They have traveled thousands of miles, from as far away as Alaska and Russia; battled stormy weather with tired wings; eluded hungry predators and encroaching human development; and now they need a place to rest and feed. Thankfully, we know just the place in the Sacramento Valley, the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) Complex (Complex), which is home to peak populations of millions of these wintering waterfowl.

However, waterfowl are not the only wildlife that can be found in the Complex. More than 300 species of birds and mammals, both resident and migratory, use the Complex.

The Complex consists of five national wildlife refuges, Sacramento, Colusa, Delevan, Sutter and Sacramento River, which were created to protect and provide critical habitat for fish, wildlife and plants. There is great wildlife viewing from the tour routes and trails on Sacramento, Colusa and Sacramento River NWR’s.

The wildlife are most active early in the morning and late in the afternoon, when the sky is alive with birds and chirping fills the air. However, for those of you who do not want to get up with the birds, there is still a lot to see from sunrise to sunset. Explore the Web Site for more information about the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Complex.