Bird Checklists of the United States Bird Checklists of the United States Sunkhaze Meadows National Wildlife Refuge Milford, Maine Sunkhaze Meadows National Wildlife Refuge is located in east-central Maine about 15 miles north of Bangor in the town of Milford. Over 10,000 acres in size, the refuge encompasses the second largest peat bog in the state, with forested wetlands and uplands surrounding the bog. This diversity of habitats attracts a myriad of bird species which use the area for nesting and migration.
Early summer is the best time to bird watch on the refuge.
The woods are filled with the songs of neotropical migrants - songbirds such as warblers that winter in Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America and return to nest at Sunkhaze Meadows. The stream hosts waterfowl species such as American black ducks and hooded mergansers, in addition to American bitterns and common snipe. Ospreys soar overhead. This brochure contains nearly 200 birds that have been identified on or near the refuge since its establishment in 1988. This list is in accordance with the Seventh American Ornithologist's Union Checklist.