Photo: Bill O'Brian/USFWS · Public domain, cropped to fit and resized
Piedmont Refugefall & winter wildlife
Wildlife refugeAt Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge, migratory birds add to the resident wood ducks during fall and winter, per the Fish and Wildlife Service (a season, not a peak). No official report yet this season.
Checked against 2 official sources · How we check →
About Piedmont Refuge
- What it is
- A wildlife refuge in Georgia
- What you'll see
- Wood ducks and migratory waterfowl · fall and winter (a season)
- Before you go
- Hunting: Closed to all but permitted hunters during the fall deer and spring turkey hunts: check the year's dates.
Your guide to the area
- Piedmont RefugeLocal timing: fall and winterThis page
Where to watch
Allison Lake Trail
Best spot
A 0.9-mile trail joined to the 1.1-mile Pine & Creek Trails, through mixed pine-hardwood forest with views of Allison Lake
Red-Cockaded Woodpecker Trail
Best spot
2.9 miles from Allison Lake through an active red-cockaded woodpecker site
Around Piedmont Refuge
The year at Piedmont Refuge
- Migrant landbirds pass throughspring migration
- Red-cockaded woodpeckers nesting along the RCW TrailMay and June
- Migrant landbirds pass throughNowfall migration
- Migratory birds join the resident wood ducksNowfall and winter
Questions people ask
When is the best time to see wildlife at Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge?
Season: fall and winter. Migratory birds add to the resident wood ducks during fall and winter, per the Fish and Wildlife Service (a season, not a peak).
Is it wildlife season at Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge right now?
There's no official report yet this season.
When are there the most ducks at Piedmont Refuge?
Wood ducks live there all year, and migratory birds add to their numbers in fall and winter. The refuge doesn't name a peak week.Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Is Piedmont Refuge ever closed to visitors?
Yes, during its hunts. During the refuge's firearm deer hunts in the fall and turkey hunts in the spring, it's closed to everyone except permitted hunters; the dates are published each year by July.Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge ↗ (opens in a new tab)
When can I see red-cockaded woodpeckers at Piedmont Refuge?
The refuge's plan names the nesting season in May and June as the best time to see them along the RCW Trail.Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge ↗ (opens in a new tab)
What are Piedmont Refuge's hours?
It's open during daylight hours, sunrise to sunset.Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Where are the best spots in Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge?
The best spots are Allison Lake Trail and Red-Cockaded Woodpecker Trail. Allison Lake Trail: a 0.9-mile trail joined to the 1.1-mile Pine & Creek Trails, through mixed pine-hardwood forest with views of Allison Lake. Red-Cockaded Woodpecker Trail: 2.9 miles from Allison Lake through an active red-cockaded woodpecker site.
What is Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge like through the year?
Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge has something to see in 9 months of the year. Migrant landbirds pass through: Apr–May. Red-cockaded woodpeckers nesting along the RCW Trail: May–Jun. Migrant landbirds pass through: Sep–Oct. Migratory birds join the resident wood ducks: Oct–Feb.