Adjacent waters serve as wintering habitat for brant, scoters, American black duck, and other waterfowl.

Overall, the refuge encompasses over 900 acres (364.2 ha) of barrier beach, intertidal wetland and fragile island habitats.

From east to west they are: The ten units of Stewart B. McKinney NWR include a variety of habitats from grassy upland, to tidal salt marsh.

In 1972, after the death of Read, Lape donated over 150 acres (60.7 ha) of land in Westbrook, Connecticut, to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.

As neighbors donated or sold adjacent property to the US Fish and Wildlife Service, Salt Meadow grew to be a 274-acre (110.9 ha) refuge.

Citizens began to worry that the long legged wading birds and other shorebirds that use Connecticut's Islands and Coast would soon be without important nesting and feeding habitat.

From the Connecticut Post:[2] STRATFORD — One of the former Town Council's final decisions was to direct Mayor James R. Miron in November to enter into negotiations with the U.S.