Along the banks of the final stretch of the Rio Grande lies the Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), appropriately recognized as ‘the jewel' of the National Wildlife Refuge System. Plain chachalacas, great kiskadees and green jays are just three of the many bird species that bring visitors from across the United States and 35 countries flocking to Santa Ana NWR.

At 2,088 acres, Santa Ana NWR is one of the smallest refuges in the country. The semi-tropical thorn forest is host to an astounding 400 species of birds and 260 species of butterflies, making it a wildlife watcher's delight! Established in 1943 for the protection of migratory birds, Santa Ana NWR's management program mimics the historical flooding of the Rio Grande, maintaining the bottom land hardwood forest and providing crucial nesting and feeding habitat for birds, watering holes for animals, and homes for countless amphibians, reptiles, crustaceans and insects.

Santa Ana NWR     Laguna Atascosa NWR     Lower Rio Grande Valley NWR