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Overview
Located in St. Martin and Iberville Parishes, the refuge is 30 miles west of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 1 mile east of Krotz Springs, Louisiana and just east of the Atchafalaya River. Atchafalaya NWR was established in 1984 with money from the Land and Water Conservation Fund. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service purchased 15,220 acres in 1986 from the Iberville Land Company. The refuge's name originated from its location within the Atchafalaya River Basin, the largest bottomland swamp in the USA.
The refuge manages for any and all threatened and endangered wildlife and plants that inhabit the refuge including the Bald Eagle and Louisiana Black Bear. Secondary management is for waterfowl and other migratory birds, all other indigenous wildlife, and to provide wildlife oriented recreation, education, and demonstration.
Birds
Notable Species
The refuge was identified as a Globally Important Bird Area by the American Bird Conservancy. The bottomland hardwood forests and the mix of bayous, oxbow lakes, sloughs, and swamps create a diversity of habitats important to a wide range of bird species.
Neotropical migrants abound during the fall and spring migrations, and many species nest on the refuge. The refuge supports a number of small wading bird rookeries.
Each winter, several thousand waterfowl make their home on the refuge. Wood Duck are common summer nesters. The Swallow-tailed Kite also nests on the refuge.
Rarities
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Check-list
{{BirdsSee|
Other Wildlife
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Site Information
History and Use
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Areas of Interest
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Access and Facilities
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Contact Details
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External Links
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Atchafalaya
Content and images originally posted by Gaga
Reviews
bernerjc's review
Pros
- beautiful cypress swamp with hanging Spanish moss
Cons
- need a boat
- Noisy I-10 crosses it
