Pahranagat

Pahranagat NWR https://www.fws.gov/refuge/pahranagat https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pahranagat_National_Wildlife_Refuge The Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge is located at the southern end of the Pahranagat Valley, ca. 90 miles (140 km) north of Las Vegas, Nevada. The refuge provides high-quality migration and wintering habitat for migrating birds, especially waterfowl, within the Pacific Flyway.

Pahranagat © U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service What is a National Wildlife Refuge? National Wildlife refuge Simply put, national wildlife refuges are places where wildlife comes first. With over 550 refuges throughout the United States, the National Wildlife Refuge System is the only network of federal lands dedicated specifically to wildlife conservation. The Desert National Wildlife Refuge Complex © Southern Nevada Agency Partnership Southern Nevada has four national wildlife refuges all within an hour and a half drive from Las Vegas: Desert, Pahranagat, Moapa Valley, and Ash Meadows. Many wildlife refuges, like Pahranagat NWR, were established to protect and enhance the resting and feeding grounds of migratory birds, creating a chain of stepping stones along major migration routes. Others, like Desert, Moapa Valley, and Ash Meadows, were established to conserve the natural homes of our rarest wild species, including desert bighorn sheep, unique wildflowers, and rare desert fish. of colorful song birds and a diversity of ducks and other waterfowl passing through the refuge. Cast a line for fish or enjoy a paddle across one of the lakes. Or, simply stop by the refuge to walk the surrounding trails and enjoy the shade of the cottonwoods and willows. Get away from the rush and noise of the city. The national wildlife refuges in southern Nevada allow you to experience a real sense of wilderness, marvel at the beauty of the Mojave Desert, watch rare wildlife in their native habitat, and know it will be here for generations to come. America’s Great Outdoors - William Shakespeare © Southern Nevada Agency Partnership Vicinity Map © U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service “One touch of nature makes the whole world kin.” PAHRANAGAT NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE ( Ä Refuge Regulations ( / ASH MEADOWS NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE The lakes and marshes are home to rare and endangered aquatic and bird species. Please keep them and their home safe - no swimming or wading. Boating Only non-motorized boats or boats with electric motors are permitted on Upper Lake, Middle Marsh Unit and Lower Lake throughout the year. An area to launch small craft is located on the southeastern side of the Upper Lake. Please be sure that water craft have been thoroughly cleaned, drained and dried to prevent the introduction of quagga mussels and other non-native aquatic life. © Southern Nevada Agency Partnership Camping Indian Springs § ¦ ¨ 15 North ( Ä Las Las Vegas Vegas Henderson Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (775) 725-3417 Horseback riding is not allowed on the refuge. Please help prevent the spread of invasive plants by riding your horse in areas outside of the refuge. Only street legal vehicles are allowed in the refuge – no all-terrain vehicles (ATVs). Please protect wildlife habitat - stay on designated public access roads. Cooking fires are allowed in campsite grills. Check for any fire restrictions that may be in place before making a fire. Please bring all of your own firewood – the downed wood provides habitat for wildlife and returns nutrients to the soil. About the Southern Nevada Agency Partnership Firearms and weapons may only be discharged during legal hunting activities. Transportation and possession of firearms must be in accordance with federal and Nevada state laws. The Southern Nevada Agency Partnership Explosives and fireworks are not permitted. Fourteen primitive lakeside campsites are available free of charge along Upper Pahranagat Lake on the refuge. Sites are available on a first-come, first-serve basis (no reservations). A few sites can accommodate multiple tents, camping trailers or RVs. No electrical, water or waste treatment facilities are available. Vault toilets (no flush) are provided. Visitors may stay for a maximum of fourteen days. is a partnership of four federal land management agencies: Bureau of Land Enjoy the petroglyphs, pictographs, fossils, and archaeological sites, but take only pictures. Don’t remove any artifacts - it not only prevents future visitors from being able to enjoy them, but is also a violation of federal law. Management (BLM), National Park Service (NPS), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), and U.S. Forest Service (USFS). The agencies work with one another, the local communities, and many organizations to conserve and enhance © Kurt Kuznicki Hunting of geese, ducks, coots, moorhens, quail, snipes and rabbits is permitted on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays in the refuge’s public hunting areas (generally south end of refuge) during the official hunting season. Dove hunting is permitted daily during the regular hunting season (typically September). Please inquire with refuge staff or online at ndow.org for a full listing of Nevada regulations and annual dates for hunting seasons. © Southern Nevada Agency Partnership Hunting Domesticated animals can carry diseases fatal to their wild relatives. They are often illadapted to surv

