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Important Bird and Birding Areas
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Sparta Mountain Wildlife Management Area
Sussex CountyCoordinates: N 41.03385
W 74.56049
Skylands: Appalachian MountainsArea: 26,888 Acres Habitat: Primarily upland deciduous forest with shrub-scrub habitatSite Description: The Sparta Mountain Wildlife Management Area (WMA) is located along Route 517 and Glen Road near the town of Sparta in Sussex County. The site is part of a large tract of the Sparta Mountain Greenway that extends along the westernmost ridge of the New Jersey Highlands. It includes New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s (NJDEP) Sparta Mountain WMA, NJ Audubon Society’s (NJAS) Sparta Mountain Preserve and Passaic River Coalition’s Russia Brook Sanctuary. The site is adjacent to the Newark Watershed Property, the Pequannock Watershed and Hamburg WMA and is located within the Highlands Preservation Area, a region of exceptional natural resource value designated by NJ Department of Environmental Protection’s Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act (Highlands Act). Sparta Mountain WMA contains a variety of habitat types including upland deciduous forest, scrub-shrub created by beaver and several utility right of ways, Ryker Lake and other smaller bodies of water, and a significant area of wetlands known as Edison Bog. It was here that Thomas Edison mined for iron ore at the turn of the century. He later converted the facility to a limestone processing operation for cement. Remnants of the limestone strip mines can still be found.IBA Criteria:
| Criterion | Species |
| Conservation Concern – State-endangered (B) | Northern Goshawk, Red-shouldered Hawk |
| Conservation Concern – State-threatened (B) | Barred Owl |
| Conservation Concern – State-special Concern (B) | Golden-winged Warbler |
| Regional Responsibility Species - BCR 28 Forest (B) | Acadian Flycatcher, Baltimore Oriole, Black-and-white Warbler, Canada Warbler, Cerulean Warbler, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Gray Catbird, Louisiana Waterthrush, Scarlet Tanager, Wild Turkey, Wood Thrush, Worm-eating Warbler, Yellow-throated Vireo |
| Regional Responsibility Species - BCR 28 Scrub-shrub/Barrens (B) | American Woodcock, Blue-winged Warbler, Canada Warbler, Eastern Towhee, Field Sparrow, Indigo Bunting, Prairie Warbler, Wild Turkey |
| Significant Congregations - Exceptional Diversity (B, FM, SM) | Landbirds |
| Significant Migrant Stopover/Flyover (FM, SM) | Landbirds |
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| Indigo Bunting | Steve Byland |
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Birds: The different habitats of Sparta Mountain WMA support an exceptional diversity of birds from migrating and breeding hawks and warblers to waterfowl and wading birds. Breeding raptors include state-endangered Northern Goshawks and Red-shouldered Hawks, state-threatened Barred Owls and state-special concern Cooper’s and Broad-winged Hawks. A variety of forest interior and scrub-shrub species also thrive at the Sparta Mountain WMA. Breeding Golden-winged Warblers are especially abundant within the scrub-shrub habitats of right of ways. Waterfowl species, including Common Mergansers, Hooded Mergansers, Buffleheads and Ring-necked Ducks, and migratory landbirds utilize the site during spring and fall migration.Conservation: Most of this site is protected as publicly-owned land. Two nonprofit conservation organizations, the Passaic River Coalition Land Trust and NJ Conservation Foundation, have targeted the remaining privately-owned parcels for acquisition to complete the Sparta Mountain Greenway. Their goal is to connect Sparta Mountain to Allamuchy State Park through the Weldon Brook Area. In 2004, The Trust for Public Land, a nonprofit conservation organization, acquired 1200 acres in Hardyston linking Hamburg WMA and Sparta Mountain WMA. The upland forests of this site are intersected by several utility right of ways that, if managed properly, will continue to support scrub-shrub dependant birds. Active management is required for birds that depend on early successional habitats because it interrupts the natural process of succession to forested climax conditions. Management techniques include prescribed mowing and haying, grazing and burning. Regular maintenance ensures the perpetuity of early successional habitats. Successful management will incorporate a monitoring program to determine the best management practices for species such as the Golden-winged Warbler. Other threats to the Sparta Mountain WMA may include exotic pests, tree diseases, overabundant deer and disturbance by unauthorized off-road vehicles and other public use of the area and utility rights-of-way. Forest management to protect and preserve habitat quality for the Northern Goshawk is also recommended.Additional Information: Site Report
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