Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge

Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) is a federally designated Wilderness Area that is an important site for migratory and beach nesting birds. Come visit us! Sand stretches for eight miles off the elbow of Cape Cod, forming the barrier island of North Monomoy Island and barrier beach of South Monomoy. In addition to the off-shore areas, a 40-acre unit on Morris Island is also part of the refuge. This is where the headquarters and visitor center are located. The total size of the refuge is 7,604 acres with varied habitats of oceans, salt and freshwater marshes, dunes, and freshwater ponds. The refuge provides important resting, nesting and feeding habitat for migratory birds, including the Federally protected piping plover and roseate tern. More than ten species of seabirds, shorebirds, and waterbirds nest on the islands. The refuge also supports on of the largest nesting colonies of common terns on the Atlantic seaboard. In addition to it's importance to birds, the Refuge also supports a large population of spawning horseshoe crabs and the endangered northeastern beach tiger beetle.