San Bernard National Wildlife Refuge

{{Short description|Bird sanctuary split between southern and eastern Brazoria and Matagorda counties, respectively}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}

{{Infobox protected area

| name = San Bernard National Wildlife Refuge

| iucn_category = IV

| map = USA

| relief = 1

| map_caption = Map of the United States

| map_width = 300

| photo = File:San Bernard National Wildlife Refuge, Brazoria County, Texas, USA (12 December 2016).jpg

| photo_caption =

| photo_width =

| location = Brazoria, Matagorda counties, Texas, United States

| nearest_city = Freeport, Texas

| coordinates = {{coord|28|52|00|N|95|32|00|W|region:US-TX|format=dms|display=inline,title}}

| coords_ref =

| area = {{Convert|45730|acre|km2|abbr=on}}

| established = 1969

| visitation_num =

| visitation_year =

| governing_body = U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

| website= [https://www.fws.gov/refuge/san_bernard/ San Bernard National Wildlife Refuge]

}}

The San Bernard National Wildlife Refuge is a {{Convert|45730|acre|km2|adj=on}}{{cite web |url= http://www.fws.gov/refuges/realty/archives/pdf/2010_Annual_Report_of_Lands.pdf |title= Annual Report of Lands Under Control of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service |date= September 30, 2010 |work= www.fws.gov |publisher= U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service |access-date=December 14, 2011}} wildlife conservation area along the coast of Texas (USA), south of the towns of Sweeny and Brazoria, Texas. It encloses a bay behind a barrier island at the Gulf of Mexico. The refuge is located in southern Brazoria and eastern Matagorda counties.

San Bernard National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1969 and provides quality habitat for wintering migratory waterfowl and other bird life. Viewing the rippling marshes and ponds of the refuge gives an image of Texas as it was before settlement.{{cite web

| title=SanBernard Refuge | author=FWS | publisher=FWS.gov

| date=September 2008 | access-date=2008-09-20

|url=http://www.fws.gov/SOUTHWEST/refuges/texas/texasmidcoast/sanbernard.htm}}

Three national wildlife refuges on the Texas coast - Brazoria, San Bernard and Big Boggy - form a vital complex of coastal wetlands harboring more than 300 bird species.{{cite web

| title=San Bernard National Wildlife Refuge

| author=FWS | publisher=FWS.gov

| date=September 2008 | access-date=2008-09-20

|url=http://southwest.fws.gov/refuges/texas/sanbern.html }}