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Important Bird and Birding Areas
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Pequannock Watershed
Morris, Passaic, and Sussex CountiesCoordinates: N 41.06016
W 74.45213
Skylands: Appalachian MountainsArea: 151,847 Acres Habitat: Deciduous, coniferous and mixed forests with shrub-scrub and riparian habitatSite Description: The Pequannock Watershed, regarded as the “heart of the Highlands,” spans 11 municipalities of Morris, Passaic and Sussex Counties. The region contains the Pequannock River and its major tributaries, the Macopin River, Clinton Brook, Apshawa Brook and Pacock Brook. This region is characterized by large tracts of contiguous forests and wetlands. The Pequannock Watershed provides water to over 500,000 residents of Newark and the surrounding suburbs and also serves as a refuge for a diversity of wildlife. Most of the watershed has been designated as Category One (C1) waters, offering the highest protection of water quality in New Jersey. The C1 designation is designed to protect against measurable changes in water quality. This site 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) and includes the Green Mountain and Bearfort Mountain Natural Heritage Priority Sites. This site has also been designated a globally significant IBA by National Audubon for supporting breeding Cerulean Warblers.IBA Criteria:
| Criterion | Species |
| Conservation Concern – State-endangered (B) | American Bittern, Northern Goshawk, Pied-billed Grebe, Red-shouldered Hawk |
| Conservation Concern – State-threatened (B) | Barred Owl, Golden-winged Warbler, Long-eared Owl |
| Conservation Concern – State-special Concern (B) | Black-throated Green Warbler, Blue-headed Vireo, Broad-winged Hawk, Canada Warbler, Cerulean Warbler, Cooper's Hawk, Great Blue Heron, Least Flycatcher, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Veery |
| Conservation Concern – Conservation Priority (B) | American Woodcock, Brown Creeper, Hairy Woodpecker, Northern Saw-whet Owl, Ruffed Grouse |
| Regional Responsibility Species - BCR 28 Forest (B) | Acadian Flycatcher, Baltimore Oriole, Black-and-white Warbler, Canada Warbler, Cerulean Warbler, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Gray Catbird, Hooded Warbler, Louisiana Waterthrush, Scarlet Tanager, Wood Thrush, Worm-eating Warbler, Yellow-throated Vireo |
| Regional Responsibility Species - BCR 28 Scrub-shrub/Barrens (B) | American Woodcock, Blue-winged Warbler, Eastern Towhee, Golden-winged Warbler |
| Significant Congregations - Exceptional Diversity (B) | Landbirds |
| Significant Migrant Stopover/Flyover (FM) | Raptors |
| Significant Migrant Stopover/Flyover (FM, SM) | Landbirds |
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| Cerulean Warbler | Kevin Watson |
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Birds: The large, unfragmented forests of the Pequannock Watershed support a diversity of breeding, wintering and migrating birds, many of which are experiencing declining population trends. Breeding raptors include state-endangered Red-shouldered Hawks and Northern Goshawks, state-threatened Barred Owls and Long-eared Owls, and state-special concern Cooper’s Hawks and Broad-winged Hawks. The site also provides essential breeding habitat for the state-endangered Pied-billed Grebe, American Bittern, state-threatened Golden-winged Warbler and state-special concern Cerulean Warbler, Great Blue Heron and Least Flycatcher. State-listed conservation priority species include American Woodcocks, Ruffed Grouse, Brown Creepers, Hairy Woodpeckers and Northern Saw-whet Owls. This region is also incredibly important for migrating landbirds and raptors throughout spring and fall migration.Conservation: Even with the Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act, the Pequannock Watershed is at risk of forest fragmentation caused by development. Growing demands for water and elevated inputs of point and nonpoint sources of pollution degrade water quality. Protection and restoration of open space is required to improve and maintain the integrity of this site. Publicly-owned land, including the Picatinny Arsenal and parcels owned by the City of Newark, should be managed as natural areas. Large privately-owned parcels should be prioritized for acquisition or protected through conservation easements. Landowners can also be encouraged to participate in state and federal incentive programs that provide financial assistance for habitat restoration projects. Other threats to the Pequannock Watershed include illegal off-road vehicle use, invasive plant and insect species, overabundant deer and cowbird parasitism. Invasive plant species, including Japanese stilt grass (Microstegium vimineum), garlic-mustard (Alliaria petiolata), Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii) and Japanese knotweed (Polygonum cuspidatum), are impacting the forest habitats by reducing habitat diversity, altering forest structure, suppressing forest regeneration and outcompeting native understory vegetation. Forest health is further threatened by a growing number of exotic pests and tree diseases. The hemlock blight, caused by the hemlock woolly adelgid, is extremely damaging to eastern hemlocks (Tsuga canadensis). The Pequannock River Coalition (PRC), a nonprofit conservation organization dedicated to the preservation of the Pequannock River, has been extremely active in the region to “prevent practices that elevate temperatures, identify lands and tributaries that provide cooler flows and to educate the public on why this element of water quality is significant.” The organization has prioritized privately-owned parcels for acquisition, maintained 14 temperature monitoring stations, successfully placed many waterways on a state list of impaired waterbodies, advocated against inappropriate development projects, and continues to educate local citizens about the importance of these lands. PRC has also spearheaded The Priority Stream Segment initiative which augments existing watershed assessments with plans to improve impaired priority streams. Recommendations to address increased water temperatures of the watershed include the removal of abandoned beaver damns and outreach to local landowners to reduce stormwater runoff and promote appropriate land use. Forest management to protect and preserve habitat quality for Northern Goshawk is also recommended.Additional Information: Site Report
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| The Pequannock River | Pequannock River Coalition |
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