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Description:
Dahomey NWR consists of 9,100 acres including 1,050 acres of agricultural lands, 8,100 acres of bottomland hardwood forested wetlands, 500 acres in various stages of reforestation, and 50 acres for roads and administrative purposes. Most of Dahomey's woodlands are wet from November through May from ponded rainfall in shallow depressional areas. Migratory waterfowl use the agricultural areas and a green timber reservoir while deer and wild turkey are common in the forest interior and around the edges of the agricultural fields. In the winter, six species of woodpeckers can be seen along with barred owl, great-horned owl and eastern screech-owl. During the summer months, Neotropical migrants such as Mississippi kite, summer tanager, ruby-throated hummingbird, wood thrush, yellow-billed cuckoo, blue-grey gnatcatcher, great-crested flycatcher, eastern wood-pewee, Acadian flycatcher, hooded warbler, prothonotary warbler, Swainson's warbler, white-eyed vireo and red-eyed vireo can be found on the refuge. Dahomey is truly an island of forested wetlands in a sea of agricultural land and represents a vestige of natural habitats. Directions:
From Cleveland, go south on HWY 61 and turn west on HWY 446 at Boyle. Refuge properties are signed and lie north and south of HWY 446 about 15 miles west of Boyle. From Rosedale, head south on HWY 1 through Beulah. Five and one half miles south of Beulah, turn east on HWY 446. Refuge properties start 2.5 miles east of HWY 1, are signed and lie north and south of HWY 446.
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