Swallow Hollow
Nature Trail
The 1.3 mile trail traverses through diverse habitat including forested wetland, cattail marsh and dry hemlock knolls. The Swallow Hollow trail offers visitors an opportunity to observe hard to find bird species, gain appreciation of the importance of wildlife habitat conservation and an opportunity to learn about ecosystems normally inaccessible to visitors.
$40,000 plus $40,000 in local matching funds.
Swallow Hollow is home to migratory and resident bird species such as Pied-billed Grebe, Cerulean Warbler, Acadian Flycatcher, Virginia Rail, Northern Shrike and Barred Owl.
Take the Swallow Hollow
Nature Trail
Midway between Buffalo and Rochester, lies the rural township of Alabama, New York, and more than 10,000 acres of prime wildlife habitats protected by the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge. Here, human and avian travelers can stop, rest, and recharge their batteries.
Originally established to benefit migratory waterfowl and songbirds, this Refuge also provides shelter for a wide variety of wildlife, including mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and of course, birds. One of the best ways to experience the varied habitats of this Refuge is hiking the Swallow-Hollow Nature Trail, recently restored in part through a $40,000 grant from the Wild Birds Unlimited Pathways To Nature Conservation Fund.
This 1.3 mile hike guides visitors through forested wetlands, cattail marshes, and dry hemlock knolls. Virginia Rail, Cerulean Warbler, and Red-headed Woodpecker are just a few of the many birds that can be sighted here.
Keep a sharp eye out for Bald Eagles, which nest on the Refuge. Bald Eagles were transplanted to this area from Alaska, Minnesota and elsewhere beginning in the late 1970’s as part of a program to restore them to their former haunts—one more conservation success story!
Be sure to visit http://iroquoisnwr.fws.gov for more information about the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge.
The Pathways To Nature Conservation Fund is a partnership between Wild Birds Unlimited stores and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to fund environmental education and wildlife viewing projects. We encourage all of our customers to visit these incredible places. Your patronage helped make these projects possible!
