With the Potomac River Refuge Complex located on the Mason Neck peninsula, the refuges share much of the same wildlife. At any of the refuges there's the possibility to see a wide range of species, from mammals to birds to amphibians. For a quick glance at what you might expect to see during your visit, see the lists below. For detailed information on the refuge birds, butterflies, and dragonflies, visit our
Wildlife Surveys page.
While the refuges do share most of their species, habitat directly influences the types of wildlife likely to be seen and, as such, allows each refuge their own specialties.
U.S. Fish & Wildlife site
Occoquan Bay NWR is a one of the largest remaining open spaces in Northern Virginia, comprised of a unique mix of wetlands, forest, and native grasslands. Wetland habitats cover about 50% of the refuge and include wet meadows, bottomland hardwoods, open freshwater marsh, and tidally influenced marshes and streams. Visitor enjoy relatively flat, open vistas of both the meadows as well as the Potomac. A sampling of the wildlife you might encounter is below, with peak seasons show in parentheses:
The Audubon Society of Northern Virginia (ASNV) and FOPRR have developed a set of
seasonal information sheets for Occoquan Bay NWR. These sheets can guide you during your visits and help you identify the most common natural elements you are likely to experience. Birds, mammals, insects, and other animals are included. For those interested in herbaceous and woody plants, you will find those on the lists as well.
U.S. Fish & Wildlife site
This refuge is a combination of oak-hickory forest and freshwater marshes with 4.4 miles of shoreline. Visitors get to hike through eastern forests to beautiful views of the largest fresh water marsh in Northern Virginia. It's a host to over 200 species of birds, 31 species of mammals, and 44 species of reptiles and amphibians. A sampling of the wildlife you might encounter is below, with peak seasons show in parentheses:
Mammals
- red fox
- white tailed deer
- beaver
- gray squirrel
- muskrat
- raccoon
|
Birds
- bald eagle (winter)
- osprey (spring through fall)
- northern harrier
- great egret
- great blue heron
- neo-tropical migrants such
as wood thrush, oven birds
and tanagers
- tundra swans (winter)
- kingfisher
|
Other
- variety of turtles (summer)
- variety of snakes
- butterflies
- dragonflies
|