The Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1961 to preserve habitat for migrating birds.

Staff at the refuge also manage Cedar Point and West Sister Island refuges. The three refuges together

now protect approximately 9,000 acres of habitat and some of the last remnants of the "Great

Black Swamp" in the heart of the Lake Erie marshes.

The Lake Erie Marsh Region has historically

been important to fish, migratory waterfowl, songbirds, and shorebirds. Up to 70 percent of the

Mississippi Flyway population of black ducks can be found in the Lake Erie marshes during the

fall migration. Large numbers of migrating songbirds stop in the area to rest during their

spring migration. This amazing wildlife spectacle attracts a large number of visitors from across

the country.

Ottawa Refuge has been designated as a site of regional significance in the Western Hemisphere

Shorebird Reserve Network. In 2002, "Birders World" readers voted the refuge as one of their

Top 15 favorite spots to see birds, and the American Bird Conservancy has identified the

refuge as an Important Bird Area.