Erie National Wildlife Refuge
| Erie National Wildlife Refuge | |
|---|---|
IUCN category IV (habitat/species management area) | |
| Location | Crawford, Pennsylvania, United States |
| Coordinates | 41°37′39″N 79°57′50″W / 41.62750°N 79.96389°W |
| Area | 13.75 sq mi (35.6 km2) |
| Established | May 22, 1959 |
| Visitors | 30,000 |
| Operator | United States Fish and Wildlife Service |
| Website | www |
The Erie National Wildlife Refuge is an 8,777-acre (3,552 ha) National Wildlife Refuge located in Crawford County, Pennsylvania. Named after the Erie tribe, it was established to provide waterfowl and other migratory birds with nesting, feeding, brooding, and resting habitat.
The refuge consists of two separate land divisions. The 5,206-acre (2,107 ha) Sugar Lake Division is closest to Guys Mills, Pennsylvania and is 8.5 miles (13.7 km) east of Meadville. The Seneca Division, consisting of 3,571 acres (1,445 ha), is 10 miles (16 km) north of the Sugar Lake Division and borders French Creek near Cambridge Springs, Pennsylvania.
The Erie National Wildlife Refuge was designated an Important Bird Area by the National Audubon Society because of the diversity of habitat it provides to the approximate 237 species of birds attracted to the refuge.