Montezuma Refugewinter wildlife
At Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge, the timing for winter wildlife comes in 2 separate phases, each its own display: Fall shorebirds peak, peak in September (within a mid-August through mid-October shorebird season); and Waterfowl numbers peak in the tens of thousands, Mid-November. No official report yet this season.
- SeptemberFall shorebirds peakpeak in September (within a mid-August through mid-October shorebird season)
- NovemberWaterfowl numbers peak in the tens of thousandsMid-November
Next 7 days at Montezuma Refuge
- TodayAreas Of Fog then Mostly Cloudy75° / 62°11% rain
- ThuSlight Chance Rain Showers76° / 63°52% rain
- FriRain Showers72° / 47°76% rain
- SatMostly Sunny65° / 41°12% rain
- SunSlight Chance Rain Showers66° / 45°24% rain
- MonMostly Sunny61° / 38°13% rain
Today: sunrise 7:04 a.m., sunset 6:52 p.m., light until 7:20 p.m. · moon waning gibbous, 78% lit (our calculation)
Your guide to the area
Where to watch
- Wildlife DriveThe 3-mile, one-way auto tour along the Main Pool, open daily April 1 through November 30 (weather permitting), sunrise to sunset; vehicles only, and you stay in your car except at viewing areas marked with a brown and white binocular sign
- Seneca Trail viewing towerFrom the Visitor Center parking area, a viewing tower looking out over the Main Pool; the trail is closed January 1 through August 31 for bald eagle protection and shared with hunters in the late bowhunting season
- May's Point PoolOne of the viewing areas off State Route 89, where the Wildlife Drive ends, along with North Spring Pool, Tschache Pool and the Knox-Marsellus Overlook
Nearby
- Erie Refuge189 mifrom September to NovemberSatSlight Chance Rain Showers
- Wertheim Refuge249 miLate October through early April
- Morton Refuge263 miLate October through early April
- Bombay Hook265 miNovember (the peak) and DecemberSatSlight Chance Rain Showers
- Forsythe Refuge270 miDecember through FebruarySatSlight Chance Rain Showers
- Cuyahoga Valley274 mi5 separate phases, from during the third week [of September] ... in peak migrationSatSlight Chance Rain Showers
The year at Montezuma Refuge
- Seneca Trail closed for bald eagle protectionJan–Aug
- Spring migration: Canada and snow geese in the tens of thousands, late February to AprilFeb–Apr
- Mar: Canada geese and ducks start nesting in early MarchMar
- Wildlife Drive and visitor center open dailyNowApr–Nov
- Apr: Bald eagle chicks generally hatch mid-AprilApr
- Shorebirds common, early May to mid-JuneMay–Jun
- May: Warblers peak in mid-MayMay
- May: Ospreys hatch by mid-May; duck and goose broods from early MayMay
- Fall shorebirds, mid-August to mid-October (peak in September)NowAug–Oct
- Esker Brook and South Spring Pool trails closed, November 1 through the end of deer season (around mid-December)Nov–Dec
- Nov: Waterfowl numbers peak in mid-NovemberNov
Questions people ask
When is the best time to see winter wildlife at Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge?
In 2 separate phases: Fall shorebirds peak, peak in September (within a mid-August through mid-October shorebird season) and Waterfowl numbers peak in the tens of thousands, Mid-November. They're separate displays, not one long season.
Is it wildlife season at Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge right now?
There's no official report yet this season.
Where are the shorebirds right now?
The refuge manages several areas for shorebirds, and which one is best changes: ask at the Visitor Center. Volunteers there know which birds are being seen and where; when it's closed, information is in the attached sun room.Sources: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Montezuma NWR: Species (Seasons of Wildlife) ↗ (opens in a new tab), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Montezuma NWR: Visit Us ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Is the Wildlife Drive open for the November peak?
Yes, until the end of the month: the drive is open daily from April 1 through November 30, weather permitting, from sunrise to sunset. It's closed in winter.Sources: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Montezuma NWR: Visit Us ↗ (opens in a new tab), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Montezuma NWR: Species (Seasons of Wildlife) ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Are the walking trails open in the fall?
The Esker Brook and South Spring Pool trails close from November 1 through the end of New York's regular deer season (around mid-December). The Seneca Trail reopens after August 31 but is shared with late-season bowhunters.Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Montezuma NWR: Visit Us ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Can I get out of my car on the drive?
Only at the designated viewing areas marked with a brown and white binocular sign, and even there you stay with your car and on the trail. Your car works like a blind, so birds aren't scared off.Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Montezuma NWR: Visit Us ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Where are the best spots in Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge?
Wildlife Drive: the 3-mile, one-way auto tour along the Main Pool, open daily April 1 through November 30 (weather permitting), sunrise to sunset; vehicles only, and you stay in your car except at viewing areas marked with a brown and white binocular sign; Seneca Trail viewing tower: from the Visitor Center parking area, a viewing tower looking out over the Main Pool; the trail is closed January 1 through August 31 for bald eagle protection and shared with hunters in the late bowhunting season; May's Point Pool: one of the viewing areas off State Route 89, where the Wildlife Drive ends, along with North Spring Pool, Tschache Pool and the Knox-Marsellus Overlook.
Are there closures or permits to know about in Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge?
Seneca Trail closed for bald eagle protection (Jan–Aug); Esker Brook and South Spring Pool trails closed, November 1 through the end of deer season (around mid-December) (Nov–Dec); Wildlife Drive: the 3-mile, one-way auto tour along the Main Pool, open daily April 1 through November 30 (weather permitting), sunrise to sunset; vehicles only, and you stay in your car except at viewing areas marked with a brown and white binocular sign.
What is Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge like through the year?
Warblers peak in mid-May (May), Shorebirds common, early May to mid-June (May–Jun), Spring migration: Canada and snow geese in the tens of thousands, late February to April (Feb–Apr), Fall shorebirds, mid-August to mid-October (peak in September) (Aug–Oct), Waterfowl numbers peak in mid-November (Nov), Wildlife Drive and visitor center open daily (Apr–Nov), Seneca Trail closed for bald eagle protection (Jan–Aug), Esker Brook and South Spring Pool trails closed, November 1 through the end of deer season (around mid-December) (Nov–Dec), Canada geese and ducks start nesting in early March (Mar), Bald eagle chicks generally hatch mid-April (Apr) and Ospreys hatch by mid-May; duck and goose broods from early May (May).