Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge, Nature reserve in Churchill County, Nevada, United States.

Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge is a 79,570-acre national wildlife refuge in the Lahontan Valley of Churchill County, Nevada, established in 1949 about 60 miles east of Reno. Its wetlands at the terminus of the Carson River are a site of international importance in the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network.

The refuge was created by the US Fish and Wildlife Service to protect and restore critical wetland habitats where the Carson River terminates. This effort was needed to safeguard the ecosystem from degradation caused by human activity and water management changes.

Birders come here because the Western Hemispheric Shorebird Reserve Network lists the wetlands as a site of international importance, and the American Bird Conservancy names them a Globally Important Bird Area. More than 280 species have been recorded, among them long-billed dowitchers, black-necked stilts and American avocets passing during migration.

Access to the refuge is easiest from East Division Road and Center Road, where most visitor facilities are located. It helps to arrive early in the day to take advantage of prime bird-watching hours and enjoy the observation platforms before crowds gather.

The refuge is one of the sites in the Western Hemispheric Shorebird Reserve Network, a designation earned by the hundreds of thousands of long-billed dowitchers, black-necked stilts and American avocets that pass through during migration. The American Bird Conservancy also lists it as a Globally Important Bird Area, with more than 280 species recorded.