Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge is located on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, approximately 12 miles south of the town of Cambridge, in Dorchester County. Blackwater was established in 1933 as a refuge for migratory birds. The Refuge includes over 27,000 acres, composed mainly of rich tidal marsh characterized by fluctuating water levels and varying salinity. Other habitat types include freshwater ponds, mixed evergreen and deciduous forests, and small amounts of cropland and managed impoundments that are seasonally looded for waterfowl use.  As a major stop on the Atlantic Flyway, Blackwater is a vital haven for waterfowl, as well as a sanctuary for the threatened American bald eagle, the endangered Delmarva fox squirrel, and the recently delisted peregrine falcon.