The Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge

Migrating birds began to flock to the Salton Sea after it was created by flooding in 1905 to 1907.  The Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1930.  This  area provides a  wintering habitat and food source for 2.5 million ducks, geese, grebes and other migrating birds.





It was renamed the Sonny Bono
Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge
in 1998 to honor the deceased
Congressman who represented the
area in the House of Representatives.




Less than 1,800 acres of its original 37,600 acres are managed because of shoreline flooding.

The lighter blue are on the

map is the Wildlife Refuge.

The darker blue represents

shoreline flooding.

The Visitors Center

A quick overview of

the Wildlife Refuge.

Migrating birds feast on
winter rye planted just
for them.

A lagoon with islands is

set aside as the nursery. 

Ahhh... siesta.

Different species of birds

congregate in different

 areas of the nursery. 

One of the birds is
"fishing."

 The nursery is to the right of the Salton Sea.

Eric and I walk up to this

high spot, formed by

volcanic activity.

Eric is the 

"King of the Mountain."

About eight miles away is the

 other section of the Sonny Bono

Salton Sea Wildlife Refuge.

Today, geese are the
most common visitor.

A platform gives birders

added height for

bird watching.