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Malheur National Wildlife Refuge was created in 1908 by President Theodore Roosevelt to protect nesting egrets and other water birds from unregulated plume hunting. The high desert wetland is home to tens of thousands of migratory birds throughout the year. It covers 120,000 acres and is fed by the Blitzen and Silvies Rivers. One of the most important sections of the refuge is Malheur Lake that compromises almost one third of the total refuge acreage. The lake is really a marsh that during the wet season covers approx. 50,000 acres and is 20 miles long by 12 miles wide. Malheur Lake occupies a generally flat basin. It's principal water sources come from Steens Mountain (Blitzen River Watershed) to the south and the Blue Mountains (Silvies River Watershed) to the North. The marsh contains vast quantities of submerged and emergent vegetation which adds to the overall value of the marshes as habitat for waterfowl. Malheur refuge ranks among the best waterfowl habitat in North America. During spring and autumn the main migration moves through and the refuge becomes a mecca for birders all over the Pacific Northwest. During migration is is common to see over 100 different species in a single day of birding.
Places Within the Refuge
Bird List for the Trip
