San Luis Wildlife Refuge

The San Luis National Wildlife Refuge Complex – composed of the San Luis National Wildlife Refuge, Merced National Wildlife Refuge, San Joaquin River National Wildlife Refuge and the Grasslands Wildlife Management Area – consists of nearly 45,000 acres of wetlands, grasslands and riparian habitats, as well as over 90,000 acres of conservation easements on private lands for the protection and benefit of wildlife.  The refuge units are located in the northern San Joaquin Valley of California in Merced and Stanislaus Counties.The Complex is located within the Pacific Flyway, a major route for migrating birds, including waterfowl.  The extensive wetlands of the Complex and surrounding lands provide habitat for up to a million waterfowl that arrive here each winter.  Of the 30 species of waterfowl using the Complex, the most common include Ross’ geese, Aleutian cackling geese, snow geese, green-winged teal, mallard, northern pintail, gadwall, American wigeon, northern shoveler, and white-fronted geese.