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Important Bird and Birding Areas
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Delaware Water Gap and Valley
Sussex and Warren CountiesCoordinates: N 41.15181
W 74.85525
Skylands: Appalachian MountainsArea: 136,259 Acres Habitat: Primarily upland forest with grassland, scrub-shrub, forested wetlands and open waterSite Description: The Delaware Water Gap and Valley Macrosite IBA encompasses mostly contiguous deciduous and coniferous upland forests of western Sussex and Warren Counties from the New York state line, south approximately 40 miles along the Delaware River and the Kittatinny Ridge, to the Mount Tammany Cliffs. The site contains a variety of habitats including talus slopes, intact eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) forest, forested wetlands, riparian habitat, scrub-shrub, grassland and open water. The majority of the site is owned by the National Park Service (NPS) as the Delaware Water Gap Recreation Area. This macrosite includes the following IBAs: Clove Brook Road Corridor, Kittatinny Camp/Van Ness Road, Stokes State Forest/High Point State Park, Walpack Valley, Bear Swamp Wildlife Management Area – Sussex, Old Mine Road and Mount Tammany Cliffs. This site also contains a number of Natural Heritage Priority Sites, designated by New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) as the state’s most significant natural areas.IBA Criteria:
| Criterion | Species |
| Conservation Concern – State-endangered (B) | Bald Eagle, Northern Goshawk, Red-shouldered Hawk |
| Conservation Concern – State-threatened (B) | Barred Owl, Red-headed Woodpecker |
| Conservation Concern – State-special Concern (B) | Black-throated Green Warbler, Cerulean Warbler, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Veery |
| Regional Responsibility Species - BCR 28 Forest (B) | Acadian Flycatcher, Baltimore Oriole, Black-and-white Warbler, Cerulean Warbler, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Gray Catbird, Hooded Warbler, Louisiana Waterthrush, Scarlet Tanager, Worm-eating Warbler |
| Regional Responsibility Species - BCR 28 Scrub-shrub/Barrens (B) | Blue-winged Warbler, Eastern Towhee, Golden-winged Warbler, Prairie Warbler, Yellow-breasted Chat |
| Significant Congregations - Exceptional Diversity (B) | |
| Significant Migrant Stopover/Flyover (SM) | Landbirds |
| Significant Migrant Stopover/Flyover (FM) | Raptors |
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| Northern Goshawk | Steve Byland |
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Birds: This region supports an incredible diversity of over 225 bird species. The site also provides breeding habitat for an exceptional variety of forest interior species. Forest raptors including state-endangered Bald Eagles, Northern Goshawks and Red-shouldered Hawks, over 90 state-threatened Barred Owls and state-special concern Sharp-shinned Hawks breed here. Other state-listed birds breeding at this site include Red-headed Woodpeckers, Savannah Sparrows, Grasshopper Sparrows, Bobolinks, Golden-winged Warblers, Veeries and Cerulean Warblers. Because of its position within the Appalachian Mountain range, the Kittatinny Ridge hosts thousands of migrating raptors every fall. Southbound raptors use the ridge as a guide and also depend on the updrafts and thermals along the cliffs for lift to conserve energy along their migration. Migratory landbirds utilize this site during spring migration.Conservation: The major threats to this site include expanding development, invasive species, overabundant deer and cowbird parasitism. Although portions of the Delaware Water Gap and Valley are characterized by unbroken forest tracts, habitat loss and fragmentation resulting from residential and commercial development threaten the integrity of these habitats to forest interior species. Increased development ultimately leads to declining water quality, increased pressure on groundwater and promotes dispersal of invasive species. Strategies to reduce development pressure include assisting landowners to restore habitat, prioritizing lands for acquisition and by enforcing and/or improving zoning and land use protection regulation. Large parcels linking or adjacent to protected areas should be prioritized for acquisition. Outreach to local farmers and landowners can promote the various state and federal incentive programs that compensate landowners for habitat restoration. Grassland and riparian restoration, for example, improves habitat for a variety of wildlife species and can improve water quality. Many nesting birds are victims of brood parasitism by Brown-headed Cowbirds. Cowbirds parasitize the nests of other birds ultimately compromising the parents’ ability to raise their own chicks. An exploding deer population has severely reduced the understory in forested habitats. In an effort to restore healthy forest conditions, the NPS has installed fencing in some areas to prohibit deer from browsing on young trees, shrubs and herbs. In addition, the New Jersey Audubon Society (NJAS) is working with state regulators to promote deer management regulations that protect forest health. The NPS is also working to control exotic pests such as the woolly adelgid and various plant species. The hemlock woolly adelgid, a small aphid-like insect originally from Japan, is extremely damaging to eastern hemlocks (Tsuga canadensis). Though very difficult to control, application of some insecticidal soaps, oils and pesticides as well as release of a Japanese lady beetle may help to reduce damage. Invasive plant species, including Japanese stilt grass (Microstegium vimineum), garlic-mustard (Alliaria petiolata), Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii) and Japanese knotweed (Polygonum cuspidatun), are impacting the forest habitats by reducing habitat diversity, altering forest structure, suppressing forest regeneration and outcompeting native understory vegetation. Exotic tree diseases also threaten forest health. The NPS has employed mechanical removal of invasive plants in addition to herbicide application. Additionally, early successional habitats should be actively managed to prevent forest succession. Forest management to protect and preserve habitat quality for Northern Goshawk is also recommended. Partners to protect the region include NJDEP’s Green Acres Program, NJAS, The Nature Conservancy, the Ridge and Valley Conservancy, Friends of the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area as well as local corporations, agencies and landowners.Additional Information: Site Report
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| View from Top of Mt. Tammany | John Parke |
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