Audubon National Wildlife Refuge

Audubon National Wildlife Refuge
IUCN category IV (habitat/species management area)
Map showing the location of Audubon National Wildlife Refuge
Map showing the location of Audubon National Wildlife Refuge
LocationMcLean County, North Dakota, USA
Nearest cityColeharbor, ND
Coordinates47°35′08″N 101°10′00″W / 47.58556°N 101.16667°W / 47.58556; -101.16667[1]
Area14,739 acres (5,965 ha)
Established1955
Governing bodyU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
WebsiteAudubon National Wildlife Refuge

Audubon National Wildlife Refuge is a 14,739-acre (5,965 ha) National Wildlife Refuge in the U.S. state of North Dakota.[2] The refuge is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and is the centerpiece of the Audubon National Wildlife Refuge Complex, which includes numerous other refuges in the region.[3] Originally designated as the Snake Creek National Wildlife Refuge in 1955, the refuge was renamed in 1967 in honor of the artist and naturalist John James Audubon.[4] Most of the refuge area is a lake known as Audubon Lake which is managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Audubon Lake has one hundred islands which provide nesting habitat for birds. Another 3,020 acres (1,220 ha) consists of wetlands crucial to numerous bird and mammal species. Of particular interest are the Baird's sparrow and Le Conte's sparrow, which nest here in enormous numbers during the late spring and summer. Between 1956 and 2007, 246 bird species have been documented. Additionally, 34 mammal species, five reptile species, four amphibian species, and 37 fish species have been observed.[5]

  1. ^ "Audubon National Wildlife Refuge". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved February 2, 2014.
  2. ^ Coleharbor, ND (Map). Topoquest (USGS Quads). Retrieved February 2, 2014.
  3. ^ "Audubon National Wildlife Refuge Complex". U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Retrieved February 2, 2014.
  4. ^ "Comprehensive Conservation Plan 12 North Dakota National Wildlife Refuges". U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Retrieved February 2, 2014.
  5. ^ "Audubon National Wildlife Refuge Wildlife List" (PDF). U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. June 2007. Archived from the original (pdf) on May 7, 2013. Retrieved February 2, 2014.