Mathews Brake National Wildlife Refuge encompasses 2418 acres (9.8 km²) in west-central Mississippi

Mississippi

Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...

. Established in 1980, the refuge is one of seven national wildlife refuges in the Theodore Roosevelt National Wildlife Refuge Complex

Theodore Roosevelt National Wildlife Refuge Complex

The Theodore Roosevelt National Wildlife Refuge Complex is the largest refuge complex in the state of Mississippi. Over 100,000 acres of refuge lands on seven refuges, including 13,000 acres of refuge-managed Farmers Home Administration lands, provide vital habitat for fish and wildlife in the...

. The primary habitat feature is Mathews Brake, the largest brake in Leflore County

Leflore County, Mississippi

-National protected area:*Mathews Brake National Wildlife Refuge*Theodore Roosevelt National Wildlife Refuge -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 37,947 people, 12,956 households, and 8,887 families residing in the county. The population density was 64 people per square mile...

. Each winter the brake provides habitat for over 30,000 ducks.

Neotropical migratory birds use the refuge during migration seasons throughout the year. The refuge supports about 200 species of migratory birds, including priority species such as the prothonotary warbler

Prothonotary Warbler

The Prothonotary Warbler is a small songbird of the New World warbler family. It is the only member of the genus Protonotaria....

. This little cavity nester is a species of concern in other areas, but has plenty of habitat around the wooded waters of Mathews Brake.

Refuge staff manage the water level in the brake to promote moist-soil plants and to sustain oak

Oak

An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...

 trees around the edges for migratory birds. Other habitat types include 422 acres (1.7 km²) of bottomland hardwoods and 186 acre (0.75271596 km²) of young hardwood

Hardwood

Hardwood is wood from angiosperm trees . It may also be used for those trees themselves: these are usually broad-leaved; in temperate and boreal latitudes they are mostly deciduous, but in tropics and subtropics mostly evergreen.Hardwood contrasts with softwood...

 plantations. Hunting

Hunting

Hunting is the practice of pursuing any living thing, usually wildlife, for food, recreation, or trade. In present-day use, the term refers to lawful hunting, as distinguished from poaching, which is the killing, trapping or capture of the hunted species contrary to applicable law...

 and fishing

Fishing

Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....

are the most popular programs on the refuge.