Modoc National Wildlife Refuge is home to more than 250 species of birds and a variety of other wildlife. Located in a high-altitude desert valley on the western edge of the Great Basin

Great Basin

The Great Basin is the largest area of contiguous endorheic watersheds in North America and is noted for its arid conditions and Basin and Range topography that varies from the North American low point at Badwater Basin to the highest point of the contiguous United States, less than away at the...

 in Modoc County, California

Modoc County, California

Modoc County is a county located in the far northeast corner of the U.S. state of California, bounded by the state of Oregon to the north and the state of Nevada to the east. As of the 2010 census, its population was 9,686, up from 9,449 at the 2000 census. The current county seat is Alturas, the...

, the refuge is part of a large complex of mid-altitude wetlands and lakes in northeastern California.

Strategically situated just 60 miles east of the Klamath Basin

Klamath Basin

The Klamath Basin is the region in the U.S. states of Oregon and California drained by the Klamath River. It contains most of Klamath County and parts of Lake and Jackson counties in Oregon, and parts of Del Norte, Humboldt, Modoc, Siskiyou, and Trinity counties in California. The drainage basin...

 marsh

Marsh

In geography, a marsh, or morass, is a type of wetland that is subject to frequent or continuous flood. Typically the water is shallow and features grasses, rushes, reeds, typhas, sedges, other herbaceous plants, and moss....

es, the refuge acts as a migration hub and staging area for duck

Duck

Duck is the common name for a large number of species in the Anatidae family of birds, which also includes swans and geese. The ducks are divided among several subfamilies in the Anatidae family; they do not represent a monophyletic group but a form taxon, since swans and geese are not considered...

s, geese

Goose

The word goose is the English name for a group of waterfowl, belonging to the family Anatidae. This family also includes swans, most of which are larger than true geese, and ducks, which are smaller....

, and other wetland

Wetland

A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....

 birds during their spring and fall migrations. The refuge's habitats are also important nesting areas for 76 species of ducks, geese, greater sandhill cranes, and other marsh and upland birds.

Modoc National Wildlife Refuge draws a multitude of birdwatchers during spring and fall migrations. Approximately 45,000 people annually visit the refuge to hunt, fish, and enjoy wildlife. The refuge is a popular site for hunting "honkers" and Great Basin Canada geese, and provides fishing

Fishing

Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....

 opportunities on Dorris Reservoir.