Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge is a

National Wildlife Refuge National Wildlife Refuge System is a designation for certain protected areas of the United States managed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. The National Wildlife Refuge System is the system of public lands and waters set aside to c ...

of the United States, which is located in the state of

Ohio Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...

. This refuge was established in 1961, under the Migratory Bird Conservation Act, the purpose of the refuge being created was “… for use as an inviolate sanctuary, or for any other management purpose, for migratory birds.” 16 U.S.C. 715d. This refuge provides ideal habitat for a wide range for migratory birds and waterfowl, along with the native wildlife, and any endangered and threatened species. The property of the refuge was purchased from hunt clubs and farmlands with the Federal Duck Stamps. The refuge, itself is about . This region has historically been important to fish, migratory

waterfowl Anseriformes is an order of birds also known as waterfowl that comprises about 180 living species of birds in three families: Anhimidae (three species of screamers), Anseranatidae (the magpie goose), and Anatidae, the largest family, which in ...

, songbirds, and

shorebird 245px, A flock of Dunlins and Red knots">Red_knot.html" ;"title="Dunlins and Red knot">Dunlins and Red knots Waders or shorebirds are birds of the order Charadriiformes commonly found wikt:wade#Etymology 1, wading along shorelines and mudflat ...

s. Large numbers of migrating songbirds stop in the area to rest during their spring migration. The refuge is an attraction for birdwatching enthusiasts. Ottawa has the ideal habitat for birds that are coming through the area during migration season. Which makes it a great place for those who enjoy birdwatching it is also a great place for birdwatching even when not during migration season. It is also home to several

bald eagle The bald eagle (''Haliaeetus leucocephalus'') is a bird of prey found in North America. A sea eagle, it has two known subspecies and forms a species pair with the white-tailed eagle (''Haliaeetus albicilla''), which occupies the same niche as ...

s. This wildlife refuge has been designated as a site of regional significance in the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network. In 2002, '' Birder's World'' readers voted the refuge as one of their Top 15 favorite spots to see birds, and the American Bird Conservancy has identified the refuge as an

Important Bird Area An Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA) is an area identified using an internationally agreed set of criteria as being globally important for the conservation of bird populations. IBA was developed and sites are identified by BirdLife Int ...

Background

When the refuge was first established it only started with and the main idea for it was created to preserve a remnant of the formerly vast Lake Erie coastal wetlands. The refuge has now expanded to approximately . The purchasing of the land was authorized through the Migratory Bird Conservation and the

Hunting Stamp Act Hunting is the human practice of seeking, pursuing, capturing, or killing wildlife or feral animals. The most common reasons for humans to hunt are to harvest food (i.e. meat) and useful animal products (fur/ hide, bone/tusks, horn/antler, et ...

(also known as the Duck Stamp Act). Along with managing Ottawa, but they also manage two other sites,

Cedar Point Cedar Point is a amusement park located on a Lake Erie peninsula in Sandusky, Ohio, United States. Opened in 1870, it is considered the second-oldest operating amusement park in the U.S. behind Lake Compounce. Cedar Point is owned and op ...

and

West Sister Island West Sister Island is an island of the U.S. state of Ohio located in the Western Basin of Lake Erie. The island, jointly owned by the United States Coast Guard and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, is Ohio's only designated Wilderness Area, th ...

refuges. The three refuges together bring to a total over that the staff manages. The three refuges help protect some of what is left of the Great Black Swamp which is in the heart of

Lake Eire Lake Erie ( "eerie") is the fourth largest lake by surface area of the five Great Lakes in North America and the eleventh-largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also has ...

marsh A marsh is a wetland that is dominated by herbaceous rather than woody plant species.Keddy, P.A. 2010. Wetland Ecology: Principles and Conservation (2nd edition). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK. 497 p Marshes can often be found at ...

es.

Exploring Ottawa

There are many ways to exploring Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge, whether it be hiking on the dikes, which help maintain the water levels in the pools, going on the Wildlife Drive, or going on a Tram Tour that is provided by the Ottawa visitor center.

References

External links

Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge
{{authority control Protected areas of Lucas County, Ohio National Wildlife Refuges in Ohio Protected areas of Ottawa County, Ohio Protected areas established in 1961 Wetlands of Ohio Landforms of Ottawa County, Ohio 1961 establishments in Ohio