Elizabeth A. Morton National Wildlife Refuge
| Elizabeth A. Morton National Wildlife Refuge | |
|---|---|
IUCN category IV (habitat/species management area) | |
  Map of the United States | |
| Location | Suffolk County, New York, United States |
| Nearest city | Noyack, New York |
| Coordinates | 41°00′17″N 72°22′11″W / 41.00472°N 72.36972°W |
| Area | 187 acres (0.76 km2) |
| Established | 1954 |
| Governing body | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service |
| Website | Elizabeth A. Morton National Wildlife Refuge |
Established December 27, 1954, through a donation by the Morton family, the 187-acre (0.76 km2) Elizabeth A. Morton National Wildlife Refuge boasts exceptionally diverse habitats including bay beach, a brackish pond, a freshwater pond, kettle holes, tidal flats, salt marsh, freshwater marsh, shrub, grasslands, maritime oak forest, and red cedar. The refuge's diversity is critical to Long Island wildlife.
Habitats along the beach attract many species including nesting piping plovers, roseate terns, least terns, common terns, and shorebirds. The waters surrounding the refuge are considered critical habitat for juvenile Kemp's ridley sea turtles and are occasionally used by loggerhead sea turtles. Waterfowl use of the refuge peaks during the colder months. Long-tailed ducks, white-winged scoter, goldeneye and black ducks will most likely be spotted during winter.
The refuge is located in the hamlet of Noyack, New York. Much of the refuge is situated on a peninsula surrounded by Noyack and Little Peconic Bays. The north/south orientation of the peninsula makes the refuge important habitat for shorebirds, raptors and songbirds as they navigate the coastline during migration.
References
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
