Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge

Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge The refuge is open everyday sunrise to sunset, the visitor center is open Tuesday-Saturday 9am-4pm.
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06/12/2026

She’s almost ready to take her first flight!! 🦅

Whether you're an experienced angler or casting a line for the very first time, these events are a great opportunity to ...
06/03/2026

Whether you're an experienced angler or casting a line for the very first time, these events are a great opportunity to enjoy the outdoors, spend time with family and friends, and connect with nature at the refuge.

🐟 Family Fishing Day
📅 Saturday, June 6
⏰ 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
RSVP not required

🇺🇸 Veterans Family Fishing Day
📅 Saturday, June 13
⏰ 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
RSVP required at www.vocwny.org

We'll have staff available to help beginners learn the basics, and all ages are welcome. All equipment and bait provided but feel free to bring your own fishing gear if you have it! Fishing licenses are not required for this event!

Fishing is one of the best ways to experience the refuge, and we hope you'll join us for one of these special days.

📍 Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge - Ringneck Marsh
💲 Free to attend

Tag a friend, bring the family, and come make some memories by the water! 🎣🦆🌿

⭐Meet Grace!⭐Grace is our new Great Lakes Education Intern at Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge! She began with us in Ap...
05/30/2026

⭐Meet Grace!⭐

Grace is our new Great Lakes Education Intern at Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge! She began with us in April and was hired through a partnership with Environment for the Americas (EFTA). As part of her internship, she was recently given the opportunity to participate in a training workshop in Estes Park, CO provided by EFTA.

The workshop helped her to prepare and learn vital skills for her new position as an Education Intern. At the workshop she learned a variety of skills including how to professionally interact with the public, build connections, and how to put together and execute programming events. She also learned how to fish and bird, along with identifying species for each activity. Her favorite part of the trip was attending a bird banding demonstration by Scott Rashid where she was able to hold a Stellar Jay in what is called a “bander’s grip”. Overall, she learned how to share her knowledge of these skills with the public to help make enjoying nature as accessible as possible. At the end of her week, she was able to practice these skills first-hand at an International Game Fish Association (IGFA) family fishing event, and a World Migratory Bird Day event hosted by EFTA.

She saw the week as a very developmental experience that allowed her the opportunity to dive deeper into her career and learn from professionals within the conservation field. She is excited to apply what she learned in the workshop to her role at INWR, and is looking forward to what the rest of her internship holds!

Photos by Environment for the Americas

Something exciting is always happening at the refuge — and the best part is that our programs are completely FREE! 🌿🦅🎨🐢W...
05/23/2026

Something exciting is always happening at the refuge — and the best part is that our programs are completely FREE! 🌿🦅🎨

🐢World Turtle Day Craft May 23rd, 10am-3pm
🐤Warbler Painting Class May 30th at 1pm
🎣Family Fishing Day June 6th, 10am-2pm
🎣Veterans Fishing Day June 13th, 10am-2pm
🌳A Walk in the Woods June 13th at 1pm
🧘🏽‍♀️Outdoor Meditation June 20th at 10am
🙆🏼‍♀️Yoga In Nature June 20th at 12pm
🌾Evolution of Land in Genesee County June 27th at 2pm
🌅Native-Led Sunset Walk June 27th at 7:30pm
🪳Underwater Monsters of Onondaga Pool June 28th at 10am
🦅4th of July Eagle Craft July 4th, 10am-3pm
🎶Rhythms of the Refuge: Part 2 July 18th, 4pm-6pm

These programs would not be possible without the incredible support of our volunteers, community partners, and the Friends of Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge. Their passion, dedication, and generosity help bring meaningful experiences to our community and make the refuge a welcoming place for everyone. Thank you for everything you do to help connect people with wildlife and the outdoors. 💚

Take a look through our upcoming schedule and mark your calendars — there’s something for all ages and interests! We can’t wait to see you out on the refuge this season. ☀️🐢🌼

Have you seen our special visitors lately — the Glossy Ibis!These striking wading birds are not commonly seen at Iroquoi...
05/19/2026

Have you seen our special visitors lately — the Glossy Ibis!

These striking wading birds are not commonly seen at Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge, making their recent visits an exciting surprise for birders, wildlife photographers, and staff alike. With their long curved bills and rich, iridescent plumage that shines green, bronze, and purple in the sunlight, Glossy Ibis are truly a sight to behold.

Typically found in coastal marshes and wetlands farther south and east, sightings like this remind us just how important healthy wetland habitat is for migratory birds exploring new areas or expanding their range.

If you’re out exploring the refuge, keep your eyes on the shallow wetlands at the Cayuga Subimpoundment right off Feeder Road (Kumpf Marsh) — you never know what unexpected visitor you might spot next!

