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U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Working with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people.

Shout out your favorite national wildlife refuge!There are no wrong answers but we reserve the right to quietly judge or...
10/17/2026

Shout out your favorite national wildlife refuge!

There are no wrong answers but we reserve the right to quietly judge or loudly celebrate your choice.

Just kidding – there are more than 570 national wildlife refuges and we love them all!

Millions of people enjoy outdoor recreation each year on those refuges. Some visitors take part in heritage sports such as hunting and fishing, while others enjoy birding, hiking, paddling, wildlife viewing or nature photography. All these activities offer people a chance to unplug from the stresses of modern life and reconnect with their natural surroundings.

Click on a photo to learn about a national wildlife refuge!

USFWS photos

10/16/2026

🦬 From millions... to less than a thousand.

Here's how the American bison roamed its way back from near-extinction.

By 1907, fewer than 1,000 bison remained on the entire continent.

That year, the Bronx Zoo shipped 15 bison to a brand-new game preserve in Oklahoma's Wichita Mountains — one of the first attempts to reintroduce bison into the wild.

It worked.

That effort became one of America's first wildlife conservation success stories — and a spark for the National Wildlife Refuge System we still have today.

The wild part? You can go see that same herd's descendants roaming those grasslands right now. 🌾

It's National Wildlife Refuge Week — go visit one near you.

Video of a close up of bison bull bellowing by Nancy Corona: USFWS

Small wings, big work 🦋 Bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds keep the world blooming. Nearly every fruit, flower, and cro...
10/15/2026

Small wings, big work 🦋 Bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds keep the world blooming.

Nearly every fruit, flower, and crop we enjoy depends on pollinators like bees, butterflies, moths, beetles, bats, and hummingbirds. National wildlife refuges give them the meadows and prairies they need, while also providing critical habitat for thousands of species, improving quality of air and water, and reducing erosion. Find your refuge https://ow.ly/IRIm50ZXytv

USFWS photo of monarchs roosting by Mike Budd

10/14/2026

What's causing all the commotion?

At Colusa National Wildlife Refuge in California, a peregrine falcon sent a flock of northern pintails into a frenzy as it dove in pursuit of its next meal.

Moments like this are part of the spectacle of migration — and a reminder of why national wildlife refuges matter. As cold fronts push south, thousands of raptors ride the winds along ridgelines and coastlines, including broad-winged hawks, sharp-shinned hawks, kestrels peregrine falcons and eagles traveling to wintering grounds sometimes thousands of miles away.

Along the way, refuges provide critical places for birds to rest, refuel and find food.

During National Wildlife Refuge Week, we're celebrating these special places and the wildlife that depends on them.

Video: A peregrine falcon dives into a flock of northern pintails, which flush at once, while greater white-fronted geese remain in the foreground. Credit: Cindy Sandoval/USFWS, taken in 2015.

10/14/2026

The Salinas River National Wildlife Refuge is located about 11 miles from Monterey Bay in California. The refuge provides an oasis for both migratory birds and the local community, offering recreational activities like birdwatching, surf fishing, hiking, waterfowl hunting and more.

Original footage by Miguelina Portorreal Garcia/USFWS, reel by Rebecca Fabbri/USFWS

Visual description: the opening scene is of a beach and dunes with text that reads “A day at Salinas River National Wildlife Refuge,” followed by a sign featuring a western snowy plover that says “Sensitive wildlife area do not enter,” followed by a video of a western snowy plover standing at the shore with text that pops in reading “Celebrity sighting,” ending with a scene of two people standing by the shore, watching ocean waves come in.

Finding serenity at Nevada national wildlife refuges — where nature’s quiet beauty speaks volumes.Beginning in the vast ...
10/13/2026

Finding serenity at Nevada national wildlife refuges — where nature’s quiet beauty speaks volumes.

Beginning in the vast and rugged landscapes of Southern Nevada, Desert National Wildlife Refuge offers a peaceful escape into the heart of the Mojave Desert.

Just north of Las Vegas, the refuge spans more than a million acres, providing habitat for an incredible variety of wildlife. Whether exploring scenic roads, hiking through the mountains or simply taking in the stillness of the desert, visitors can experience a sense of solitude that is both powerful and calming.

From the sweeping silence of the desert, the journey continues north to Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge.

Nestled in 75 miles away from Reno, Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge is a desert oasis for migratory birds and other wildlife. For visitors, whether birdwatching, hiking or simply soaking in the peaceful surroundings, this refuge offers a reminder of nature’s profound beauty.

Photo 1: Ivette Lopez/USFWS
Photo 2 by Marie Nygren/USFWS

10/13/2026

Fish on! 🎣

Did you know the National Wildlife Refuge System has nearly 380 units where you can go fishing?

And we've got more good news: the Department of the Interior recently announced the largest expansion of hunting and sport fishing opportunities in the history of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

In total, the final rule will deliver 1,488 new hunting and sport fishing opportunities across 32 states.

The Service manages hunting and fishing programs to ensure sustainable wildlife populations on lands where it is compatible with overall refuge goals, and other recreational activities.

USFWS video of a large caught fish being lowered into the river and released underwater

Get to know the Grass Carp: a behemoth of a vegetarian with its very own unique history and "coming to America" story. K...
10/12/2026

Get to know the Grass Carp: a behemoth of a vegetarian with its very own unique history and "coming to America" story. Katrina and Guy delve into how it's situated on the fish family tree, compare and contrast it with other invasive carp and goldfish, and unveil the latest fan mail requests. 🐟

Catch this episode and many others on our FWS website or wherever you get your podcasts (just search "Fish of the Week podcast"). This podcast covers : big and small, common and rare, beautiful and downright strange 🎤

A Grass Carp. 📷 Sam Stukel/USFWS

Ducks, geese and swans are the reason the National Wildlife Refuge System exists. Today, wetlands protected at national ...
10/12/2026

Ducks, geese and swans are the reason the National Wildlife Refuge System exists.

Today, wetlands protected at national wildlife refuges host millions of ducks and geese each fall: pintails wheeling into flooded fields, mallards rafting on open water, snow geese arriving in waves that turn the sky white.

Bring or borrow some binoculars so you can see for yourself what a wetland filled with waterfowl looks like.

Credit: George Gentry/USFWS at Willamette Valley National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon.

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