Douglas - Goose Lake & Woodford CCA

Woodford State Fish and Wildlife Area is on the east side of the Illinois River, north of the town of Peoria, in north-central Illinois. The 2,900-acre site, of which 2,462-acres is water, attracts migratory waterfowl to stop and rest. A major waterfowl refuge of 1,400 acres exists on the area. The wildlife area contains bottomland forest and backwater lakes of the Illinois River and features a wide variety of fauna and flora. Cottonwood, silver maple and willow cover much of the low-lying land. Great Blue Herons feed in the backwaters, and during winter, Bald Eagles roost and feed.

Ornithological Summary

More than 10,000 migratory waterfowl and shorebirds use this conservation area for resting and feeding. Bald Eagles and gulls winter here annually.

This site was chosen as an IBA because it me the criteria for Waterfowl.

Conservation Issues

The site has been vulnerable to heavy siltation in recent years, yet backwater lakes still attract large flights of waterfowl during migration.