Among Species of Continental Conservation Concern, Broad-tailed Hummingbird, Pinyon Jay, Virginia's Warbler, and Grace's Warbler have all been reported on multiple lists.

The Rio Chama Wildlife Management Area (WMA) consists of three separate parcels of land. The largest has the Rio Chama as its northern border;  the river travels roughly east-to-west in this segment, and Heron Lake State Park is located on the other side of the river from the WMA. The entire eastern shore of El Vado Reservoir and State Park comprises the WMA's western border, all the way down to the dam. A second, narrow parcel begins close to the dam's spillway, extending south along the west side of the Rio Chama, which flows south as it exits the reservoir. The third parcel lies directly south of the second, but on the east side of the river;  the southern border of this parcel is the Rio Nutrias. Thus, this last parcel is L-shaped, following both rivers. The total acreage of the three parcels is 13,239 acres.

Beginning in 1953, the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish purchased property forming the WMA to ensure public hunting and fishing access. As a result of this primary purpose, the WMA may be closed except to appropriately licensed and permitted hunters during elk and deer seasons;  birders should be aware of the hunt seasons. Though there is no entrance fee to the WMA, birders, or at least one member of the birding party, must have a New Mexico hunting or fishing license or permit to not be considered trespassing when visiting this hotspot. The property is closed to all access from November 16 to the end of May (precisely, to the day before Memorial Day).

During the five and a half months it is open, the WMA offers access to a significant area of riverine and lacustrine habitat, 12.5 miles of the Rio Chama and 4.5 miles of El Vado Reservoir shoreline, along with piñon-covered ridges in the property's interior. The primary access point to the main parcel is via Willow Creek Road, off NM-112, in the WMA's northeast corner.

The Rio Chama, a major tributary of the Rio Grande, flows through the Chama River Canyon Wilderness, a multi-colored sandstone canyon whose walls rise to 1,500 feet above the river as you travel downstream. The Bureau of Land Management manages a 22 mile stretch of the Rio Chama, from El Vado Ranch to the Chavez Canyon access. The 9 miles between Chavez Canyon boat launch and Big Eddy access is managed by the Santa Fe National Forest Coyote Ranger District.