From Private Hunting Grounds to a 4,548-Acre Wildlife Refuge Protecting Migratory Birds

In 1954, aviation pioneer Glenn L. Martin donated 2,569 acres of his Chesapeake Bay hunting preserve, prompting the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to create the Martin National Wildlife Refuge on the northern half of Smith Island. Subsequent land acquisitions have increased the protected area to 4,548 acres, encompassing tidal marshes, creeks, coves and elevated ridges. The refuge serves as a crucial stopover and wintering site for thousands of waterfowl, including black ducks, pintails, mergansers, long-tailed ducks, scoters, buffleheads, Canada geese and tundra swans.

During the breeding season, ducks, gulls, terns, skimmers, oystercatchers and various herons nest in the marshes and mudflats. The habitat also supports mammals like red foxes and otters, reptiles such as diamondback terrapins, and the state's largest brown pelican colony, while contributing to the Chesapeake Bay food web for crabs and oysters.