Features
Canvasback ducks
Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge is a great oasis for breeding Canvasback ducks in the Great Basin.
Learn more
Greater Sandhill Cranes
Cranes arrive in March to stake out their territories and engage in mating dances.
Learn more
Snakes
Please drive slowly and watch for snakes migrating across the roads.
Reptiles and Amphibians page
Killdeer and Eggs
Eggs laid in gravel blend well with their surroundings, but have little other cover to protect them from predation.
Why we are here
"...for use as ... a refuge and breeding ground for migratory birds and other wildlife." Executive Order 7923, July 2, 1938
"...for use as an inviolate sanctuary, or for any other management purpose, for migratory birds." 16 U.S.C. § 715d (Migratory Bird Conservation Act)
See the refuge Vision StatementAbout the NWRS
The National Wildlife Refuge System, within the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, manages a national network of lands and waters set aside to conserve America’s fish, wildlife, and plants.
Learn more about the NWRS
View photos of the refuge and its residents.
View the Galleries
What techniques and tools are used to help keep the refuge pristine?
Learn more
This is a good starting point to your Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge adventure.
Learn More
Work is ongoing to provide a historic walk at the Fort Ruby site on the south end of the Refuge.
Learn more
Relict Dace, the only native species of fish at Ruby Lake, has reduced and hybridized populations due to introduction of several non-native species. A project is underway to preserve the biological integrity of the Relict Dace.
Learn more
Last Updated: Feb 23, 2016