Oregon Coast National Wildlife Refuges

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Oregon Coast National Wildlife Refuges Nestucca Bay, Siletz Bay, Bandon Marsh, Three Arch Rocks, Oregon Islands and Cape Meares NWR's

The Refuge Complex comprises six National Wildlife Refuges protecting a variety of habitats that extend along the majority of the rugged Oregon coast. No matter where you are visiting along the coastline, you are sure to be able to find a hike or wildlife viewing area near you. Explore our page, visit us on the web, or send us a message for more information.

Go With the Flow at Siletz Bay Grab your canoe or kayak and head to Siletz Bay National Wildlife Refuge in south Lincoln...
10/07/2026

Go With the Flow at Siletz Bay

Grab your canoe or kayak and head to Siletz Bay National Wildlife Refuge in south Lincoln City, where the put-in is free and the calm estuary welcomes paddlers of all levels.

Fall is prime time for calm sunny days and good wildlife watching. Harbor seals, bald eagles, great blue herons, river otters, returning salmon, and flocks of migrating waterfowl are seen this time of year.

Paddle Tip: This is a shallow, tidal bay, so put in about 1 to 2 hours before high tide and head back as it starts to ebb. That keeps you off the mudflats and lets the current work with you both ways. Check a Siletz Bay tide table before you go, and aim for a calm morning.

Thanks Shayne and Shannon! Huge shoutout to our incredible North Coast strike team for their outstanding work this summe...
10/01/2026

Thanks Shayne and Shannon!

Huge shoutout to our incredible North Coast strike team for their outstanding work this summer! This duo tackled invasive‑plant challenges across Nestucca Bay and Siletz Bay National Wildlife Refuge treating priority species like yellow flag iris, knotweed, foxglove, and invasive grasses while improving habitat for wildlife and pollinators.

Their efforts spanned herbicide applications, mechanical removal, early‑detection surveys, bloom‑calendar monitoring, and supporting conservation projects from Oregon silverspot butterfly releases to hook and line surveys and public outreach.

Their dedication protected critical coastal prairie, marsh, and forest habitats and strengthened partnerships across the region. We’re grateful for their hard work, expertise, and commitment to healthy ecosystems.

Today is their last day with us, we wish them the best as they pursue their careers in conservation.

When the Rains Return, the Salamanders WanderWith this recent rain northwestern salamanders are going to be on the move....
09/25/2026

When the Rains Return, the Salamanders Wander

With this recent rain northwestern salamanders are going to be on the move. These dark-eyed forest dwellers spend most of the dry months tucked underground or under decaying logs, but once rain soaks the soil, they emerge to explore, hunt, and find mates. If you're out enjoying the refuge trails watch for amphibians that might be wandering across your path!

Photo by Peter Pearsall/USFWS

Happy National Estuaries Week! These critical habitats, where rivers meet the sea, are vital to Oregon’s coast. They act...
09/23/2026

Happy National Estuaries Week!

These critical habitats, where rivers meet the sea, are vital to Oregon’s coast. They act as nurseries for salmon, traps for pollution, buffers against storms, and are champions in fighting climate change by storing carbon. Yet, over the past century, more than 60% of Oregon’s tidal wetlands and around 90% of its forested swamps have been lost.

One shining example of estuarine recovery happened this summer at the Siletz Bay National Wildlife Refuge:

A 37-acre restoration in the Lower Drift Creek are located just south of Lincoln City has completed its first phase. Crews removed invasive plants, filled old drainage ditches, reshaped the floodplain, and carved meandering tidal channels to bring back natural water flow.

Large woody debris, trees, roots, and salvaged timber, were placed to create sheltered habitat for juvenile coho and Chinook salmon, steelhead, and cutthroat trout. The future is bright for wildlife using this restored habitat!

Partners like MidCoast Watersheds Council, Oregon Dept. of Fish & Wildlife, Wild Salmon Center, Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians, and others came together to make this possible.

Photo by Conrad Gowell 2026

**NOTICE** Temporary REFUGE CLOSUREThe U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has planned a prescribed fire for 16 acres of gra...
09/16/2026

**NOTICE**
Temporary REFUGE CLOSURE

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has planned a prescribed fire for 16 acres of grasslands at Nestucca Bay National Wildlife Refuge from Thursday, September 17 through Friday, September 18, 2026.

For safety reasons portions of the refuge will be closed during these two days; this includes Christensen Road above the first parking lot, the Two Rivers Nature Trail, and the Pacific View Trail.
Learn more about the planned prescribed burn at:
https://www.fws.gov/refuge/nestucca-bay

Image by Samantha Derrenbacher/USFWS

Need some plant ideas for next year's garden? 🌿🌸If you love the look of some common coastal garden plants but want to av...
09/16/2026

Need some plant ideas for next year's garden? 🌿🌸

If you love the look of some common coastal garden plants but want to avoid planting invasive species, check out these native plant alternatives!

Many of these native plants can be seeded or planted this fall, giving them time to establish before blooming in the spring and summer. Plus, native plants provide important food and habitat for pollinators and other wildlife. 🦋🐝

From 35 Birds to 618: Snowy Plover Recovery Continues Despite a Hard Season in Lincoln CountyThe 2026 breeding season fo...
09/14/2026

From 35 Birds to 618: Snowy Plover Recovery Continues Despite a Hard Season in Lincoln County

The 2026 breeding season for federally threatened western snowy plovers in Lincoln County, OR concluded in early August.

A small group of dedicated volunteers and State Park beach rangers began monitoring the small shorebirds in April. They recorded fewer nesting attempts this year and only 5 nests hatched producing a total of 11 chicks. Sadly, no chicks survived to fledge.

The good news is that the range-wide population is doing well and Oregon set a new record high of 618 birds recorded during the 2026 breeding season survey. That’s up from a mere 35-65 birds in the entire state in early 1990’s!

Photos and recap by Roy Lowe

Adapted by Refuge Volunteer Steve Dimse from Don Henley's "Boys of Summer"🎶After the Birds of Summer are Gone 🎶No puffin...
09/12/2026

Adapted by Refuge Volunteer Steve Dimse from Don Henley's "Boys of Summer"

🎶After the Birds of Summer are Gone 🎶

No puffin on the rock
Nobody on the beach
I feel it in the air
The summer’s out of reach

Empty nests
Empty burrows
The gulls fly out alone
I’m staring at the rock
Though I know, no one’s home

But I can see them
Black feathers shining in the sun
They got their tufts blown back and
Webbed feet brown
I can tell you our love for them will still be strong
After the birds of summer are gone

Tufted Puffin Image by Mick Thompson/Flickr

🦆 For nearly 80 years, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has tracking waterfowl populations, making it our most robust...
09/10/2026

🦆 For nearly 80 years, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has tracking waterfowl populations, making it our most robust wildlife dataset to date!

Our annual Waterfowl Population Status Report tracks ducks, geese, tundra swans, and American coot across 2 million square miles of North America.

At the heart of it: the Waterfowl Breeding Population and Habitat Survey. It's the largest, longest-running wildlife survey in the world. Each May & June, pilot biologists fly with the Canadian Wildlife Service over everything from coastal wetlands to remote Alaska and Canada to count birds and assess habitat.

This data directly shapes hunting regulations and conservation efforts across the continent.

Address

US Fish And Wildlife Service
Newport, OR
97365

Telephone

+15418674550

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