National Wildlife Refuge Just a Few Short Miles from the Center of Oregon's Largest City, the Honking of Geese Replaces the Honking of Cars

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

National Wildlife Refuge Just a few short miles from the center of Oregon's largest city, the honking of geese replaces the honking of cars. This special place is a refuge, a haven for wildlife and people. Born of a community's dream, and made possible by their support, a wildlife refuge now thrives in the backyard of a growing A metropolis. J Welcome! Located on the outskirts of Portland, Wildlife The patient observer will be Oregon, Tualatin River National Viewing rewarded with many wildlife viewing Wildlife Refuge is one of only a Tips opportunities. Every season brings handful of urban national wildlife a new wealth of discoveries. Use the refuges in the country. Situated within following tips to observe and enjoy the floodplain of the Tualatin River, the vaiied wildlife found here. the Refuge comprises less than 1% of the 712 square Use Binoculars Binoculars and spotting scopes allow mile watershed. Yet, due to you an up close look that does not its richness and diversity affect wildlife behavior. of habitats, the Refuge supports some of the most Come Early Early morning and dusk are the abundant and varied wildlife Stay Late best times of the day to view wildlife. in the watershed. Please note that the Refuge is open from dawn to dusk. Since the Refuge's establishment in 1992, wildlife managers have Use Identification Use field guides to help you identify been restoring and protecting lands Guides species of plants and animals. A and waters for the benefit of native wildlife list is available from the wildlife and their habitats. These Refuge. habitats include rivers and streams, seasonal and forested wetlands, Be Patient & Move slowly. Quick movements and riparian areas, grasslands, and Respectful loud noises will frighten most wildlife Common forested uplands. away. Try sitting quietly in one gellowtkroats location. Animals that have hidden creep ami hop The Refuge is now home to nearly may reappear after a short while. Walk through brushy 200 species of birds, over 50 species quietly. Be aware of sounds and smells. thickets, feeding of mammals, 25 species of reptiles Often you will hear more than you will on insects, and amphibians, and a wide variety of see. Teach children quiet observation. spiders and insects, fish and plants. The Refuge ier visitors will appreciate your caterpillars. has also become a place where people isideration. can experience and learn about wildlife and the places they call home. ak for animal signs. Tracks, scat, thers, and chewed plants left Tualatin River National Wildlife find often tell interesting stories. Refuge is one of over 540 refuges tRemember to leave these discoveries in the National Wildlife Refuge where you find them. System—a network of lands and waters set aside specifically for •ase be considerate. wildlife. Managed by the U.S. Fish • r the protection of and Wildlife Service, the System is wildlife, visitors must a living heritage, conserving fish, stay on maintained wildlife and their habitats for trails and in designated future generations. areas. No off trail use. Observe from the Showy plumes of sidelines and do not approach wildlife too Douglas spirea closely. Don't offer flowers provide snacks; your lunch summer color could disrupt wild to wet meadoiv digestive systems. prairies. Greater gelloniegs Refuge Map Enjoying the Tualatin River NWR is a place where Volunteering Do you want to help collect biological Refuge wildlife comes first. When visiting, data, maintain habitats, greet visitors always remember, you are a guest in or work with school groups? If you their home. are interested in volunteering or want to learn more about the Friends of the Refuge Hours The Refuge is open from dawn to Refuge, call the Refuge or go to dusk throughout the year. www.friendsoftualatinrefuge.org.

Wildlife Center & The Wildlife Center is open Tuesday Walking Trails are for walking only. To Environmental through Sunday and features exhibits, Only minimize disturbance to animals, no Education a nature store, and viewing overlooks. biking, jogging, or running. Call for hours and holiday closures. Teacher workshops are offered to Pets Pets are not allowed. They disturb educators who would like to biing wildlife and will scare animals away their students on a field trip. before you get a chance to see them.

Walking Trails A one-mile long nature trail meanders Collecting Please leave plants and animals through a variety of habitats past where they are. No collecting of any wildlife viewpoints and ends at the kind. Do not pick up wildlife. While wetland overlook. The nature trail you think that a young animal has is open year round. From May 1 been abandoned, chances are it has a through September 30, visitors are parent watching anxiously nearby. permitted to walk on 3 miles of gravel service roads. From October 1 to Prohibited No fires, firearms, fireworks, fishing April 30, these roads are closed to all Activities or hunting. Camping or overnight public entry to provide sanctuary for parking is not permitted. wildlife. No other refuge lands are open to the public. Tin lot to discoverh Wildlife The blind is open on a reservation from the patterns Photography basis. Call 503/625 5944 to make of lea res to the Blind arrangements. colors of delicate dragonfly Accessibility Visitor service facilities, including icings. trails and overlooks, have been designed to accommodate visitors needing special assistance. Please contact Refuge staff if you would like further information.

Pied-billed grebes eat their feathers and (d so feed some to their chicks to help protect stomachs from fish bones and crustacean shells. A Year of Wildlife Tualatin River National Wildlife Fall As fall rains begin and temperatures Refuge is a place to discover an ever- cool, Arctic-nesting birds begin to changing panorama of wildlife. As arrive from their northern breeding the seasons change, so does wildlife grounds. In search of open water, food viewing. Located on the Pacific and shelter, waterfowl find what they Flyway, the Refuge is an important need on the Refuge. At the same time, stopover where migratory water fowl, bald eagles become a regular visitor songbirds, and shorebirds stop to rest, to the Refuge, hunting the increasing refuel, and raise their young. numbers of waterfowl found here.

Spring Spring is the time to enjoy the bright colors and singing chorus of migratory Northern songbirds. Many species of songbirds pintails make arrive in the spring and use the a winter meal Refuge as a place to breed and nest. for hungry bald eagles. As seasonal wetlands dry out in the spring, mudflats are left behind. These provide a rich source of Winter Winter is a spectacular time to visit. invertebrates for migrating shorebirds Large numbers of waterfowl such that are on their journey to their as cackling Canada geese, northern breeding grounds further north. After a long, pintails, and mallards blanket the grey winter, Refuge as they eat the rich source of yellow-rumped seeds and plants grown in summer. warblers (at left) The Refuge boasts an average of Summer As migration slows, Refuge wildlife give us afirst 20.000 waterfowl during mid-winter, focus on raising their young. Broods glimpse of and in some years, over 50,000 have of wood ducks and hooded mergansers spring color. been observed in a single day. are commonly seen in the wetlands. Also in summer, wetland plants such as plantain and smartweed grow and become the perfect food for migrating waterfowl that arrive on the Refuge later in the year

Female wood ducks use ~ high pitched calls to ±1 7 7 7 J I J/WU'VI U"" II ''I' l/ll '/ broods, sometimes up to 15 ducklings. U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge 19255 SW Pacific Hwy Sherwood, Oregon 97140 Telephone: 503/625 5944 Fax: 503/625 5947 http://www.fws.gov/tualatinriver/ National Wildlife U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service http://www.fws.gov Refuge *m Refuge Information 1800/344 WILD

Oregon Relay Service TTY1800/735 2900 Voice 1 800/7351232

March 2008

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Equal opportunity to participate in and benefit from programs and activities of the US Fish & Wildlife Service is available to all individuals regardless of physical or mental disability. For more information please contact the US Department of the Interior Office of Equal Opportunity, 1849 C Street, NW Washington, D.C. 20210.