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The Bald Knob National Wildlife Refuge is a (2014) wildlife refuge located in 
The Bald Knob National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1993 when the U.S. government purchased a large rice farm from the John Hancock Insurance Company. The refuge consists of acres of agricultural land, of bottomland hardwood forest including wetland sloughs and oxbow lakes, of land being reforested, and of roads, levees, and other man-made facilities. The refuge is bordered on the south by the Little Red River. Bald Knob NWR is near the Henry Gray/Hurricane Lake State Wildlife Management Area
Bald Knob National Wildlife Refuge is part of the most important wintering area for ducks in North America. It is especially important as a wintering and stopover point for migrating pintail ducks of which more than 200,000 have been recorded on a single day. Bald Knob hosts the largest winter population of pintails in Arkansas. Other winter waterfowl species include mallards,
White County, Arkansas
White County is a county located in the U.S. state of Arkansas. As of the 2010 census, the population was 77,076. The county seat is Searcy. White County is Arkansas's 31st county, formed on October 23, 1835, from portions of Independence, Ja ...
about two miles south of the town of Bald Knob
Bald Knob is the highest summit of Back Allegheny Mountain in Pocahontas County, West Virginia and is part of Cass Scenic Railroad State Park. At an altitude of above sea level, Bald Knob is the third-highest point in West Virginia and the Alle ...
. The refuge is managed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service
The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS or FWS) is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior dedicated to the management of fish, wildlife, and natural habitats. The mission of the agency is "working with othe ...
. The refuge features large numbers of migratory waterfowl and bald eagles during the winter months.
The Bald Knob National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1993 when the U.S. government purchased a large rice farm from the John Hancock Insurance Company. The refuge consists of acres of agricultural land, of bottomland hardwood forest including wetland sloughs and oxbow lakes, of land being reforested, and of roads, levees, and other man-made facilities. The refuge is bordered on the south by the Little Red River. Bald Knob NWR is near the Henry Gray/Hurricane Lake State Wildlife Management Area
Wildlife
The refuge provides a protectedhabitat
In ecology, the term habitat summarises the array of resources, physical and biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species habitat can be seen as the physical ...
for 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 i ...
, other birds, and endangered species
12,900 acres of the refuge is a former rice farm with extensive irrigation systems This is used to grow rice, soybeans, maize, and millet with emphasis on providing food and habitat for migratory waterfowl. The irrigation system is also utilized to provide habitat for wading birds, mudflats for shorebirds, and to simulate natural flooding of hardwood forests.
Bald Knob National Wildlife Refuge is part of the most important wintering area for ducks in North America. It is especially important as a wintering and stopover point for migrating pintail ducks of which more than 200,000 have been recorded on a single day. Bald Knob hosts the largest winter population of pintails in Arkansas. Other winter waterfowl species include mallards, blue-winged teal
The blue-winged teal (''Spatula discors'') is a species of bird in the duck, goose, and swan family Anatidae. One of the smaller members of the dabbling duck group, it occurs in North America, where it breeds from southern Alaska to Nova Scoti ...
, wood duck
The wood duck or Carolina duck (''Aix sponsa'') is a species of perching duck found in North America. The drake wood duck is one of the most colorful North American waterfowl.
Description
The wood duck is a medium-sized perching duck. A ty ...
s, Canada geese
The Canada goose (''Branta canadensis''), or Canadian goose, is a large wild goose with a black head and neck, white cheeks, white under its chin, and a brown body. It is native to the arctic and temperate regions of North America, and it is o ...
and white-fronted and lesser snow geese. Agricultural land, river sloughs and brakes, bottomland hardwoods and fallow fields provide a diverse habitat that nurtures wintering waterfowl. Bald eagles are common during winter months. Bird watching is popular. Hunting for ducks and geese is permitted under regulation by the refuge. White-tailed deer
The white-tailed deer (''Odocoileus virginianus''), also known as the whitetail or Virginia deer, is a medium-sized deer native to North America, Central America, and South America as far south as Peru and Bolivia. It has also been introduced t ...
, rabbit, and squirrel may be hunted in the reforestation areas. Access to most of the refuge is by all-terrain vehicle trails or on foot.Arkansas Game and Fish Commission", http://www.agfc.com/hunting/Pages/wmaDetails.aspx?show=002 , accessed 14 Jan 2015 Other mammal species that inhabit this refuge are raccoon
The raccoon ( or , ''Procyon lotor''), sometimes called the common raccoon to distinguish it from other species, is a mammal native to North America. It is the largest of the procyonid family, having a body length of , and a body weight of ...
, bobcat, coyote, river otter and beaver.
The refuge attracts 40,000 visitors per year (2014). Only day use is permitted. Some areas are closed to visitors to protect wildlife and habitat.References
{{authority control National Wildlife Refuges in Arkansas Protected areas of White County, Arkansas Protected areas established in 1993 1993 establishments in Arkansas Wetlands of Arkansas Landforms of White County, Arkansas Little Red River (Arkansas)