Welcome
Malheur National Wildlife
Refuge was established on August 18, 1908 by President Theodore
Roosevelt as the Lake Malheur Bird Reservation. Roosevelt set aside
unclaimed lands encompassed by Malheur, Mud and Harney Lakes “as
a preserve and breeding ground for native birds.” The newly established
“Lake Malheur Bird Reservation” was the 19th of 51 wildlife
refuges created by Roosevelt during his tenure as president. At
the time, Malheur was the third refuge in Oregon and one of only
six refuges west of the Mississippi.
The Refuge is located 30 miles south of Burns, Oregon in the southeast corner
of the state. The Refuge is open from dawn until dusk each day.
The Visitor Center at Refuge Headquarters is open Monday - Thursday from 8:00 to 4:00 and from 8:00 to 3:00 on Friday. Beginning March 9th the Visitor Center will be open on weekends. The Refuge Museum, located at Headquarters, is open from dawn
until dusk each day.
You may also be interested in recent bird sightings in the area.
Get Involved with the Refuge
The Refuge offers a variety of volunteer opportunities which contribute to the overall management of the Refuge. Members of the public can also join the Friends of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge.
Fish for Carp during Aquatic Awareness Week
August 16-25, 2013
As part of ongoing research into the impacts of invasive common carp (Cyprinus carpio) on aquatic ecosystems and wildlife, Malheur Refuge is encouraging public participation in data gathering efforts. Between August 16th and 25th a portion of the Blitzen River near Refuge Headquarters will be open to bank fish for carp. Information gathered from carp caught in this portion of the refuge will augment data gathered in other portions of the refuge.
Participants in the data gathering exercise will also have the opportunity to learn about a variety of aquatic health research projects and carp control efforts at the Refuge and elsewhere in the Harney Basin. The Refuge is working to restore the basin’s aquatic health in order to fulfill its mission of providing feeding, nesting and rearing habitat for migratory birds and other wildlife.
Did you know ---- a typical female carp produces over a million eggs in a single spawn, and some have produced up to three million eggs!!
Registration is required to fish for carp in the designated area. Registration will be held in the Visitor Center at Refuge Headquarters beginning at 8:00 am. An Oregon State fishing license is required for participants 14 years and older.
Bring your family, friends and lucky fishing pole to bank fish for carp by angling and fly fishing from Sodhouse Lane to the bridge on the Boat Landing Road along the Blitzen River at Refuge Headquarters. For more information contact the Refuge at (541) 493-2612.
Check out our new wildlife observation blind!
The family of David Marshall, long time US Fish and Wildlife Service employee, funded construction of a new ADA accessible wildlife observation blind on Marshall Pond at Refuge Headquarters. The blind is available for use from sunrise to sunset year-round. Be sure to visit it on your next trip to the Refuge.
A visitor and refuge volunteers Darlene Kelley and Kay Sanborn view waterfowl using Marshall Pond from the new wildlife observation blind.
Learn more about what's happening on the Refuge
Caspian Terns have returned to the new nesting island on Malheur Lake. At least one pair are incubating an egg. Photos and information about Caspian Terns terns using the refugeand the nesting island are available here.
The Aquatic Health program is making great strides in understanding how invasive common carp are effecting refuge wetlands. The week of September 17th was spent sampling carp at various locations on the refuge. Kidney samples were obtained from 120 carp to obtain bacteria samples. Fisheries biologists were also recording the various age classes of carp caught in nets to obtain a clearer understanding of population sizes. Check out our new brochure to learn more about this problem.
Malheur
National Wildlife Refuge, 36391
Sodhouse Lane, Princeton,
Oregon 97721 (541)
493-2612
