Earthen dikes create shallow marshes for waterfowl and farm fields provide 300 acres of wheat for wintering geese. Here, the grasslands provide habitat for ground nesting birds such as meadowlarks and dickcissels and the forests are very important to songbirds for summer breeding and resting during migration.

Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge provides excellent habitat for many species of native wildlife. A total of 338 species of birds, 36 species of mammals, 60 species of reptiles and amphibians, and 61 species of fish have been documented so far.