Cibola National Wildlife Refuge is located in the floodplain of the lower Colorado River between Arizona and California and surrounded by a fringe of desert ridges and washes. The refuge encompasses both the historic Colorado River channel as well as a channelized portion constructed in the late 1960s. Along with these main waterbodies, several important backwaters are home to many wildlife species that reside in this Yuma Desert portion of the Sonoran Desert. Because of the river's life-sustaining water, wildlife here survive in an environment that reaches 120 °F (49 °C) in the summer and receives an average of only 2 inches (5.1 cm) of rain per year.
Boating and Fishing at Cibola National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) in Arizona. Published by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS).
Cibola NWR
https://www.fws.gov/refuge/cibola
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cibola_National_Wildlife_Refuge
Cibola National Wildlife Refuge is located in the floodplain of the lower Colorado River between Arizona and California and surrounded by a fringe of desert ridges and washes. The refuge encompasses both the historic Colorado River channel as well as a channelized portion constructed in the late 1960s. Along with these main waterbodies, several important backwaters are home to many wildlife species that reside in this Yuma Desert portion of the Sonoran Desert. Because of the river's life-sustaining water, wildlife here survive in an environment that reaches 120 °F (49 °C) in the summer and receives an average of only 2 inches (5.1 cm) of rain per year.
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Cibola
National Wildlife Refuge
Birds
Welcome to
Birding at Cibola
National Wildlife
Refuge
Cibola National Wildlife Refuge is
located along the lower Colorado
River 20 miles south of Blythe,
California. Approximately two-thirds
of the refuge is in Arizona and onethird is in California. It encompasses
18,555 acres and shares it’s southern
boundary with Imperial NWR. The
refuge was established in 1964 to
mitigate the loss of fish and wildlife
habitat involved in the U.S. Bureau
of Reclamation’s water salvage and
channelization projects along the
Colorado River.
Where to Look
The main portion of the refuge is
alluvial river bottom with dense
growths of salt cedar, mesquite,
and arrowweed along with several
hundred acres of revegetated
cottonwood and willow habitat.
Through this flows the Colorado
River, in both a dredged channel and
a portion of its original channel. The
refuge also contains ~1,000 acres
of farmland and 785 acres of desert
foothills and ridges.
Although there are birds to be
observed year-round, the spring
and fall months, with their seasonal
migration, offer the greatest variety
of species.
Nesting birds include the great egret,
great blue heron, black-crowned
night-heron, least bittern, Ridgway’s
rail, white-winged dove as well as
common yellowthroat, phainopepla,
northern mockingbird, Lucy’s
warbler, and other song birds.
Did You Find a
Rare Bird?
The endangered Ridgway’s rail, the
only freshwater form of clapper rail, is
found in suitable marshes throughout
the refuge. Cibola NWR is important
as a wintering ground for the western
(or Great Basin) subspecies of Canada
goose and for Sandhill Cranes. Many
ducks, primarily pintail, wigeon, and
mallard, also spend a portion of the
winter here.
How to use your
checklist
Seasons
This list of 287 species is in
accordance with the seventh addition
of the American Ornithologists’
Union Checklist of North American
Birds, 7th edition (1998) and its
supplements through July 2016.
Those species marked with an
asterisk (*) have nested on the
refuge. Species that occur as
accidental (marked with an “X”)
may occur more regularly in areas
surrounding the refuge, but most are
true geographic rarities. Seasons
and occurrences for bird sightings
on the refuge are coded below. Note
that seasons vary from species to
species; fall migration for some, such
as shorebirds and flycatchers, is much
earlier (mid-July to mid-September)
compared to fall migration for other
species, such as most waterfowl and
sparrows (September to November).
Abundance
Sp—Spring—period of spring
migration (depending on
species) from mid-February
to early June
S—Summer—June to August
F—Fall—period of fall migration
(depending on species) from
mid-July to November
W—Winter—December to February
A—Abundant: a common and
numerous species
C—Common: certain to be seen
in suitable habitat
U—Uncommon: present, but not
certain to be seen
O—Occasional: seen only a few
times during a season
R—Rare: seen at intervals
of 2 to 5 years
X—Accidental: has been seen
only once or twice
*
Has nested on the refuge
+
Exotic or introduced species
Italicized bird names indicate
threatened or endangered species.
