The Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge is a wildlife refuge

Wildlife refuge

A wildlife refuge, also called a wildlife sanctuary, may be a naturally occurring sanctuary, such as an island, that provides protection for species from hunting, predation or competition, or it may refer to a protected area, a geographic territory within which wildlife is protected...

 operated by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service

United States Fish and Wildlife Service

The United States Fish and Wildlife Service is a federal government agency within the United States Department of the Interior dedicated to the management of fish, wildlife, and natural habitats...

 in Genesee

Genesee County, New York

Genesee County is a county located in Western New York, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 60,079. Its name is from the Seneca Indian word Gen-nis'-hee-yo meaning "The Beautiful Valley." Its county seat is Batavia.- History :...

 and Orleans

Orleans County, New York

As of the census of 2000, there were 44,171 people, 15,363 households, and 10,846 families residing in the county. The population density was 113 people per square mile . There were 17,347 housing units at an average density of 44 per square mile...

 Counties in the western part of New York

New York

New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...

. The refuge is between the cities of Buffalo

Buffalo, New York

Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...

 and Rochester.

Although the refuge headquarters is listed as 1101 Casey Road, Basom, NY 14013, it is located within the Town of Alabama

Alabama, New York

Alabama is a town in Genesee County, New York, United States. The town is in the northwest part of the county. New York State Route 63 and New York State Route 77 intersect in the town. The population was 1,881 at the 2000 census...

. The Orleans County portion of the refuge lies in the Town of Shelby

Shelby, New York

Shelby, New York is a town in Orleans County, New York, United States. The population was 5,420 at the 2000 census.The Town of Shelby is located in southwest corner of Orleans County.- History :...

.
The refuge was created in 1958 as the Oak Orchard National Wildlife Refuge, but the name was soon changed to the current name because the State of New York maintained and still maintains the similarly named Oak Orchard Wildlife Management Area

Oak Orchard Wildlife Management Area

The Oak Orchard Wildlife Management Area is a conservation area located in western New York, USA. Most of this wildlife area is in the northwest part of Genesee County, but a small northern portion is in Orleans County....

 adjacent to the federal refuge at its eastern boundary.