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Important Bird and Birding Areas
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Northern Musconetcong Mountain Region
Hunterdon and Morris CountiesCoordinates: N 40.74389
W 74.87903
Skylands: Appalachian MountainsArea: 21,677 Acres Habitat: Deciduous forest, shrub-scrub and cultivated fieldSite Description: The Northern Musconetcong Mountain Region is comprised of a matrix of habitats including mixed oak-hardwood forest, scrub-shrub and farmland. The site includes the Ken Lockwood Gorge Wildlife Management Area, Voorhees State Park, Hunterdon County’s Point Mountain section of the Musconetcong Mountain Nature Preserve and the county’s Teetertown Ravine/Mountain Farm Nature Preserve. The Musconetcong River, a National Wild and Scenic River designated by the National Park Service, runs along the northwestern portion of the site. This site is located within the Highlands Preservation Area, a region of exceptional natural resource value designated by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act (Highlands Act).IBA Criteria:
| Criterion | Species |
| Conservation Concern – State-threatened (B) | Cooper's Hawk |
| Regional Responsibility Species - BCR 28 Forest (B) | Acadian Flycatcher, Baltimore Oriole, Black-and-white Warbler, Cerulean Warbler, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Gray Catbird, Hooded Warbler, Kentucky Warbler, Louisiana Waterthrush, Scarlet Tanager, Wild Turkey, Wood Duck, Wood Thrush, Worm-eating Warbler, Yellow-throated Vireo |
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| Cooper's Hawk | Michael Hogan |
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Birds: The upland forests of the Northern Musconetcong Mountain Region support a diversity of breeding forest interior bird species such as Black-and-white Warblers, Scarlet Tanagers, Yellow-throated Vireos and Hooded Warblers. The region also provides valuable breeding habitat for the state-threatened Cooper’s Hawk and state-special concern Sharp-shinned Hawk.Conservation: Habitat loss and fragmentation resulting from development and the associated infrastructure threaten the availability of suitable habitat for wildlife species. Development also contributes to nonpoint source pollution and often results in an increase of invasive plant species, which displace native species and reduce habitat and species diversity. High deer densities in the region threaten other wildlife and the region’s forests through severely reducing regeneration and altering forest structure by heavily browsing on native plants. Further threats include invasions of exotic forest pests, including the gypsy moth, and diseases such as beech bark disease. Habitat protection efforts should include prioritizing parcels for acquisition. Preserving the remaining large, contiguous parcels of habitat is critical to the forest interior species that occur here. Outreach to landowners interested in habitat restoration on their property is also recommended. The Musconetcong Mountain Conservancy has partnered with nonprofit organizations, including the Hunterdon Land Trust Alliance and the Musconetcong Watershed Association, as well as local, county and state governments to preserve property along the Musconetcong Mountain. The Musconetcong River/Pohatcong Creek Greenway Project, a cooperative effort between NJDEP’s Green Acres Program, the NJDEP's Divisions of Parks and Forestry and Fish and Wildlife, the NJ Department of Agriculture's Farmland Preservation Program, the Musconetcong Watershed Association, and the counties of Hunterdon, Morris, Sussex, and Warren, has delineated several sites along the Musconetcong River and Pohatcong Creek for acquisition to preserve the water quality of the region. A number of these organizations also initiate outreach, stream cleanups and restoration projects in the area.Additional Information: Site Report
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| Musconetcong Moutain Trail | Don Freiday |
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