About Us

Located just thirty miles north of Boston, Thacher Island NWR is home to herring and great black-backed gulls. The refuge serves as a stopover site for songbirds and other migrants to rest and feed during their seasonal migration. Off-shore habitats are used by seals, waterfowl, loons, grebes, cormorants and alcids.

The refuge was established in 1972 to provide feeding, resting and nesting habitat for migratory birds, located approximately one mile off the coast of Rockport, Massachusetts. 

Thacher Island also has a rich cultural history, perhaps best symbolized by the twin lighthouses that continue to grace its rocky landscape.

Our Mission

Refuge Purpose(s) 

Each unit of the National Wildlife Refuge System is established to serve a statutory purpose that targets the conservation of native species dependent on its lands and waters. All activities on those acres are reviewed for compatibility with this statutory purpose.

The purpose of this unit is… 

“…for use as an inviolate sanctuary, or for any other management purpose, for migratory birds.”  16 U.S.C. Sec. 715d  (Migratory Bird Conservation Act) 

Our History

The Thacher Island Association web site is chock-full of interesting information about the history of the island, the former Coast Guard Station, and the twin lighthouses.

Other Facilities in this Complex

This is the homepage banner photo for Great Bay National Wildlife Refuge
Great Bay National Wildlife Refuge
Established in 1992, Great Bay National Wildlife Refuge is located along the eastern shore of New Hampshire's Great Bay in the town of Newington. The refuge protects more than 1,000 acres along the seacoast for migratory birds and other wildlife. It is one of the longest stretches of undeveloped...
National Wildlife Refuge
Newington,NH
A woman, with her back to the camera, surveys an enormous green expanse of marsh. Small hills and a cluster of trees are visible on the horizon.
Parker River National Wildlife Refuge
Located along the northeast coast of Massachusetts in an area of dense and expanding human development, Parker River National Wildlife Refuge has special significance and value to migratory birds, other wildlife, and people. The refuge also provides high-quality opportunities for nature-based...
National Wildlife Refuge
Newburyport,MA
A scenic view of a hilly, forested landscape with light blue skies and a handful of small clouds
Wapack National Wildlife Refuge
Wapack National Wildlife Refuge, established in 1972 through a donation from Laurence and Lorna Marshall, was New Hampshire's first refuge. The refuge is located about 20 miles west of Nashua, New Hampshire and encompasses the 2,278 ft. North Pack Monadnock Mountain.
National Wildlife Refuge
Greenfield,NH