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Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge provides wintering and feeding habitat for migratory waterfowl and refuge for an incredible diversity of plants and animals.
Among the mammals the refugeprotects are four species of cats, including the endangered ocelot, the bobcat, the cougar and the endangered jaguarundi.
The refuge has a very high biological diversity, including six federally-endangered species and four federally-threatened species. To date, 410 species of birds have been documented on Laguna Atascosa refuge, more than at any other national wildlife refuge.
Laguna Atascosa is one of the birdwatching "hot spots" in the United States and many of the species found here are not found outside the Lower Rio Grande Valley.
Eighty percent of the United States redhead duck
population winters in the Laguna Madre ecosystem, a portion of which is protected by the refuge. During fall and winter, sandhill cranes and large numbers of redheads, canvasbacks, pintails and other ducks are easily visible. Migratory shorebirds are also abundant.
The spring migration is often a birder's paradise with many species of songbirds, shorebirds and raptors visible.
The refuge has been designated as both a Globally Important Bird Area by the American Bird Conservancy and a Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network (WHSRN) site.
Resident wildlife species most often observed include white-tailed deer, green jay, javelina, coyote, bobcat, alligator and armadillo.
There is a wheelchair-accessible trail at the refuge.
Adolph Thomas County Park is adjacent to the refuge and offers camping, boating, and fishing opportunities.
Outdoor Activities |
Eighty percent of the United States redhead duck population winters in the Laguna Madre ecosystem.
This member of the cat family, the jaguarundi, lives from Texas to South America.
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