Wetland Habitat Programs
Private Wetlands, Critical Habitat
Private wetlands make up 65% of the Central Valley’s remaining wetland habitat, making them critical strongholds for waterbirds. These wetlands already provide important habitat, but thoughtful adjustments to water depth and timing can expand their value and support a greater diversity of species throughout the year.
By reflecting natural flooding cycles, seasonal wetland management can provide the habitat birds need during critical stages of their life cycle, including migration, nesting, breeding, and molting. BirdReturns partners with private wetland managers to put these principles into practice, creating habitat when and where birds need it most.
Three seasonal programs
There are currently three BirdReturns Wetland Programs. Jump to any one below to see its requirements.
Program at a glance
Program details may change annually
Why the BirdReturns Wetland Programs Matter
Filling Critical Habitat Gaps
The Central Valley experiences significant habitat deficits during the driest months, from April through August. In today’s highly managed landscape, many wetlands remain dry during the off-season, creating gaps in habitat for waterbirds during migration, breeding, and molting. BirdReturns helps fill these gaps by incentivizing wetland managers to extend or adjust flooding when birds need habitat most.
Strengthening the Wetland Network
Individual wetlands become even more valuable when they are part of a larger network. BirdReturns works with private wetland managers across the Central Valley to expand and diversify the habitat available to waterbirds, helping create a connected landscape of seasonal wetlands. Together, these managed wetlands support birds throughout their annual cycle and strengthen the Central Valley’s role as a critical stopover and breeding landscape along the Pacific Flyway.
Managed in partnership with
The BirdReturns Wetland Program is managed by the Migratory Bird Conservation Partnership — The Nature Conservancy, Audubon California, and Point Blue Conservation Science — in partnership with the Suisun Resource Conservation District, and made possible by funding from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the California Rice Commission, and the Bonneville Environmental Foundation.
