Here are at Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), wildlife conservation is at the core of everything we do. After all, the NWR System is the only system of federal lands in the U.S. with the primary mission of wildlife conservation.

In the summer, federally protected birds like the piping plover, American oystercatcher, and roseate tern build their nests right on the sand and raise their chicks here during the busiest time of year. Each fall, shorebirds like red knots, whimbrels, and ruddy turnstones undertake incredible migratory journeys spanning thousands of miles. In the winter, waterfowl like common eiders rest and feed on our beaches and nearby waters. These birds are the super-athletes of the animal world, and they rely on Monomoy NWR as a safe and dependable place to take a ‘pit-stop’ so they can rest and refuel before continuing their voyage. 

In addition to serving as a Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network (WHSRN) Site of Regional Importance, Monomoy NWR is designated as Important Bird Area in the state of Massachusetts. The refuge also supports the largest nesting colony of common terns on the Atlantic seaboard.