McNary National Wildlife Refuge
IUCN category IV (habitat/species management area)
Location	Walla Walla County, Washington,United States
Nearest city	Pasco, Washington
Coordinates	46°11′49″N118°57′19″W / 46.19707°N 118.95528°W /46.19707; -118.95528[1]
Area	14,664.54 acres (5,935 ha)[2]
Established	1956 (1956)[3]
Governing body	U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Website	McNary National Wildlife Refuge

McNary National Wildlife Refuge is a wildlife preserve, one of thenational wildlife refuges operated by theUnited States Fish and Wildlife Service. Extending along the east bank of theColumbia River in southeasternWashington, from the confluence of theSnake River to the mouth of theWalla Walla River, and downstream intoOregon, McNary NWR is located in ruralBurbank, but very close to the rapid development of theTri-Cities (Kennewick,Pasco andRichland). In fact, the refuge meets the definition of an "urban refuge."^[3] Few areas inNorth America support waterfowl populations in the extraordinary numbers found here. There are spectacular concentrations ofCanada geese,mallards, and otherwaterfowl. More than half the mallards in thePacific Flyway overwinter at some time in this portion of theColumbia River Basin.^[4]

The refuge encompasses backwatersloughs,shrub-steppe uplands, irrigated farmlands, river islands, deltamudflats, andriparian areas. Particularly important to Canada geese, mallards, andwigeons, as well asshorebirds andwading birds, the refuge also includes wetlands and shoreline bays that serve as an important nursery for developingfall chinook salmon. Other waterfowl species using the refuge includegreen-winged teal,shoveler,canvasback,ring-necked ducks, andlesser scaups. Birds, includingbald eagles andperegrine falcons, are found here, as are thousands of colonial nesting water birds using river islands for safe nesting.^[4]

 This article incorporatespublic domain material from websites or documents of theUnited States Fish and Wildlife Service.

• McNary National Wildlife Refuge U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

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