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Important Bird and Birding Areas
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Whitesbog
Burlington and Ocean CountiesCoordinates: N 39.95799
W 74.50049
Pinelands: New England / Mid-Atlantic CoastArea: 9,980 Acres Habitat: Primarily freshwater wetlands, shrub-scrub habitat and mixed upland forestSite Description: Home to the first cultivated blueberry planting, dating back to 1916, this site now provides over 3000 acres of abandoned and cultivated cranberry bogs and blueberry fields, early successional fields, oak and pine forests, Atlantic white cedar swamps, ponds, reservoirs and streams to over 200 species of birds. The Whitesbog IBA is located within the boundaries of Brendan T. Byrne State Forest and contains several Natural Heritage Priority Sites. Designated by New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Natural Heritage Priority Sites are considered the state’s most significant natural areas.
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| American Bittern | Steve Byland |
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Birds: Scrub-shrub/barrens regional responsibility species include as many as 200 Whip-poor-wills, 400 Eastern Towhees and 500 Pine Warblers. This habitat type also supports Ruffed Grouse and Northern Bobwhite. State-endangered birds breeding at Whitesbog include American Bitterns, Pied-billed Grebes and Bald Eagles. Nesting Barred Owls, Mallards, American Black and Wood Ducks, Green-winged Teals, Virginia Rails, Least Bitterns, Red-winged Blackbirds, Yellow-billed Cuckoos, and Baltimore and Orchard Orioles are also common. Common Nighthawks are frequently observed hunting over the bogs and adjacent woods. During fall migration, several species of shorebirds may be observed feeding along the edges of the reservoirs. These may include Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs and Pectoral, Least, Semipalmated, and Upland Sandpipers.Conservation: As a component of Brendan T. Byrne State Forest, Whitesbog is protected from encroachment of development within the immediate area. Recreational overuse and illegal ATV use, however, are common threats. Portions of the Whitesbog IBA should be actively managed to maintain scrub-shrub habitat. Ecological forestry practices may also be appropriate in areas of dense, closed-canopy forest to create the structural complexity that characterizes a healthy forest. Monitoring of bird and wildlife response to regeneration of abandoned cranberry bogs and blueberry fields is also recommended.Additional Information: Site Report
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| Regenerating cranberry bog | Michael Hogan |
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