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge T. Parker/USFWS Water is always the most precious resource in life. -Native Elder, Chemehuevi Indian Tribe Introduction The Nuwuvi (southern Paiute and Chemehuevi) oral history and the geologic record indicate that thousands of years ago Nevada was much cooler and wetter than it is today. Many valleys contained lakes which dried up as the climate warmed, leaving white mineral deposits on valley and canyon walls. Today, Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) contains several lakes Mineral deposits and marshes, similar to those which at Maynard dry once occurred throughout many lakebed parts of southern Nevada. In the Paiute language, Pahranagat can mean “feet sticking in water,” an apt name for this wetland oasis straddling the Mojave and Great Basin Deserts. Pahranagat NWR is a paradise for many species of wildlife and plants. Here you can watch as hundreds of ducks and geese alight on the lakes after a long journey north or south, thrill at the sight of a soaring bald eagle, photograph the desert in bloom after rain, or be fascinated by a blazing sunset. In 1963, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recognized the value of the Pahranagat Valley and designated 5,380 acres of lakes, marshes, wet meadows and desert uplands as Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge. Located on the Pacifc Flyway, the refuge is an essential stopover for waterfowl and songbirds as they migrate south in the fall and back north in early spring. Pahranagat NWR is one of more than 560 refuges in the National Wildlife Refuge System, a network of lands set aside specifcally for wildlife. Managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the System is a living heritage, conserving wildlife and habitat for people today and generations to come. Viewing wildlife at WHIN dike Pacifc Flyway Seasons of the Refuge FPO Sandhill Cranes Spring Migrating birds arrive during the spring to fuel up for longer journeys north or to begin nesting. Greater sandhill cranes feed in grasslands and wet meadows in February and March. Geese and ducks begin to arrive in March and shorebirds, such as Wilson’s phalaropes, stop over in April and May. Early morning visits to cottonwood and willow groves yield views of chorusing songbirds, including numerous yellow warblers. Following spring rains, wildfowers paint the desert yellow, orange, and red. Threatened desert tortoises emerge from their burrows to feed on these succulent plants. S. Schafer/USFWS Southwestern Willow Flycatcher Summer The frst duck broods of redheads and mallards appear in May. Herons and egrets stalk the shorelines and marshes for food. Endangered southwestern willow fycatchers nest in large willows or cottonwoods. Young rabbits and mule deer fawns venture out of cover. These animals are hunted by resident carnivores such as golden eagles, coyotes and mountain lions, which also need food for their young. Young coyotes can be observed learning how to catch mice and voles, and adult red-tailed hawks are frequently seen carrying food to young still in the nest. Mallard Yellow Warbler Seasons of the Refuge Fall Cottonwood and willow leaves turn brilliant yellow in autumn. Marsh plants begin to change color as well, creating a mosaic of yellows, tans, and reds. Large numbers of ducks, shorebirds and songbirds migrate south, stopping to rest and refuel. ©Allen Woosley Mule Deer Bald Eagle Tundra Swan Lizards, snakes and tortoises become less active due to cooler temperatures. Mule deer begin breeding, and mature bucks with large antlers may be observed. Winter In winter, tundra swans, Canada geese and a variety of ducks feed in lakes and marshes. Shovelers, pintails, redheads, canvasbacks, mallards and teal can all be seen on Upper Pahranagat Lake. Bald eagles and osprey arrive to hunt for ducks and fsh. Large numbers of raptors, particularly the northern harrier, can be seen near marsh and meadow habitats searching for food. Habitats of the Refuge At Pahranagat NWR, refuge staff maintain and restore habitats to provide food, water and shelter for wildlife. Five major habitat types are managed according to the needs of wildlife. Ruddy Duck Green-winged Teal White-faced Ibis Large thermal springs north of the town of Alamo provide water for lakes and wetlands, a rare and precious habitat in southern Nevada. Water is stored in Upper Pahranagat Lake and released as needed to nurture habitats in the central and southern portions of the refuge. Lakes and Wetlands Upper Pahranagat Lake and the North Marsh Lake, which have the deepest water, attract diving ducks such as canvasbacks, common mergansers and ruddy ducks. The shallower Middle Marsh and Lower Pahranagat Lake are preferred by dabbling mallards, pintails and teal as well as wading herons and egrets. Northern harriers, marsh wrens, yellow-headed blackbirds, muskrats, and even the occasional bald eagle or peregrine falcon, also beneft from marsh habitats





