Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge

Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge
IUCN category IV (habitat/species management area)
Map of the United States
LocationHumboldt County, California, United States
Nearest cityEureka, California
Coordinates40°42′59″N 124°13′04″W / 40.71651°N 124.21783°W / 40.71651; -124.21783
Area4,000 acres (16 km2)
Established1971
Governing bodyU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
WebsiteHumboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge

Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge is located on Humboldt Bay, on the California North Coast near the cities of Eureka and Arcata. The refuge exists primarily to protect and enhance wetland habitats for migratory water birds using the bay area, including tens of thousands of shorebirds, ducks, geese, swans, and the black brant. Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge, along with other public and private lands around Humboldt Bay, is one of the key stopovers for the millions of migratory birds that rely on the Pacific Flyway. More than 200 bird species, including 80 kinds of water birds and four endangered species, regularly feed, rest, or nest on the refuge or other areas around the bay.