Common Name
Sp
S
F
W
Ducks, Geese, and Swans
___Fulvous Whistling-Duck X X
___Greater White-fronted Goose
U
U
___Snow Goose
C
C
___Ross’s Goose
U
U
___Brant X
___Canada Goose
O
A
A
___Tundra Swan
O
O
___Wood Duck
U
U
___Gadwall
U C
C
___Eurasian Wigeon O
___American Wigeon
U
C
A
___*Mallard
C
U
C
A
___Blue-winged Teal
O O
___*Cinnamon Teal
C
O
C
O
___Northern Shoveler
C
O
C
C
___Northern Pintail
C
O
C
A
___Green-winged Teal
U
U
A
A
___Canvasback
U U
U
___Redhead
U
O
C
O
___Ring-necked Duck
U
C
C
___Greater Scaup R
___Lesser Scaup
U
C
U
___Bufflehead
O C
C
___Common Goldeneye
R
U
___Barrow’s Goldeneye X
___Hooded Merganser
O O
O
___Common Merganser
U U
U
___Red-breasted Merganser
O
R
O
O
___*Ruddy Duck
C
O
C
U
New World Quail
___*Gambel’s Quail
A
A
A
A
Grebes
___*Pied-billed Grebe
C
C
C
C
___Eared Grebe
C C
O
___*Western Grebe
C
C
C
C
___*Clark’s Grebe
C
C
C
C
Pigeons and Doves
___Rock Pigeon
O
O
O
O
___Band-tailed Pigeon
X
___Eurasian Collared-Dove
C
C
C
C
___Common Ground-Dove
O
O
O
O
___*White-winged Dove
C
A
___*Mourning Dove
C
A
C
U
Cuckoos, Roadrunners, and Anis
___*Yellow-billed Cuckoo U
___*Greater Roadrunner
C
C
C
C
Common Name
Sp
S
F
W
Goatsuckers
___*Lesser Nighthawk
C
C
C
___Common Poorwill
O
O
O
Swifts
___Vaux’s Swift
U U
___White-throated Swift
U
O
O
O
Hummingbirds
___*Black-chinned Hummingbird
U
C
C
C
___*Anna’s Hummingbird
O
O
O
C
___*Costa’s Hummingbird
C
C
___Broad-tailed Hummingbird
X
___Rufous Hummingbird
U
Rails, Gallinules, and Coots
___*Ridgway’s Rail
C
C
C
U
___Virginia Rail
O
O O
___*Sora
C
C
C
C
___*Common Moorhen
C
C
C
C
___*American Coot
A
A
A
A
Cranes
___Sandhill Crane
O
C
Stilts and Avocets
___*Black-necked Stilt
C
U
C
U
___American Avocet
U
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Birds of
Cibola National Wildlife Refuge
Cibola National Wildlife Refuge is located
along the lower Colorado River 20 miles
south of Blythe, California. Approximately
two-thirds of the refuge is in Arizona and onethird is in California and encompasses 18,555
acres. The refuge was established in 1964 to
mitigate the loss of fish and wildlife habitat
involved in the channelization projects along
the Colorado River.
The main portion of the refuge is alluvial
river bottom with dense growths of salt cedar,
mesquite, and arrowweed along with several
hundred acres of revegetated cottonwood
and willow habitat. Through this flows the
Colorado River, in both a dredged channel and
a portion of its original channel. The refuge
also contains ~1,000 acres of farmland and
785 acres of desert foothills and ridges.
The endangered Ridgway’s rail, the only
freshwater form of clapper rail, is found in
suitable marshes throughout the refuge. Cibola
NWR is important as a wintering ground for
the western (or Great Basin) subspecies of
Canada goose and for Sandhill Cranes.
This list of 287 species is in accordance
with the seventh addition of the American
Ornithologists’ Union Checklist of North
American Birds, 7th edition (1998) and its
supplements through July 2016. Those species
marked with an asterisk (*) have nested on
the refuge. Species that occur as accidental
(marked with an “X”) may occur more
regularly in areas surrounding the refuge,
but most are true geographic rarities. Note
that seasons vary from species to species;
fall migration for some, such as shorebirds
and flycatchers, is much earlier (mid-July to
mid-September) compared to fall migration
for other species, such as most waterfowl and
sparrows (September to November).
W
Winter
December—February
Sp
Spring
March—May
S
Summer
June—August
F
Fall
September—November
* Confirmed or probable breeder (39 sps).
Federally Endangered or Threatened Species
are listed in italics.
A Abundant–A very numerous species.
C Common–Likely to be seen or heard in
suitable habitats.
U Uncommon–Present, not certain to be seen.
O Occasional–Seen only a few times during
the season
R Rare–Unexpected, seen at intervals of
2 to 5 years.
X Accidental–Fewer than 3 records; vagrants
outside their usual range.
Breeding records from Arizona Breeding
Bird Atlas and refuge records.
