Wertheim National Wildlife Refuge

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The Wertheim National Wildlife Refuge is located on the south shore of Long Island and is one of the undeveloped estuary systems on Long Island. Its main purpose was to organize the refuge so it would protect the Carmans River Estuary for all migratory birds.

[edit] Animals

Approximately half of the refuge consists of aquatic habitats. It has bays with marine seagrass beds, intertidal saltmarshes,high saltmarshes, freshwater marshes, shrub swamp, and red maple swamps.The refuge supports eight protected species.

[edit] Plantlife

Half of the refuge contains the rare Pine Barren habitats of pitch pine, oak-pine, mixed oak, pioneer hardwood, upland shrub, and grasslands.

[edit] Population

The refuge's wildlife populations are mainly diverse. There are about 300 species of birds at the refuge. The refuge winters up to 5,000 waterfowl, most of them being black ducks - a species that is declining. The coastal location also makes this refuge an excellent migration palce for shorebirds, raptors and songbirds.