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Important Bird and Birding Areas
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Peaslee Wildlife Management Area
Atlantic and Cumberland CountiesCoordinates: N 39.37241
W 74.89271
Site Map Delaware Bay: New England / Mid-Atlantic CoastArea: 56,525 Acres Habitat: Primarily mixed woods with grasslands and shrub-scrubSite Description: Peaslee Wildlife Management Area (WMA) is bordered by the Manumuskin River to the west and the Tuckahoe River to the east. It is the second largest WMA in New Jersey and is also the southern-most example of a true Pine Barrens community, characterized by a predominance of pine-oak forest. Other habitat types found in this IBA include grasslands, cultivated fields and forested wetlands. The site intersects the Manumuskin Natural Heritage Priority Site, which encompasses the Manumuskin River and extensive freshwater marsh dominated by wild rice.IBA Criteria:
| Criterion | Species |
| Conservation Concern – State-threatened (B) | Barred Owl, Red-headed Woodpecker |
| Regional Responsibility Species - BCR 30 Scrub-shrub/Barrens (B) | American Woodcock, Blue-winged Warbler, Brown Thrasher, Eastern Towhee, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Field Sparrow, Northern Bobwhite, Pine Warbler, Prairie Warbler, Whip-poor-will, Wild Turkey |
| Regional Responsibility Species - BCR 30 Forested Wetland (B) | Acadian Flycatcher, American Black Duck, Chimney Swift, Fish Crow, Kentucky Warbler, Louisiana Waterthrush, Mallard, Wood Duck, Yellow-throated Vireo |
| Regional Responsibility Species - BCR 30 Mixed Upland Forest (B) | Acadian Flycatcher, Baltimore Oriole, Black-and-white Warbler, Black-billed Cuckoo, Blue Jay, Broad-winged Hawk, Carolina Chickadee, Common Grackle, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Gray Catbird, Great Crested Flycatcher, Northern Flicker, Scarlet Tanager, Tufted Titmouse, Whip-poor-will, Wild Turkey, Wood Thrush, Worm-eating Warbler, Yellow-throated Vireo |
| Significant Congregations | |
| Significant Migrant Stopover/Flyover (FM, SM) | Landbirds |
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| Scarlet Tanager | Kevin Watson |
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Birds: Extensive, contiguous parcels of forested habitat support impressive numbers of breeding state-threatened Barred Owls. State-threatened Red-headed Woodpeckers prefer open areas that are interspersed with trees. A long list of regional responsibility species also breed among Peaslee’s scrub-shrub, mixed upland forest and forested wetland habitats including Broad-winged Hawks, Worm-eating Warblers, and Scarlet Tanagers.Conservation: Peaslee WMA is protected from development, however, habitat loss and forest fragmentation from nearby residential and industrial development will impact the site’s habitats. The widening of roads, creation of power lines, conversion of forests to nursery operations and expansion of nearby sand and gravel operations along the periphery of the WMA are all threats. Protection and restoration of agricultural and upland forests adjacent to the WMA is necessary to prevent further impacts from the encroaching development and non-compatible agricultural practices. This can be accomplished by promoting landowner incentives for protecting and managing habitat and by prioritizing parcels for acquisition. Additionally, early successional habitats of Peaslee, such as grasslands and scrub-shrub, require active management including brush hogging, disking and/or prescribed burning to keep them from reverting to forest.Additional Information: Site Report
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| Mixed forest type | Michael Hogan |
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