Cibola National Wildlife Refuge, AZ

Cibola National Wildlife Refuge is a U.S. National Wildlife Refuge in the floodplain of the lower Colorado River between Arizona and California and is surrounded by a fringe of desert ridges and washes. The refuge encompasses both the historic Colorado River channel as well as a channelized portion. Along with these main waterbodies, several important backwaters are home to many wildlife species that reside in this Yuma Desert portion of the Sonoran Desert. Because of the river's life-sustaining water, wildlife here survives in an environment that reaches 120F in the summer and receives an average of only 2 inches of rain per year.


Cibola NWR was established in 1964 to restore and protect historic habitat and wintering grounds for migratory birds and other wildlife. Over 288 species of birds have been found on Cibola NWR, including many species of migratory songbirds, Gambel's quail, roadrunners, mourning, and white-winged doves, phainopepla, greater sandhill cranes, Canada and snow geese, Vermilion flycatchers, grosbeaks and many more. The bald eagle, southwestern willow flycatcher, and Yuma Clapper Rail are among the endangered birds that use Cibola NWR. Other listed species include the desert tortoise, razorback sucker, bonytail chub, and desert pupfish.Source: BLM, National Wildlife Refuge, Wikipedia

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