Wildlife Refuges
Grab your binoculars and head outside for a wildlife adventure through Long Island’s wetlands and woods. Long Island is home to an abundance of wildlife from the usual birds and deer to bats and seals. The region hosts a number of National Wildlife Refuges that help educate visitors and preserve the livelihood of threatened and endangered species. Visit these National Wildlife Refuges on Long Island.
Amagansett National Wildlife Refuge
Amagansett (36acres)
Refuge land is next to the public town beach.
Phone: (631) 286-0485
Conscience Point National Wildlife Refuge
North Sea (60 acres)
Use by permit only.
Phone: (631) 286-0485
Lido Beach National Wildlife Refuge
Long Beach (22acres)
Use by permit only.
Phone: (631) 286-0485
Elizabeth A. Morton National Wildlife Refuge
Sag Harbor (187 acres)
2595 Noyac Rd, Sag Harbor, NY 11963
Phone: (631) 725-7598
The Friends of Wertheim National Wildlife Refuge
340 Smith Road, Shirley, NY 11967
Phone: (631) 286-0485
Oyster Bay National Wildlife Refuge
Oyster Bay (3,209 acres)
Sayville National Wildlife Refuge
West Sayville (127 acres)
Phone: (631) 286-0485
Seatuck National Wildlife Refuge
Islip (196 acres)
Phone: (631) 286-0485
Target Rock National Wildlife Refuge /Rock National Wildlife Refuge
Lloyd Neck (80acres)
This refuge is open to the public and is an extremely popular shore fishing location.
Phone: (631) 286-0485
Wertheim National Wildlife Refuge
Shirley (2,550 acres)
Phone: (631) 286-0485
Additional Wildlife Resources
Long Island also boasts parks, preserves and arboretums where visitors can view local wildlife in their natural habitats. The Fire Island National Seashore and Robert Moses State Park offer optimal bird watching views due to their location on the Atlantic migratory flyway. Visit Connetquot River State Park for a chance to see bats and flying squirrels hidden amongst the trees. Head over to Nissequogue River State Park to see beautiful red foxes and slow-moving turtles. Bayard Cutting Arboretum is surrounded by tall trees, the Connetquot River and flourishing flowers which makes for a diverse wildlife population for you to observe. Naturalists can set out to the Pine Barrens, Massapequa Preserve, Cow Meadow Preserve, Quogue Village Wetlands Preserve and Sunken Meadow State Park to see how conservation efforts have proven successful for species like the Piping Plover.