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Ottawa
National Wildlife Refuge		 black duck on water
14000 West State Route 2
Oak Harbor, OH   43449
E-mail: ottawa@fws.gov
Phone Number: 419-898-0014
Visit the Refuge's Web Site:
http://midwest.fws.gov/ottawa		 The refuge protects important migratory habitat for songbirds, shorebirds, and waterfowl such as black ducks.
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  Wildlife and Habitat
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The refuge has seven active bald eagle nests and provides habitat for many immature eagles in the summer after they have left their nests. The majority of the refuge property is diked wetlands with water levels controlled by pumps and water control structures. Water levels in these wetlands are changed to control plant growth. Some wetlands are drained in the spring and flooded again in the fall after plants have had the summer to grow.

Other areas are managed as hemi-marshes, or shallow water areas that contain water throughout the year. The plants in these marshes provide food for many types of wildlife including waterfowl. There are also many other waterbirds, mammals, insects, and fish that live in the marshes.

Other areas of the refuge are prairie, farmland, and shrub areas. These areas provide habitat for white-tailed deer, coyotes, nesting birds, and a wide variety of raptors. Crane Creek runs through the refuge, and the Crane Creek Estuary provides habitat for many species of fish and feeding areas for many birds, including bald eagles. When water levels are low, the estuary provides important habitat for migrating shorebirds. Peregrine falcons also feed in this area often.

 
 
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