Common Name
Sp S F W
Ducks, Geese, and Swans
___Fulvous Whistling-Duck X X
___Gr. White-fronted Goose U U
___Snow Goose C C
___Ross’s Goose U U
___Brant X
___Canada Goose
O A A
___Tundra Swan O O
___Wood Duck U U
___Gadwall
U C C
___Eurasian Wigeon O
___American Wigeon
U C A
___*Mallard
C U C A
___Blue-winged Teal
O O
___*Cinnamon Teal
C O C O
___Northern Shoveler
C O C C
___Northern Pintail
C O C A
___Green-winged Teal
U U A A
___Canvasback
U U U
___Redhead
U O C O
___Ring-necked Duck
U C C
___Greater Scaup R
___Lesser Scaup
U C U
___Bufflehead
O C C
___Common Goldeneye
R U
___Barrow’s Goldeneye X
___Hooded Merganser
O O O
___Common Merganser
U U U
___Red-br. Merganser
O R O O
___*Ruddy Duck
C O C U
New World Quail
___*Gambel’s Quail
A A A A
Grebes
___*Pied-billed Grebe
C C C C
___Eared Grebe
C C O
___*Western Grebe
C C C C
___*Clark’s Grebe
C C C C
Pigeons and Doves
___Rock Pigeon
O O O O
___Band-tailed Pigeon
X
___Eurasian Collared-Dove C C C C
___Common Ground-Dove
O O O O
___*White-winged Dove
C A
___*Mourning Dove
C A C U
Cuckoos, Roadrunners, and Anis
___*Yellow-billed Cuckoo U
___*Greater Roadrunner
C C C C
Goatsuckers
___*Lesser Nighthawk
C C C
___Common Poorwill
O O O
Swifts
___Vaux’s Swift
U U
___White-throated Swift
U O O O
Hummingbirds
___*Black-ch. Hummingbird U C C C
___*Anna’s Hummingbird
O O O C
___*Costa’s Hummingbird
C C
___Broad-tail. Hummingbird X
___Rufous Hummingbird U
Rails, Gallinules, and Coots
___*Ridgway’s Rail
C C C U
___Virginia Rail
O O O
Common Name
Sp S F W
___*Sora
C C C C
___*Common Moorhen
C C C C
___*American Coot
A A A A
Cranes
___Sandhill Crane O C
Stilts and Avocets
___*Black-necked Stilt
C U C U
___American Avocet
U R U R
Plovers
___Black-bellied Plover
R
___Snowy Plover
O O R
___Semipalmated Plover
O O
___*Killdeer
A A C C
Sandpipers, Phalaropes, and Allies
___Long-billed Curlew
U U U U
___Marbled Godwit
O O O
___Ruddy Turnstone
X
___Stilt Sandpiper
U U U
___Sanderling
O O
___Dunlin
O O O
___Least Sandpiper
C U C C
___Pectoral Sandpiper O R
___Western Sandpiper
C C C
___Long-billed Dowitcher
U U C C
___Wilson’s Snipe
U U C
___Spotted Sandpiper
U U C C
___Solitary Sandpiper
O O O
___Greater Yellowlegs
U O U U
___Willet
U O U
___Lesser Yellowlegs
O U U
___Wilson’s Phalarope
R O O O
___Red-necked Phalarope
R O O
___Red Phalarope X
Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers
___Sabine’s Gull X
___Bonaparte’s Gull
O O
___Laughing Gull X
___Franklin’s Gull
X X
___Heerman’s Gull
X X
___Ring-billed Gull
C O C C
___California Gull
R O
___Herring Gull X
___Glaucous-winged Gull X
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Reptiles and Amphibians
Cibola National Wildlife Refuge
Class Amphibia (Amphibians)
Order Anura (Toads, frogs, and
treefrogs)
Family Bufonidae
(Toads)
Great Plains Toad
Bufo cognatus
Red-Spotted Toad
Bufo punctatus
Woodhouse’s toad
B. woodhousii woodhousii
Couch Spadefoot Toad
Scaphiopus couchii
Family Ranidae
Bullfrog
Rana catesbeiana
Class Reptilia (Reptiles)
Order Crocodylia (Alligators,
caimans, lizards, and iguanian
lizards)
Lizards
Western Banded Gecko
Coleonyx variegatus
Desert Iguana
Dipsosaurus dorsalis
Chuckwalla
Sauromalus obesus
Desert Collared Lizard
Crotaphytus insularis
Leopard Lizard
Gambelia wislizenii
Desert Spiny Lizard
Sceloporus magister
Side-blotched Lizard
Uta stansburiana
Long-tailed Brush Lizard
Urosaurus graciosus
Tree Lizard
Urosaurus omatus
Desert Horned Lizard
Phrynosoma platyrhinos
Zebra-tailed Lizard
Callisaurus draconoides
Western Whiptail
Cnemidophorus tigris
Order Squamata (Snakes)
Family Colubridae
(Typical snakes)
Western Blind Snake
Leptotyphlops humilis
Coachwhip
Masticophis flagellum
Western Patch-nosed
Salvadora hexalepis
Glossy Snake
Arizona elegans
Banded Sand Snake
Chilomeniscus cinctus
Gopher Snake
Pituophis melanoleucus
Common Kingsnake
Lampropeltis getulus
Longnosed Snake
Rhinocheilus lecontei
Checkered Garter
Thamnophis marcianus
Western Groundsnake
Sonora semiannulata
Western Shovel-nosed
Chionactis occipitalis
Night Snake
Hypsiglena torquata
Western Diamondback**
Crotalus atrax
Sidewinder**
Crotalus cerastes
Mohave Rattlesnake**
Crotalus scutulatus
**Known to be poisonous
Order Testudines (Turtles and
tortoises)
Family Trionychidae
(Softshell turtles)
Spiny softshell turtles
Trionyx spiniferus
Desert Tortoise
Gopherus agassizii
It is unlawful to harass or disturb
any wildlife within the refuge.
