Two Rivers National Wildlife Refuge lies in the floodplain between two major waterways: the mighty Mississippi and Illinois rivers. This peninsula environment creates a unique habitat for both resident and migratory wildlife. Refuge lands form a mosaic of habitat types and provide an abundance of resting, feeding, and breeding grounds for a diversity of wildlife species.

The refuge lies within the Mississippi flyway, a major migration corridor for millions of birds flying between nesting and wintering grounds. The spring and fall seasons come alive as these birds flock by the thousands to refuge lands for a resting a feeding point along their journey. More than 240 species of birds either use Two Rivers NWR as a stopover point or stay for the breeding and nesting season.

Two Rivers NWR is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as a part of the National Wildlife Refuge System. There is at least one national wildlife refuge in every state and U.S. territory.