Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge
IUCN Category IV (Habitat/Species Management Area)
Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge Location in the United States
Location	Connecticut, United States
Nearest city	Westbrook, Connecticut
Area	950 acres (384.5 ha)
Established	1972
Named for	Stewart B. McKinney
Governing body	U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Website	Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge

The Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge is a special natural area in Connecticut, USA. It covers about 950-acre (384.5 ha) of land, split into ten different sections. This refuge is a very important place for many birds and other animals.

It's located along the Atlantic Flyway, which is like a superhighway for birds migrating up and down the coast. The refuge stretches for about 70 miles (110 km) along Connecticut's shoreline. It gives birds like wading birds, shorebirds, and songbirds a safe place to rest, find food, and build their nests. This includes the rare roseate tern, which is an endangered species. The waters nearby are also a winter home for brant geese, scoters, and American black ducks.

The refuge protects over 900 acres (364.2 ha) of unique habitats. These include sandy Barrier islands, wet areas where the ocean meets the land (called intertidal wetlands), and fragile islands.

The refuge was first called the Salt Meadow National Wildlife Refuge. In 1987, it was renamed after Stewart B. McKinney. He was a congressman from Connecticut who helped create the refuge.

Explore the Refuge: Units and Wildlife

The Stewart B. McKinney Refuge is made up of ten separate areas. Each one offers different habitats and wildlife to discover!

Salt Meadow Unit: A Birdwatcher's Paradise

The Salt Meadow unit is the oldest part of the refuge. It's also where the main office is located in Westbrook, Connecticut. This area is super important for over 280 types of migrating birds. They stop here during their long journeys in spring and fall. Because of this, the National Audubon Society has called it an "Important Bird Area."

You can explore 2.5 miles (4.0 km) of trails here. They wind through grasslands, forests, and marshy areas. The fields are home to woodcocks, bluebirds, tree swallows, wild turkeys, and lots of colorful butterflies and dragonflies. If you love birds, you might spot great egrets, glossy ibis, snowy egrets, belted kingfishers, and osprey. You might even see a red-tailed hawk soaring above! Mammals like red foxes, white-tailed deer, skunks, and coyotes also live here. The refuge often hosts fun events at Salt Meadow, like owl walks and bird banding demonstrations. This unit is at 41°17′21″N 72°28′18″W / 41.289231°N 72.47178°W / 41.289231; -72.47178 (Salt Meadow).

Outer Island Unit: Island Adventures

The Outer Island unit is part of the Thimble Island Chain off the coast of Branford, Connecticut. You can reach it by ferry or private boat. The island is made of beautiful pink granite, which is great for photos! Here, you might see common terns and roseate terns fishing in the water. Green herons nest on the island, and you can often spot great egrets and snowy egrets along the shore. This unit is at 41°14′31″N 72°45′38″W / 41.2420°N 72.7605°W / 41.2420; -72.7605 (Outer Island).

Falkner Island Unit: Home of Rare Terns

Falkner Island is about three miles (5 km) from Guilford, Connecticut. You can only get there by private boat. This island is a very special place because it's home to over 124 pairs of nesting roseate terns. These birds are federally endangered, meaning they are at risk of disappearing forever. More than 3,000 pairs of common terns also nest here. Like Salt Meadow, this unit is an "Important Bird Area."

To protect the fragile terns, Falkner Island is usually closed to visitors. However, the refuge holds a two-day open house every September. This is your chance to visit a real research camp and an historic lighthouse that was first used in 1802! It's a fantastic opportunity for photography. This unit is at 41°12′39″N 72°39′11″W / 41.210880°N 72.653190°W / 41.210880; -72.653190 (Falkner Island).

Milford Point Unit: Shorebird Spotting

The Milford Point unit is located near Milford, Connecticut. It has a boardwalk with an observation deck. From here, you can get a great view of the 9-acre (3.6 ha) barrier beach. Look closely, and you might see sandpipers, oystercatchers, least terns, and even the federally threatened piping plover. To keep this sensitive area safe for wildlife, you should stay on the observation deck or at the very tip of the peninsula. Fishermen can walk to the tip using a marked trail. This unit is at 41°10′33″N 73°06′05″W / 41.1757°N 73.1015°W / 41.1757; -73.1015 (Milford Point).

