Fed by snowmelt from the Warner Mountains, the Pit River creates an oasis for wildlife in the high desert of northeastern California--Modoc National Wildlife Refuge. The 7,000 + acre refuge was established in 1961 to manage and protect migratory waterfowl. Funds available under the Migratory Bird Hunting Stamp Act helped purchase this refuge which is located just south of Alturas, California. lies at 4,300 feet elevation at the base of the Warner Mountains in the far northeastern corner of California.
Water is the key to attracting waterfowl in this high desert area.
Permanent ponds, seasonal marshes, and wet meadows beckon thousands of waterfowl, shorebirds, and songbirds
to the refuge as they make their journeys between nesting and wintering grounds along the Pacific Flyway.
Carefully controlled water levels favor the growth of foods eaten by waterfowl. Man-made islands afford
protection for birds from predators. Hay meadows are managed to provide nesting and feeding habitat for greater
sandhill cranes, ducks and geese.
Modoc is one of over 500 refuges in the National Wildlife Refuge System - a network of lands set aside
specifically to conserve fish, wildlife and plants. Managed by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, the System is a
living heritage, conserving wildlife and habitat for people today and for generations to come.
This web site contains the following information:
Check out the Most Recent Bird Survey of the Refuge
Hunting Opportunities and Information
The following sites will provide you with more information about the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and wildlife in California:
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Pacific Region Web Page
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - National Web Page
National Wildlife Refuge System Server
California Department of Fish and Game
For more information on Modoc National Wildlife Refuge, please contact the refuge at:
Modoc National Wildlife Refuge
P.O. Box 1610
Alturas, CA 96101
Phone: 530-233-3572
Fax: 530-233-4143
E-mail address: steve_clay@fws.gov
Office hours are Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.