Yazoo National Wildlife Refuge in Mississippi developed from a Delta landscape long valued for winter waterfowl habitat into an important sanctuary for migratory birds along the Mississippi Flyway. Federal acquisition began in 1936 and expanded over decades to its present 12,941 acres. Centered on Swan Lake, an ancient oxbow of the Mississippi River, the refuge includes cypress swamp, bottomland hardwoods, fields, and sandy ridges shaped by slight elevation changes. Extensive water-control works, reforestation since 1968, and managed habitat support large numbers of wintering birds and diverse wildlife, while making the refuge a significant example of wetland and bottomland hardwood restoration.

Glen Allan, Mississippi · USA