PENNSYLVANIA’S IMPORTANT BIRD AREAS PROGRAM

Audubon Pennsylvania’s Important Bird Areas Program was the first to develop a state IBA program in the United States. Based on strict scientific criteria, a group of scientific advisors (known as the Ornithological Technical Committee) selected 73 Important Bird Areas encompassing over one million acres of public and private lands. These sites include migratory staging areas, winter feeding and roost areas, and prime breeding areas for songbirds, wading birds and other species. They also include critical habitats, such as spruce-fir bogs, tidal saltmarsh, bottomland hardwood swamps, and open grasslands. Additional IBA sites in Pennsylvania will be selected by the technical committee on an ongoing basis.

FEATURED IMPORTANT BIRD AREA
Name: Kittatinny Ridge Important Bird Area (#51 in Pennsylvania IBA Book)
State: Pennsylvania
Counties: 11 counties in eastern and south-central PA – 280 square miles of forested ridge.
Nearest Communities: This IBA extends from just south of Stroudsburg, PA (Northampton/Monroe counties), all the way to west of Chambersburg, PA (Franklin County).

Site Description (habitats): The Kittatinny Ridge Important Bird Area, also known as Blue Mountain, is the premier raptor migration corridor in the northeastern US, and one of the leading migration sites in the world. The ridge is 180 miles long, and varies in elevation from 1500-1800 feet above sea level. This ridgeline is oriented in a northeast-to-southwest direction, and is covered with second-growth deciduous forest. The valleys on either side are characterized by mixed farmland and small, rural communities. World renowned Hawk Mountain Sanctuary and a dozen or so other migration lookouts are situated atop this ridge, and numerous rock outcrops along its length provide excellent views of the migrants. Most of the land is in private ownership, but approximately 15% is publicly owned (State Game Lands). Audubon Pennsylvania recently acquired a 20-acre parcel, the Waggoner’s Gap Hawk Watch. Audubon plans to continue and expand activities at the site relating to scientific monitoring of raptor populations, public education programs, and outdoor recreation opportunities.

Ornithological Summary: The Kittatinny Ridge funnels tens of thousands of raptors of 16 species during autumn, and lesser numbers in the spring. In addition, tremendous numbers of passerine species and other birds (hummingbirds, loons, geese, etc.) use the ridge as a migratory corridor during both seasons. The ridge is also a key breeding site for many interior forest birds, including WatchListed Wood Thrush, Black-throated Green Warbler, Scarlet Tanager, Red-eyed Vireo, Hooded Warbler, WatchListed Cerulean Warbler, WatchListed Black-throated Blue Warbler, WatchListed Worm-eating Warbler, Ovenbird, and Rose-breasted Grosbeak. Annual counts of migratory raptors at Hawk Mountain (which began in 1934), Bake Oven Knob (started in the 1960’s), Waggoner’s Gap (consistent data have been gathered since the early 1980’s), and other locales have helped assess long-term trends in raptor populations throughout eastern North America. This database assisted in documenting both declines in the 1950’s and 1960’s, and subsequent rebounds for several raptor species following the 1972 nationwide ban on the use of DDT. In addition to the raptors, over 140 species of birds are recorded regularly during the fall migration at Hawk Mountain.

Conservation Issues: Residential development (“suburban sprawl”) along the ridge is the primary threat. This type of development is already underway in many areas where paved roadways cross the ridge. This issue is of greatest concern near urban centers, including Stroudsburg, Harrisburg, and Carlisle. Overbrowsing by white-tailed deer is also a serious threat to many forest breeding birds along the Kittatinny Ridge, especially species that depend on a healthy understory layer and mid-story canopy. Finally, the construction of additional communication towers along the crest of the ridge poses a significant increased risk to migrating birds.

Audubon Pennsylvania is currently initiating a large conservation planning effort along the entire length of the Kittatinny. In this process Audubon will engage local governments, community groups, landowners, sportsmen, outdoor enthusiasts, and birdwatchers to assess the ridge’s values, and to spark interest in conserving this unique ecosystem.

To Learn More About Audubon Pennsylvania’s
Important Bird Areas Program

Visit the Web Site:
Important Bird Areas of Pennsylvania

Contact:
Steve Hoffman
Director of Bird Conservation
Audubon Pennsylvania
100 Wildwood Way
Harrisburg, PA 17110
(717)213-6880
shoffman@audubon.org