Wildlife & Habitat
Steigerwald Lake NWR was created in 1987,
and contains over 1,000 acres of historic lakebed, river bottomland
habitat, and oak woodlands. This refuge supports anadromous fish
migration, breeding neotropical birds, and migrating and wintering
ducks, geese, and other birds. Winter concentrations of geese may
peak at several thousand birds. Wintering geese at Steigerwald Lake
Refuge are predominately cackling geese (formerly cackling Canada
geese). The Refuge generally winters dabbling ducks, however, rafts
of divers escape to the Refuge when the Gorge winds create choppy
river conditions. Herons forage in the area year-round and frequent
the Refuge from a nearby nesting colony. The open view of the Refuge
offer great viewing for raptors. Summer visitors to the Columbia
River Dike Trail are able to enjoy raucous aerial displays of nesting
purple martins.