U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge Trail Map 0.4 Upper Lake Trail (3 mi loop) Refuge Boundary 1.2 Highway 93 0.4 Refuge gravel Road 0.3 Other gravel road (4WD/ High Clearance Required) 0.4 Waterway Trail (0.8 mi) Pedestrian-only Trail 1.1 Medsger Pass Bike-friendly Trail 0.4 Davenport Trail Pahranagat Loop (1.7 mi) Visitor Information (0.4 mi loop) 93 (22 mi to base of Tikaboo Peak) 4 0. Camping (15 sites) Visitor Center Parking Area Cabin Trail Picnic Shelter (0.4 mi) Pit Toilets Dove Dike Seasonal Hunting Area 0.7 Area Closed (0.7 mi) 0.1 2 0.6 Alamo Road WHIN Dike (0.7 mi) 0.4 Cottonwood Springs (2.2 mi) 0. Middle Marsh Dike (0.2 mi) 0.8 0.2 (72 mi to Desert NWR Visitor Center) 0.8 

Song Birds 5.75” Song Birds 7” Willow Flycatcher Black Phoebe Empidonaz traillii 7.5” 5” Sayornis nigricans Common Yellowthroat Wilson’s Warbler Geothlypis trichas 7.25” 6” Birding on the Refuge Western grebes calling at sunset, yellow warblers flitting between trees, red-tailed hawks soaring above— with over 260 species of migratory and resident birds, Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge is a tapestry of avian life. 4.75” Cardellina pusilla Sayornis saya 8.75” Vermillion Flycatcher Western Kingbird Myiarchus tyrannulus Tyrannus verticalis 4.25” 5” Yellow Warbler Bird Guide 7” Passerina caerulea September 2015 9” White-crowned Sparrow Bullock’s Oriole Zonotrichia leucophrys Icterus bullockii 9.5” S. Schafer/USFWS Ruby-crowned Kinglet Regulus calendula 5.5” Setophaga petechia Blue Grosbeak Piranga ludoviciana 8.75” T. Koerner/USFWS Marsh Wren Western Tanager Pyrocephalus rubinus Brown-crested Flycatcher Cistothorus palustris National Wildlife Refuge All photos USFWS unless otherwise noted. 8.75” 5” Pahranagat Pahranagat NWR P.O. Box 510 Alamo, NV 89001 775/725 3417 www.fws.gov/refuge/pahranagat 6.75” ©Andrew Reding Say’s Phoebe Many birds change coloration seasonally. Species featured in this guide represent their most commonly observed plumage. U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus 6” Yellow-rumped Warbler Setophaga coronata Yellow-headed Blackbird Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus 4.5” House Finch Carpodacus mexicanus Lesser Goldfinch Carduelis psaltria T. Parker/USFWS Waterfowl Waterfowl 52” 13.5” 17” Raptors & Misc. Shore Birds 46” 18” 39” 19” Male Plumage Female Plumage 35” Bird Length B. Wheeler/USFWS ©Henry T. McLin Tundra Swan Ring-necked Duck Cygnus columbianus 25-45” ©Steven Kersting Bufflehead Aythya collaris 15” 23” ©James Langiewicz Northern Harrier Bucephala albeola Circus cyaneus 13” 9” S. Schafer/USFWS Canada Goose Mallard Branta canadensis 21” Anas platyrhynchos 19” Northern Shoveler Anas acuta 16” Anas clypeata 14” Pied-billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps 25” 13” ©Britta Heise Northern Pintail Ruddy Duck Oxyura jamaicensis Great Blue Heron Great Egret Ardea herodias 25” Falco sparverius 15” 23” Cinnamon Teal Eared Grebe Podiceps nigricollis 25” Green-winged Teal Anas crecca 19” Great Horned Owl Bubo virginianus 23” Western Grebe White-faced Ibis Aechmophorus occidentalis White-tailed Kite Plegadis chihi 62” Elanus leucurus 10” 10.5” Clark’s Grebe Aechmophorus clarkia 33” American White Pelican Pelecanus erythrorhynchos 15.5” Black-cr. Night-heron Killdeer Nycticorax nycticorax 14” Charadrius vociferus Gambel’s Quail Callipepla gambelii 23” 18” Osprey Pandion haliaetus 3.75” ©Marianne Bush Anas cyanoptera ©Maggie Smith S. Schafer/USFWS T. Koerner/USFWS 21” American Kestrel Ardea alba Buteo jamaicensis 22” B. Wheeler/USFWS ©Kevin Cole Red-tailed Hawk ©Dave Hamilton Black-chinned hummingbird Archilochus alexandri 12.5” S. Schafer/USFWS Canvasback Aythya valisineria Redhead Aythya americana Double-crested Cormorant Phalacrocorax auritus American Coot Fulica americana Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes American Avocet Recurvirostra americana Greater Roadrunner Geococcyx californianus Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus 

2 93 Pahranagat 3 National Wildlife Refgue Refuge Boundary 4 Highway 93 Gravel Road Trail Visitor Information Camping Visitor Center 5 6 1 2 Upper Lake Trail 3 4 5 6 Cabin Trail Davenport Trail Dove Dike WHIN Dike Middle Marsh Dike Seasonal Hunting Area Area Closed 93 



