Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge

Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge is comprised of 10 units stretched across 70 miles of Connecticut's coastline. It was established in 1972 and was originally called Salt Meadow National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge was renamed in 1987 to honor the late U.S. Congressman Stewart B. McKinney, who was instrumental in expanding it.Located in the Atlantic Flyway, the refuge provides important resting, feeding, and nesting habitat for many species of songbirds, wading birds, shorebirds like the threatened piping plover and seabirds including the endangered roseate tern. The refuge is also home to the threatened northern long-eared bat and many other at-risk species. Overall, the refuge encompasses over 1,000 acres of forest, shrub land, barrier beach, tidal wetland and fragile island habitats.Many opportunities exist for visitors to explore the diverse habitats of the refuge through the approved recreational activities detailed on other pages of our website.