[4] Opened in 1938 as the Montezuma Migratory Bird Refuge, the area has seen many developments over the years in terms of its land size and wildlife management strategy.

[4] It is considered to be among the most important wetland complexes in the north eastern United States providing critical stopover habitat for millions of migratory birds.

The variety of habitats at Montezuma, including wooded wetlands, emergent marsh, and different vegetation stages in upland areas, supports a diverse range of resident and migratory species.

There are countless flowering plants which include the purple prairie clover, marsh pea, white avens, black raspberry, steeple bush and many more.

Work first began on the canal system on July 4, 1817, and the completion was marked by the first passage from Lake Erie to New York City on October 26, 1825.

The Civilian Conservation Corps began work on a series of low dikes which would hold water and restore part of the marsh habitat that had once existed.

On September 22, 2000, "Harmony With Nature"—an eight-person team of musicians from around the country—performed a four-hour, afternoon/evening concert at the refuge, featuring the music of the late John Denver.

The speakers and musicians/performers were: Pete Lee Baker, Tom Jasikoff (Montezuma NWR's manager), Tim Bak, Rob Bidinger, Val Cooper, Frank DeLaMarre, Paul Swanton and Brian Taylor (who also served as emcee of the event).

These musicians donated their talents and time by joining together to promote Denver’s legacy and to continue supporting his lifelong commitment to ensuring the preservation of the earth and all its natural habitats.

[citation needed] On September 24, 2017, another "Harmony With Nature" event was held there, with Rebecca Colleen, Bill Destler, Jim Clare and Perry Cleaveland providing a two-hour, afternoon music show at the refuge.

[citation needed] The presence of vegetation significantly impacts both nesting birds and migratory species that rely on the Refuge as a stopover point.

A meticulously planned and executed fire management strategy is implemented to stimulate the growth of grasslands and maintain these areas in an early successional stage.

The Civilian Conservation Corps intervened, implementing a system of constructed dikes that restored water levels and brought wildlife back to the area.

These impoundments are strategically rotated to cater to different groups of species, such as migrating waterfowl, shorebirds, black terns, American and least bitterns, and pied-billed grebes.

Pools may be intentionally drained during spring and summer to facilitate plant regrowth and refresh the marsh or to create feeding habitat for migrating shorebirds.

Prior to raising the water levels in late summer, the area undergoes plowing to expose bare soil, rapidly transforming it into a mudflat.

This results in the growth of vegetation like smartweed and the emergence of numerous macroinvertebrates, providing a food source for the shorebirds, waterfowl, and gulls that gather in this area.

A visitor center and gift shop are open from April 1 to December 1 and have educational brochures, exhibits and specimens about the refuge and its wildlife.The two-mile (3.2 km) Esker Brook Trail and the 3⁄4-mile (1.2 km) Oxbow Trail are available to hikers and walkers and remain accessible throughout the year, though some are off-limits during the white-tailed deer hunting season.