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Important Bird and Birding Areas
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Lake Tappan
Bergen CountyCoordinates: N 41.02443
W 73.99505
Site Map Piedmont Plains: New England / Mid-Atlantic CoastArea: 951 Acres Habitat: Open water surrounded by a mix of deciduous and coniferous forestSite Description: Lake Tappan is formed by the Lake Tappan Dam on the Hackensack River in Bergen County, New Jersey and extends into New York. United Water, a private utility company, owns and manages the site as a public water supply. Water is released daily from Lake Tappan to feed the Oradell Reservoir.IBA Criteria:
| Criterion | Species |
| Significant Congregations (W) | Gulls & Terns, Waterfowl |
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| Female Common Merganser | Michael Hogan |
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Birds: Wintering waterfowl species include approximately 3100 Common Mergansers. Over 5000 Ring-billed Gulls have been observed roosting at the site. The wintering Bald Eagle population averages three per year but as many as 20 have been observed at the reservoir. The surrounding forest mix of conifer plantations and deciduous woods hosts migrating landbirds in spring and fall.Conservation: Considerable development of adjacent forested parcels in recent years has contributed to stormwater runoff issues. Protection of undeveloped, privately-owned lands adjacent to Lake Tappan can be achieved by prioritizing parcels for acquisition and by promoting landowner incentives for protecting and managing habitat and. Sections of the surrounding forest have already been preserved by local groups, including the Bergen Save the Watershed Action Network, a nonprofit educational organization dedicated to the preservation of the Upper Hackensack River Watershed.Additional Information: Site Report
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| Lake Tappan | MacKenzie Hall |
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