Great Meadows Unit: Wetland Wonders

This unit is in Stratford, Connecticut. While there are no trails here yet, you can still see amazing birds from the nearby roads. Keep an eye out for northern harriers, red-breasted mergansers, American black ducks, pied billed grebes, and great blue herons. This unit is at 41°09′36″N 73°08′06″W / 41.160°N 73.135°W / 41.160; -73.135 (Great Meadows).

Norwalk Islands Units: Chimon, Sheffield, Goose, and Peach Islands

These islands are part of the Norwalk Islands group, located off the coast of Norwalk, Connecticut. You can take a ferry to Sheffield Island from Hope Dock, near the Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk. To visit Chimon Island, you'll need a private boat. Goose Island and Peach Island are closed to public visits to protect their wildlife.

On Sheffield Island, a trail lets you see a tidal salt water pond. This pond is used by egrets and belted kingfishers. White-tailed deer also use the island a lot. Next to the refuge on Sheffield Island, you can find an historic stone lighthouse and keepers quarters. The Norwalk Seaport Association offers tours of the lighthouse for a small fee. These units are at: Chimon 41°03′54″N 73°23′24″W / 41.065°N 73.39°W / 41.065; -73.39 (Chimon Island), Sheffield 41°03′07″N 73°24′54″W / 41.052°N 73.415°W / 41.052; -73.415 (Sheffield Island), Goose Island 41°04′16″N 73°22′19″W / 41.071°N 73.372°W / 41.071; -73.372, and Peach Island 41°04′59″N 73°24′20″W / 41.083°N 73.4055°W / 41.083; -73.4055.

Calf Island Unit: Greenwich's Island Gem

Calf Island is a 29 acres (12 ha) island in Greenwich, Connecticut. It's about 3,000 feet (910 m) from the shore and became part of the McKinney Refuge in 2003. This unit is at 40°59′35″N 73°38′22″W / 40.993°N 73.6395°W / 40.993; -73.6395 (Calf Island).

Diverse Habitats for Wildlife

The ten units of Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge have many different types of natural areas. These include grassy uplands and wet salt marshes. Different animals need different things to survive. For example, roseate terns need certain places to nest, while American black ducks need different areas for food and shelter. The refuge's various habitats—forests, marshes, sandy beaches, and secluded islands—provide everything these animals need to thrive along Connecticut's coast.

History of the Refuge

Assistant Secretary of the Interior Nathanial Reed accepts the donation of Salt Meadow (now part of McKinney National Wildlife Refuge) from Esther Lape, 1972

The story of the refuge began with a place called Salt Meadow. This was the country home of two women, Elizabeth Fisher Read and Esther Lape. In 1972, after Read passed away, Esther Lape generously gave over 150 acres (60.7 ha) of land in Westbrook, Connecticut to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. This gift became the Salt Meadow National Wildlife Refuge. As more neighbors donated or sold their land, Salt Meadow grew to be a 274-acre (110.9 ha) refuge.

As Connecticut's population grew, coastal areas and islands were being developed very quickly. People worried that the long-legged wading birds and other shorebirds would lose their important nesting and feeding spots. With help from groups like The Connecticut Audubon Society, The Nature Conservancy, and Trust for Public Land, more islands and coastal areas were added to the refuge. These included Sheffield, Chimon, and Goose Islands near Norwalk, and Milford Point in Milford.

In 1984, these new islands were added to the Salt Meadow Refuge. The name was changed to Connecticut's Coastal National Wildlife Refuge. Then, in 1987, the refuge was renamed again to honor US Congressman Stewart B. McKinney. He played a big role in helping to create and protect this important natural area.

Later, in 2003, Calf Island in Greenwich was added. Peach Island joined the refuge in 2005. Thanks to generous donations and many partners, the refuge now has ten units. They are spread across 70 miles (110 km) of Connecticut's beautiful coastline, from Westbrook all the way to Greenwich.