Mark Graves/The Oregonian

Generally speaking, the city isn't a great place to see wildlife (crows notwithstanding).



But those who live in and around Portland thankfully have no shortage of places nearby to find gaggles of wintering waterfowl, roosting bald eagles, slithering newts and more.

These wildlife refuges offer something a little different than parks designed for picnickers, rivers filled with boaters and trails built with hikers in mind. These places are usually quieter, where visitors often move at a slower pace, often stopping to stand still and watch the rhythms of nature all around.

There are several different titles for these little pockets of nature. Some are full-fledged national wildlife refuges – managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – while others are local parks knowns as “preserves,” “wetlands” or “sanctuaries.”

While you can usually find birds and other animals at any natural space in the region, these are the places where wildlife flock, and where they can rest without fear of harassment. We humans can find refuge along with them, taking a break from our urban and suburban environments for a small taste of life in the wild.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge

A 168-acre wildlife preserve located only a few miles from downtown Portland, Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge proves that the natural and urban worlds can peacefully coexist. The short Bluff Trail leads along the eastern side of the wetland, from which hikers can watch birds and get a good dose of nature in the city.



The refuge is open 5 a.m. to midnight, daily; located at Southeast 7th Ave. and Sellwood Blvd., Portland; call Portland Parks and Recreation at 503-823-7529 for more information.

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Mark Graves/The Oregonian

Sauvie Island Wildlife Area

Originally established in 1947, the Sauvie Island Wildlife Area has grown over the decades and now consists of 11,643 acres that encompasses the entire northern tip of the island. Anyone who's hiked to Warrior Point, along Oak Island or on any of the other trails on the island has most likely been through part of the refuge. It's home to many species of birds, including large flocks of waterfowl as well as bald eagles.



The wildlife area is open 4 a.m. to 10 p.m., daily, though several units are closed seasonally from October 1 to April 15; trailheads are located throughout Sauvie Island; $10 parking permits required at all wildlife areas (sold at convenience stores on the island); call the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife at 503-621-3488 for more information.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

Smith and Bybee Wetlands

Considered one of America's largest urban wetlands, the Smith and Bybee Wetlands Natural Area is found near Kelley Point in North Portland, an area otherwise known for its busy industrial and shipping traffic. Visitors can tour two miles of paved trails around the edge of the wetlands, home of painted turtles, bald eagles, herons and more.



The wetlands are open from sunrise to sunset, daily; located at 5300 N. Marine Dr., Portland; call Metro at 503-797-1545 for more information.

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Portland Audubon Society

Portland Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary

Portland Audubon's 172-acre Wildlife Sanctuary is located on the edge of Forest Park, where visitors can walk more than four miles of trails through an area dedicated as a safe haven for plants and animals. The sanctuary also includes outdoor enclosures, an interpretive center and a wildlife hospital run by the organization.



The sanctuary trails are open dawn to dusk, daily; located at 5151 N.W. Cornell Rd., Portland; call Portland Audubon at 503-292-6855 for more information.

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John Givot/The Oregonian

Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge

Found in the suburbs southwest of Portland, the Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge is home to nearly 200 species of birds and 50 species of mammals, as well as many kinds of reptiles, amphibians, fish and plants. The refuge boasts a Wildlife Center and hosts educational programs, but visitors can also wander the short trails on their own.



The refuge is open dawn to dusk, daily; located at 19255 S.W. Pacific Highway, Sherwood; call the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at 503-625-5944 for more information.

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John M. Vincent/The Oregonian

Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge

With about 5,300 acres in all, the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge is a large, lush habitat along the Columbia River north of Vancouver. A mixture of wetland, grassland and forest, the refuge is split into five sections, two of which are open to the public. Visitors can expect to see wintering waterfowl, songbirds and dozens of other species.



The refuge is open 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., daily – the River S Unit will be closed to cars and pedestrians Monday-Friday through spring 2020; located at 28908 N.W. Main Ave., Ridgefield; entrance fee is $3 per vehicle; call the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at 360-887-4106 for more information.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

Steigerwald Lake National Wildlife Refuge

Located at the mouth of the Columbia River Gorge east of Washougal, the Steigerwald Lake National Wildlife Refuge has some beautiful views from its 1,049 acres of wetland, pasture and woodland. Several miles of trails wind through the refuge, where visitors can see several species of birds and other wildlife, the paths eventually connecting to the Captain William Clark Park Trail that leads to the Washougal riverfront.



The refuge is open 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily; located on the south side of Washington Route 14, about 2 miles east of Washougal River Road; call the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at 360-835-8767 for more information.

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Benjamin Brink/The Oregonian

Jackson Bottom Wetlands Preserve

Though it has a colorful history that includes fights over cannery pollution and a sewage farm, today the Jackson Bottom Wetlands Preserve is a quiet place to observe cackling geese, northern pintail ducks, hawks, eagles and other birds. Visitors can walk the trails that run through the preserve and make a visit the Nature Center.



The preserve is open dawn to dusk, daily; located at 2600 S.W. Hillsboro Highway, Hillsboro; call Hillsboro Parks and Recreation at 503-681-6206 for more information

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Doug Beghtel/The Oregonian

Tualatin Hills Nature Park

With nearly five miles of trails across 222 acres of wetland and forest, Tualatin Hills Nature Park is a popular spot in Beaverton. Visitors can see the migration of rough-skinned newts, breeding birds and blooms of wildflowers come spring.



The park is open dawn to dusk, daily; located at 15655 S.W. Millikan Way, Beaverton; call Tualatin Hills Parks and Recreation at 503-619-3933 for more information.

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Beaverton Creek Wetlands

Located right beside the Tualatin Hills Nature Park, the Beaverton Creek Wetlands is a much smaller preserve, comprised of only 15 acres. Still, the park is a great place to watch birds and other wildlife, home to great blue herons, belted kingfishers and different birds of prey.



The wetlands are open dawn to dusk, daily; located on the north side of Tualatin Valley Highway, just west of Southwest 153rd Drive; call Tualatin Hills Parks and Recreation at 503-619-3962 for more information.

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--Jamie Hale | jhale@oregonian.com | @HaleJamesB