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Erie
National Wildlife Refuge
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 Refuge Overview: Located in Crawford County, Pennsylvania, Erie National Wildlife Refuge provides valuable nesting, foraging, and resting habitat for migrating waterfowl along the western edge of the Atlantic Flyway. Established in 1959 with the purchase of lands for the Sugar Lake division, the refuge has since expanded to 8,732 acres. Migratory Bird Conservation Funds, which include Federal Duck Stamp dollars, have been used to purchase nearly 8,000 thousand acres for the refuge.
John and Karen Hollingsworth/USFWS |
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| Wildlife and
Habitat: Erie National Wildlife Refuge protects
a diversity of habitat types, including swamps, beaver ponds,
marshlands, wet meadows, riparian areas, wooded uplands, grasslands,
and croplands. The refuge provides critical nesting habitat for
wood ducks, but other waterfowl frequent the area, especially
during the spring and fall migrations. Species include Canada
geese, mallards, blue-winged teal, green-winged teal, hooded
mergansers, pintails, American widgeon, scaup, buffleheads, golden-eye,
ring-necked ducks, and black ducks. Other bird species found
on the refuge are great blue herons, bald eagles, ospreys, red-tailed,
hawks, kestrels, and a number of shore and songbirds. |
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Recreation Opportunities: With
its abundant wildlife, Erie National Wildlife Refuge is an ideal
destination for bird watchers and photographers. The refuge visitor’s
center, which includes a 60-seat auditorium and an indoor bird observation
area, provides excellent educational opportunities for school groups,
and during the appropriate seasons, fishing, small and big game hunting
and migratory waterfowl hunting are all allowed on the refuge.
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Additional Resources
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