Panther Swamp NWR, Yazoo City, Mississippi: The beautiful little wood duck is by far the most abundant species found in the managed wetlands and bottomland hardwoods of Panther Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, a satellite of Yazoo National Wildlife Refuge in western Mississippi. Other colorful and interesting birds found here include indigo and painted buntings, prothonotary warblers, northern orioles, summer tanagers, Mississippi kites, red-headed woodpeckers, and purple gallinules. The large rookeries of shorebirds feature great and little blue herons, great and snowy egrets, and white ibis. Alligators are common here. Coyotes and wary bobcats are also common and occasionally seen, thanks to the large population of cottontail rabbits. Both bald and golden eagles can be found here as well as three owl species—barred, great horned, and screech. The endangered Louisiana black bear seems to be increasing in this refuge, probably partly due to the reforestation efforts. Fishing and hunting (deer, small game, and waterfowl) are allowed at this refuge.
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