U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Birds of Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge Annotated Checklist 2011 

Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge 93 NORTH MARSH UNIT NO BOATING, NO HUNTING YEAR ROUND NO FISHING OCT. 1 - FEB. 1 STATE HIGHWAY HIKING TRAIL UPPER LAKE UNIT VISITOR ACCESS ROAD NO HUNTING YEAR ROUND NO BOATING OCT. 1 - FEB. 1 PUBLIC HUNTING AREA REFUGE HEADQUARTERS CLOSED AREA CAMPGROUND HEADQUARTERS UNIT RESTROOMS NO HUNTING YEAR ROUND REFUGE BOUNDARY UNIT BOUNDARY MIDDLE MARSH UNIT Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge P.O. Box 510 Alamo, NV 89001 775/725 3417 http://www.fws.gov/refuge/pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge Information: 1 800/344 WILD http://www.fws.gov Nevada Relay Center Voice 1 800/362 688 TTY 1 800/362 6868 This publication will be made available in an alternative format upon request. Equal opportunity to participate in and benefit from programs and activities of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is available to all individuals regardless of physical or mental disability. To request accommodation, please contact Pahranagat Main Desk 775/725 3417 EXT 100 PUBLIC HUNTING AREA COTTONWOOD SPRINGS All requests must be made at least one week in advance. NO HUNTING October 2020 LOWER LAKE UNIT PUBLIC HUNTING AREA MAYNARD LAKE UNIT PUBLIC HUNTING AREA 93 RABBIT & QUAIL ONLY U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge Hunting, Boating, & Fishing Regulations Hunting SEASON Hunting is permitted, by shotgun only, on designated days in designated areas of the refuge, subject to all applicable state and federal regulations. SPECIES Hunting of geese, ducks, coots, moorhens and snipe is permitted on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, during the regular state season (with the exception of opening weekend of waterfowl season, when hunting is allowed on Sunday). Hunting of swans is prohibited. Use caution when hunting white geese. Dove hunting is permitted daily during the month of September. Staring October 1, dove hunting is allowed on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Quail and rabbit hunting is permitted on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, during the regular state season. Hunting of jackrabbits is permitted only during the state cottontail season. Only quail and rabbit hunting is permitted on the Maynard Lake Unit, which is closed to hunting of all other species. Big game hunting is not allowed. All other wildlife, including coyotes and crows, are protected. FIREARMS Possession of firearms is permitted in accordance with state and federal laws. Target shooting is prohibited. Discharging firearms is only permitted during authorized hunting activities. From October 1 through February 1, hunters are restricted to no more than 25 shotshells while in the field (public hunting area)--see map. Know your target. Study bird identification guides before the hunting season. Learn field marks of male and females during breeding and eclipse plumage, as well as when sitting or flying. Be certain of the species before you shoot. NON-TOXIC SHOT You may only possess approved non-toxic shot while in the field. Lead shot is prohibited. BLINDS & PERSONAL PROPERTY Temporary blinds are permitted. All decoys, portable blinds, and other personal property must be removed from the refuge daily and temporary blinds must be dismantled at the close of each day. PETS Pets must be leashed at all times except when used in association with a legal hunt in designated areas. Use of dogs is encouraged to reduce crippling losses. However, dogs must be supervised and controlled by their owners at all times. ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES The possession or use of alcoholic beverages while hunting is prohibited. HELPFUL HUNTING TIPS The refuge covers a variety of habitats including rough uneven terrain, deep waters, marshes and dense stands of vegetation. Hunting difficulty varies by area, and hunters should examine their own abilities and limitations before using the refuge. Hunters should hunt with a partner and consult the refuge manager for suggestions to hunt the area safely. Respect the rights of others and the resources of the refuge. Hikers or bird watchers may also be in the field during hunting seasons. Be aware of who is in the area before shooting. Please report acts of vandalism, poaching, littering or other violations to the Refuge Manager. Boating Fishing SEASON Only non-motorized boats or boats with electric motors are permitted in designated areas of the refuge during designated dates. Watercraft must be in compliance with all applicable state and federal rules. LICENSES State fishing regulations are applicable. Licenses required for ages 12 and above. For more information contact NDOW.org or call 702/486-5127. SPECIES The most common fishes found in refuge waters are carp, largemouth bass, green sunfish and catfish. Upper Lake offers the best fishing opportunities. Boating is permitted on Upper Lake, Middle Marsh, and Lower Lake from February 1 through September 30. The refuge is closed to all boating from October 1 to February 1 except for waterfowl hunt purposes in the designated