The Southwick Wildlife Management Area is on the Massachusetts-Connecticut state border. The Suffield Wildlife Management is across the state line in Connecticut. Trails connect the two areas. If you carefully keep your bird records by state and county, be aware of the location of the state line and use the appropriate eBird hotspots when you submit checklists. 

The creation of the Southwick Wildlife Management Area (WMA) is part of a larger successful effort to conserve grassland habitat in the Connecticut Valley. Grasslands, which are in decline, are vital to the survival of many types of wildlife. Lands to the south and west of the WMA are protected by the state of Connecticut and the town of Southwick, respectively. Most of this area was formerly used for intensive tobacco production. MassWildlife acquired most of the property in 2008 and has since conducted extensive grassland restoration and forest management to promote healthy and vigorous growth of native grasses, shrubs, and trees. Several maintenance roads and unmarked trails wind through the WMA and can be used for walking, hiking, birding, cross-country skiing, and hunting access. Since these habitats need some form of disturbance to thrive, visitors may notice operations like mowing and prescribed fires taking place periodically. Take time to explore these carefully restored areas and the native wildlife they support.

The WMA can be accessed from South Longyard Road. A small parking area exists on South Longyard Road that can hold around five cars. Parking areas are not maintained in the winter.

Wildlife watchers are in for a treat when visiting the restored grassland and shrubland of this WMA. Look for grasshopper, clay-colored, and vesper sparrows along with eastern meadowlarks, American kestrels, and eastern whip-poor-wills. Northern harriers are often seen hunting over the grasslands during migration and northern shrikes occasionally overwinter here. The grasslands support a wide variety of butterflies, moths, tiger beetles, and native bees. In recent years, MassWildlife has created and enhanced vernal pools within the property to benefit declining amphibians.

The AllTrails website has a description and map of a hike at Southwick Wildlife Management Area.