📸 Have you seen the Glossy Ibis during your visit? Share your photos with us in the comments!

This photo has been generously shared with us by local photographer, Rudy Edlund, for restricted use for the purposes of this post.

05/10/2026

Happy Mother’s Day to all the amazing moms out there — human and wild alike! 💐🦅

Here at the wildlife refuge, we’ve been lucky to witness one incredible mother up close through our eagle cam. Our mama eagle has been working tirelessly to protect, warm, and nourish her growing eaglet, reminding us of the care, patience, and dedication that mothers show every single day in nature and beyond.

In today’s video, you’ll see a sweet moment as mama and eaglet scoot close together before she gently feeds her little one — a powerful reminder that love and care can be found all across the natural world.

From all of us at U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge, thank you to all the mothers, caregivers, and nurturers who help the next generation grow strong.

Happy Mother’s Day! 🌿

What a day! Our Spring Spectacular was filled with sunshine, smiles, music, birds, art, learning, and community — and we...
05/09/2026

What a day! Our Spring Spectacular was filled with sunshine, smiles, music, birds, art, learning, and community — and we could not have asked for a better turnout. There was no better way to celebrate World Migratory Bird Day!

A huge thank you to all of our incredible staff, dedicated volunteers, community partners, performers, presenters, and every visitor who spent part of their day celebrating spring with us at Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge. Your energy and enthusiasm helped make this event truly special!

Thank you for making this year’s Spring Spectacular one to remember. We hope you left inspired, refreshed, and excited to return to the refuge again!🌿🦅☀️

More pictures coming soon!

Photo by Betsy Black/Friends of Iroquois NWR

Your guide to this Saturday’s Spring Spectacular! is here! 🗺🌿Check out the event map and start planning your day at the ...
05/07/2026

Your guide to this Saturday’s Spring Spectacular! is here! 🗺🌿

Check out the event map and start planning your day at the refuge. Here are just a few of the things you can experience throughout the event:

🐦 Join a bird walk at 8am at Swallow Hollow Trail & 11am at Headquarters Trail
🎶 Experience Rhythms of the Refuge with the Haudenosaunee Social Dancers at 12pm
🏹 Try your hand at hoverball archery
🦅 Stop by our Eagle Watch at the Cayuga Overlook 10am-2pm
🎣 Practice your skills with our backyard bass casting game
🌎 Meet local environmental partners and take part in hands-on activities
🎨 Create your own watercolor painting at our paint station
🍿 Grab a bite from food trucks including More Than A Mouthful and Papa's Popcorn
🌿 And don’t forget to explore! Spring is one of the best times to experience the trails and overlooks throughout the refuge, as well as nearby adventures at the Tonawanda Wildlife Management Area and Oak Orchard Wildlife Management Area.
🚗Pleas drive slow! Public Parking is available in our maintenance gravel lot to the left of the Visitor Center or along Casey Road. Accessible parking is available along the driveway leading up to the Visitor Center or along the tree-line in the maintenance lot.

📍 Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge | Saturday, May 9th | 10am-3pm

We can’t wait to celebrate spring with you! 🌷

05/06/2026

Turn your sound on for this one 🎶🐦

That’s the sound of spring at the refuge!

Purple Martins are the largest swallows in North America, and they rely almost entirely on human-provided housing—like these gourds—to nest. Here at Iroquois NWR, we actively manage martin colonies and monitor their success each season, with the help of dedicated volunteers and community scientists. It’s a perfect example of how people and wildlife can work together.

Want to see (and hear) them for yourself? Join us this Saturday, May 9th from 10am-3pm at our Spring Spectacular to learn more about our Purple Martin program!

Because every bird counts… and every helping hand does too. 🐦💜

Video by Logan Sauer/USFWS

This year’s theme for World Migratory Bird Day, “Every Bird Counts - Your Observations Matter,” highlights how everyday ...
05/05/2026

This year’s theme for World Migratory Bird Day, “Every Bird Counts - Your Observations Matter,” highlights how everyday people play a critical role in conservation. From monitoring nest boxes and tracking migration, to contributing data that helps guide conservation across the region, this work wouldn’t be possible without community science.

Join us this Saturday, May 9th at our Spring Spectacular to meet the people doing this work, learn about community science projects happening across Western New York, and find out how you can get involved!

Address

1101 Casey Road
Basom, NY
14013

Opening Hours

Tuesday 9am - 4pm
Wednesday 9am - 4pm
Thursday 9am - 4pm
Friday 9am - 4pm
Saturday 9am - 4pm

Telephone

+15859485445

Website

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