Why a Refuge?
The Ohio River Islands and their back channels have been recognized for years as having high quality fish and wildlife, recreation, scientific, and natural heritage values. These areas provide some of the region’s highest quality riverine, wetland, and bottomland habitats, and are used by migratory and resident waterfowl, shorebirds, songbirds, warmwater fish, and freshwater mussels. Because there is no longer any glacial transport of sand, gravel, cobble, and boulders which formed the islands, they are irreplaceable. Fish and Wildlife Habitat More than 130 species of birds occur on the Refuge, including 35 species of waterbirds, 11 species of raptors, and 87 species of songbirds. The most common island mammals are beaver, cottontail rabbit, mink, muskrat, opossum, raccoon, woodchuck, and white-tailed deer. Over 50 species of fish have been found in waters surrounding the islands. The shallow water areas near the islands, especially the back channels, are important nursery areas for ga
