The Wertheim National Wildlife Refuge is located on the south shore of

Long Island Long Island is a densely populated continental island in southeastern New York (state), New York state, extending into the Atlantic Ocean. It constitutes a significant share of the New York metropolitan area in both population and land are ...

and is one of the undeveloped estuary systems on Long Island. In 1947, Maurice Wertheim donated on eastern Long Island to the United States government; the donated land subsequently became the Wertheim National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge's purpose is to protect the Carmans River Estuary for

migratory birds Bird migration is a seasonal movement of birds between breeding and wintering grounds that occurs twice a year. It is typically from north to south or from south to north. Migration is inherently risky, due to predation and mortality. The ...

. Wertheim hosts a variety of habitats including oak-pine woodlands, grasslands, and fresh, brackish and salt water

wetlands A wetland is a distinct semi-aquatic ecosystem whose groundcovers are flooded or saturated in water, either permanently, for years or decades, or only seasonally. Flooding results in oxygen-poor ( anoxic) processes taking place, especially ...

. These habitats attract and support many types of wildlife including

white-tailed deer The white-tailed deer (''Odocoileus virginianus''), also known Common name, commonly as the whitetail and the Virginia deer, is a medium-sized species of deer native to North America, North, Central America, Central and South America. It is the ...

osprey The osprey (; ''Pandion haliaetus''), historically known as sea hawk, river hawk, and fish hawk, is a diurnal, fish-eating bird of prey with a cosmopolitan range. It is a large raptor, reaching more than in length and a wingspan of . It ...

muskrat The muskrat or common muskrat (''Ondatra zibethicus'') is a medium-sized semiaquatic rodent native to North America and an introduced species in parts of Europe, Asia, and South America. The muskrat is found in wetlands over various climates ...

, fox, turtles, frogs and fish. The refuge also serves as a haven for waterfowl, shorebirds, raptors, and songbirds. In 2012 the Long Island National Wildlife Refuge Complex opened a new visitor center and headquarters facility in the Wertheim National Wildlife Refuge. The building includes an interactive exhibit hall, environmental education classroom and administrative offices.

Population

The refuge's wildlife populations are mainly diverse. There are about 300 species of birds at the refuge. The refuge winters up to 5,000

waterfowl Anseriformes is an order of birds also known as waterfowl that comprises about 180 living species of birds in three families: Anhimidae (three species of screamers), Anseranatidae (the magpie goose), and Anatidae, the largest family, which i ...

, most of them being black ducks - a species that is declining. The coastal location also makes this refuge an excellent

migration Migration, migratory, or migrate may refer to: Human migration * Human migration, physical movement by humans from one region to another ** International migration, when peoples cross state boundaries and stay in the host state for some minimum le ...

place for

shorebirds FIle:Vadare - Ystad-2021.jpg, 245px, A flock of Dunlins and Red knots Waders or shorebirds are birds of the order Charadriiformes commonly found wikt:wade#Etymology 1, wading along shorelines and mudflats in order to foraging, forage for food c ...

, raptors and

songbirds A songbird is a bird belonging to the suborder Passeri of the perching birds (Passerine, Passeriformes). Another name that is sometimes seen as the scientific or vernacular name is Oscines, from Latin ''oscen'', "songbird". The Passeriformes co ...

References

External links

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: Wertheim National Wildlife RefugeFriends of Wertheim National Wildlife Refuge
* {{authority control National Wildlife Refuges in New York (state) Brookhaven, New York Protected areas established in 1947 Protected areas of Suffolk County, New York Nature centers in New York (state) 1947 establishments in New York (state) Landforms of Suffolk County, New York Wetlands of New York (state)