourning DoveMourning Dove The Mourning Dove is a member of the bird family Columbidae, which includes doves and pigeons.... Owls: Great Horned OwlGreat Horned Owl The Great Horned Owl, Bubo virginianus, is a very large owl.... , Barn OwlBarn Owl The Barn Owl or, to distinguish it from relatives, Common Barn Owl, is an owl in the barn owl family Tytonidae.... Woodpeckers: Nuttall's WoodpeckerNuttall's Woodpecker Nuttall's Woodpecker, Picoides nuttallii, is a species of woodpecker named after naturalist Thomas Nuttall.... , Northern FlickerNorthern Flicker The Northern Flicker is a medium-sized woodpecker.... Passerines: Western KingbirdWestern Kingbird The Western Kingbird is a large tyrant flycatcher.... , Yellow-billed MagpieYellow-billed Magpie The Yellow-billed Magpie, Pica nuttalli, is a large bird in the crow family found only in California.... , Tree SwallowTree Swallow Overview The Tree Swallow, Tachycineta bicolor, is a migratory passerine bird that breeds in North America and winters in Mexico,... , Cliff SwallowCliff Swallow The Cliff Swallow is a member of the passerine bird family Hirundinidae, the swallows and martins.... , Barn SwallowBarn Swallow The Barn Swallow is a small migratory passerine bird found in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas.... , Marsh WrenMarsh Wren The Marsh Wren is a small songbird of the wren family.... , Ruby-crowned KingletRuby-crowned Kinglet The Ruby-crowned Kinglet is a very small songbird.... , European StarlingEuropean Starling The European Starling or Common Starling, Sturnus vulgaris, is a passerine bird in the family Sturnidae.... , American Pipit, Yellow-rumped WarblerYellow-rumped Warbler Summary Three closely related North American bird formsthe eastern Myrtle Warbler, its western counterpart, Audubon's Warbler, and the Cen... , Common YellowthroatCommon Yellowthroat The Common Yellowthroat, Geothlypis trichas, is a New World warbler.... , Savannah SparrowSavannah Sparrow The Savannah Sparrow, Passerculus sandwichensis, is a small sparrow.... , Song SparrowSong Sparrow The Song Sparrow, Melospiza melodia, is a medium-sized American sparrow.... , Lincoln's SparrowLincoln's Sparrow The Lincoln's Sparrow, Melospiza lincolnii, is a medium-sized sparrow.... , White-crowned SparrowWhite-crowned Sparrow The White-crowned Sparrow is a medium-sized sparrow.... , Golden-crowned SparrowGolden-crowned Sparrow The Golden-crowned Sparrow, Zonotrichia atricapilla, is a medium-sized sparrow.... , Dark-eyed JuncoDark-eyed Junco The Dark-eyed Junco, Junco hyemalis, is the best-known species of junco, a genus of small American sparrows.... , Red-winged BlackbirdFacts About Red-winged Blackbird The Red-winged Blackbird, Agelaius phoeniceus, is a passerine bird of the family Icteridae found in most of North and mu... , Western MeadowlarkWestern Meadowlark The Western Meadowlark is a medium-sized blackbird, very similar in appearance to the Eastern Meadowlark.... , Brewer's BlackbirdBrewer's Blackbird The Brewer's Blackbird is a medium-sized blackbird.... , Brown-headed CowbirdBrown-headed Cowbird The Brown-headed Cowbird is a small icterid.... , Bullock's OrioleBullock's Oriole Overview The Bullock's Oriole, Icterus bullockii, is a small blackbird.... , House FinchHouse Finch The House Finch is a medium-sized finch.... , House SparrowHouse Sparrow The House Sparrow is a member of the Old World sparrow family Passeridae.... Mammals: Black-tailed JackrabbitBlack-tailed Jackrabbit The Black-tailed Jackrabbit, aka desert hare, is the common hare of the western United States and Mexico, found at elevation... , California Ground SquirrelCalifornia Ground Squirrel The California Ground Squirrel, Spermophilus beecheyi, is a common and easily observed ground squirrel of the western Un... , Black-tailed DeerBlack-tailed Deer The Black-tailed deer is a species of deer found in western North America.... . External links