February 2018
Top, Desert tortoise. Left, Sideblotched Lizard. Above, Mojave
rattlesnake / USFWS Photographs
LD Boating and Fishing
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Cibola National Wildlife Refuge
Cibola National Wildlife Refuge was
established in 1964 as mitigation for the
loss of fish and wildlife habitat due to
dam construction and channelization
of the Lower Colorado River. Cibola
National Wildlife Refuge is working
to restore and conserve historic
fish and wildlife habitat and provide
opportunities for compatible wildlifeoriented recreational activities.
Fishing and boating are permitted in
designated areas during specific times
of the year subject to the regulations
provided in this brochure, the Refuge’s
general brochure, and Title 50, Code of
Federal Regulations (CFR) and state
fishing regulations.
Individuals utilizing the Refuge are
subject to inspection of permits, licenses,
fishing equipment, bag and creel,
vehicles and boats (and their content) by
refuge officers.
To ensure your safety and enjoyment
while visiting Cibola National Wildlife
Refuge, please take time to become
familiar with the following regulations.
General Regulations
Fishing and boating regulations are
designed to protect fish and wildlife
populations while allowing use of a
renewable natural resources. The
regulations below supplement the
general regulations governing public use
of national wildlife refuges as set forth in
50 CFR.
Fishing and boating are permitted in the
following areas in accordance with all
applicable Federal and State fishing and
boating laws and regulations unless
otherwise specified in this brochure.
Persons possessing, transporting, or
carrying firearms on national wildlife
refuges must comply with all provisions
of federal, state, and local law
Cibola Lake
Fishing and boating area permitted in
Cibola Lake from one-half hour before
sunrise March 15 through Labor Day.
Cibola Lake is a no wake zone and only
electric trolling motor or manually
powered vessels may be used.
Main Channel of the Colorado River
Fishing and boating are permitted
year-round, except that fishing from the
east shore south of the tie-back levee is
prohibited from the day after Labor Day
until 6:00 a.m. MST March 15.
Hart Mine Marsh/Arnett Ditch
Fishing and boating are permitted from
one half hour before sunrise MST March
15 through Labor day.
The rest of the year, fishing and boating
are permitted 10:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. MST.
Some areas are walk-in access only. Hart
Mine Marsh is a no wake zone.
High Levee Pond
Fishing and boating are prohibited yearround.
Old Colorado River Channel and Palo
Verde Outfall Drain
Fishing and boating are permitted yearround. The old Colorado River channel
and Palo Verde outfall drain are no wake
zone.
Pretty Water
Fishing and boating are permitted yearround, except that all entry (including
fishing and boating) is prohibited
from 3:00 p.m.–4:30 a.m. MST during
waterfowl season. Pretty Water is a no
wake zone.
Three Fingers Lake
Fishing and boating are permitted yearround. Three Fingers Lake is a No Wake
zone and only electric trolling motor or
manually powered vessels may be used.
Water Skiing
Waterskiing and general boating are
permitted on the Main Channel of the
Colorado River. All other waters on
Cibola National Wildlife Refuge are no
wake zone.
Motor Vehicles
All operators and vehicles must be
licensed, registered, and insured for
highway use to be operated on refuge
roads. Motor vehicle traffic is limited to
designated roads and parking areas
(see map). The refuge-wide speed limit
is 25 mph. Other State and local traffic
laws apply.
Watercraft can only be launched at
designated boat ramps.
Prohibited Activities
The following activities are prohibited at
Cibola National Wildlife Refuge:
Littering,
Camping,
Fires,
Taking of wildlife or plants (including
cutting trees or brush) unless
specified in this or the refuge’s
hunting brochure or the state hunting
and fishing regulations,
Digging up bait,
Searching for, damaging, or
removing rocks, minerals, or objects
of antiquity,
Overnight mooring of any watercraft
and mooring of any watercraft to
vegetation,
Fishing by means other than a pole,
Fishing or boating in waters not
listed in this brochure.
For Additional Information
Cibola National Wildlife Refuge
66600 Cibola Lake Road
Route 2, Box 1
Cibola, AZ 85328
928/857-3253
928/857-3420 Fax
December 2017
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