page_title: Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge
section_title: Natural environment
hierarchical_section_title: Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge / Natural environment
caption_attribution_description: English: The w:Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge near Sherwood, Oregon, USA.
context_page_description: The Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge is a 1,856 acres wetlands and lowlands sanctuary in the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Oregon. Established in 1992 and opened to the public in 2006, it is managed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. Located in southeastern Washington County, 15 miles southwest of Portland, the refuge is bordered by Sherwood, Tualatin and Tigard. A newer area, extending into northern Yamhill County, is located further west near the city of Gaston surrounding the former Wapato Lake.
  Part of the network of National Wildlife Refuges, the Tualatin River refuge is one of only ten urban refuges in the United States. Habitats in the refuge include forested areas, wetlands, oak and pine grassland, and meadows, with mixed deciduous and coniferous forests common to Western Oregon. The refuge was established as an urban refuge to provide wetland, riparian, and upland habitats for a variety of migratory birds, threatened and endangered species, fish and other resident wildlife. The refuge is home to nearly 200 bird species and more than 70 other animal species.
context_section_description: Before becoming a protected area, much of the land in the Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge was agricultural, with hog and dairy farms, and crops such as corn (maize) and onions.  Today, the refuge spreads out over ten miles (16 km) along the Tualatin River, Rock Creek, and Chicken Creek, and is managed in five main sections (units): Rock Creek, Onion Flats, Riverboat, Tualatin River, and Atfálat´i.
  The refuge also includes the Tonquin scablands created by the Missoula Floods to the southeast of the river. These scablands were scoured of the top layers of soil, leaving a marsh-filled valley. There is also the Wapato Lake Unit approximately 15 miles (24 km) to the west. Located along the Pacific Flyway for migratory birds, this habitat includes seasonal wetlands, streams, forested wetlands, savanna, riparian zones, forested uplands, and the Tualatin River and portions of its floodplain.
  The refuge is home to almost 200 species of birds, more than 50 mammal species, and 25 species of reptiles and amphibians. Tree species include red alder, aspen, maple, oak, Oregon white ash, Douglas fir, ponderosa pine, Pacific yew, and cedar.  A pair of 350-year-old oak trees can be found at the visitor center. Plant species in the refuge include bulrushes, wapato, water plantain, as Oregon grape, wild trillium, camas, iris, snowberry, cattails, wild millet, wild rose, thimbleberry, and others. Wildflowers include blue chicory, Douglas spirea, and purple crocuses.
  Waterfowl at the refuge include Canada Geese, Wood Ducks, swans, Northern Pintails, Green Herons, teal, mergansers, Belted Kingfishers, and American Wigeon among others. Birds that spend time there include, Great Blue Herons, Sandhill Cranes, Oregon Juncos, wrens, European Starlings, blackbirds, nuthatches, Pacific-slope Flycatchers, Red-tailed Hawks, American Goldfinches, Peregrine Falcons, Yellow Warblers, Western Flycatchers, Killdeer, Northern Harriers, Ospreys, egrets, quail, pheasants, Golden-crowned Kinglets, owls, and Black-headed Grosbeaks to name a few. There is also a pair of Bald Eagles. The year it was created officials counted 24 different bird species. By 2008 there were 185 birds species represented at the refuge.
  River otter, beaver, nutria, mink, weasel, red fox, deer, elk, coyotes, raccoons, and rabbits make up a portion of the terrestrial animals. Other wildlife includes painted turtles, frogs, salamanders, crawfish, fish, and alligator lizards. The refuge is one of only ten national wildlife refuges in the United States located in an urban area. Groups have suggested that the refuge be expanded all the way to the Willamette River to provide a greenway through a heavily populated area. The Tualatin's floodplain is the largest of any of the Willamette River's tributaries.
caption: Geese at the refuge in winter
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