Mono Lake, a million year old inland sea, lies within a closed
basin ringed by the mountains of the Sierra Nevada and the Great
Basin. Mono Lake's naturally saline waters provide abundant food
for a multitude of resident and migratory birds. The Mono Lake
basin hosts many unique geological features such as limestone
tufa towers that rise out of a shrinking lake, volcanic islands,
glaciated canyons and the youngest volcanic chain in North
America. Mono Lake provides abundant food for resident and
migratory birds. Microscopic algae in the lake nurture trillions
of brine shrimp and alkali flies, which in turn provide nearly
unlimited food supplies for waterbirds. No fish can live in Mono
Lake's salty, alkaline waters. Mono Lake supports up to 1
million waterbirds (shorebirds, grebes, gulls, ducks and geese)
at peak migration during the fall. Thirty-five shorebird species
utilize the lake. The most abundant migrants are Wilson's
Phalaropes (up to 80,000, or 10-14% of the world population) and
Red-necked Phalarope