Green Lane Reservoir
The park provides both shorebird and waterbird habitats and upland community types for migrant and wintering birds in northern Montgomery County, one of the most rapidly developing areas in Pennsylvania. The Nature Center is on the northeastern end of the lake and includes some open field, scrub/shrub, young hardwood forest, relatively mature upland hardwoods. The mudflats attractive to shorebirds are exposed only during periods of high municipal water demand and low rainfall. Areas most attractive to waterbirds are geographically remote from the Nature Center. Numerous trails are available and horseback and dirt bike riding are just two of the many activities encouraged on the park.
{link:For fact sheet, click here|http://pa.audubon.org/Sites/Site69.pdf}
Ornithological Summary
Over 270 species of birds have been recorded at Green Lane. A seasonal checklist, ?Birds of the Green Lane Reservoir and Upper Perkiomen Watershed Area?, was published by the Montgomery County Department of Parks System (1997), which gives relative abundance by season. A log of sightings is maintained at the nature center. Avian diversity is highest during the spring, and late summer and fall migration periods when local breeding and resident populations are enhanced with northern breeding migrant songbirds, waterbirds, shorebirds and raptors. Wintering populations of waterfowl and gulls may remain high when there is adequate open water, however species diversity drops dramatically. Waterfowl hunting is permitted on some areas in the fall. Although the upland portion of the park is heavily used by many outdoor enthusiasts, sufficient suitable breeding habitat is present to attract a pair of nesting Bald Eagles, and this species is now a rare but regular year-round resident.
Conservation Issues
Residential development is greatest threat, especially conversion of fallow, hay field into housing tracts. Lowering of water levels may disturb birds.
Habitat
Areas of exposed mud flats during July and October.
Land Use
The reservoir is a municipal water supply owned by Philadelphia Suburban Water Co. Water levels are dictated by demand for municipal water and prevailing rainfall.
Birds in This Area
Acadian Flycatcher
Latin: Empidonax virescens

Bald Eagle
Latin: Haliaeetus leucocephalus

- Bonaparte's Gull
- Chipping Sparrow
- Eastern Screech-Owl
- Purple Finch
- Rough-legged Hawk
- Song Sparrow
- White-eyed Vireo
- American Bittern
- Baltimore Oriole
- Brown Creeper
- Cliff Swallow
- Eastern Towhee
- Green Heron
- Lesser Scaup
- Northern Parula
- Purple Martin
- Ruby-crowned Kinglet
- Sora
- White-throated Sparrow
- American Black Duck
- Bank Swallow
- Brown Thrasher
- Common Goldeneye
- Eastern Wood-Pewee
- Green-winged Teal
- Lesser Yellowlegs
- Northern Pintail
- Red-bellied Woodpecker
- Ruby-throated Hummingbird
- Spotted Sandpiper
- Wild Turkey
- American Coot
- Barn Swallow
- Brown-headed Cowbird
- Common Grackle
- European Starling
- Hairy Woodpecker
- Lincoln's Sparrow
- Northern Rough-winged Swallow
- Red-breasted Merganser
- Ruddy Duck
- Stilt Sandpiper
- Willow Flycatcher
- American Crow
- Belted Kingfisher
- Buff-breasted Sandpiper
- Common Loon
- Field Sparrow
- Hermit Thrush
- Little Blue Heron
- Northern Shoveler
- Red-breasted Nuthatch
- Rusty Blackbird
- Swamp Sparrow
- Wilson's Phalarope
- American Golden-Plover
- Black Scoter
- Bufflehead
- Common Merganser
- Fish Crow
- Herring Gull
- Long-eared Owl
- Olive-sided Flycatcher
- Red-eyed Vireo
- Sanderling
- Tree Swallow
- Wilson's Snipe
- American Goldfinch
- Black Tern
- Cackling Goose
- Common Nighthawk
- Fox Sparrow
- Hooded Merganser
- Long-tailed Duck
- Orchard Oriole
- Red-headed Woodpecker
- Savannah Sparrow
- Tufted Titmouse
- Wood Duck
- American Kestrel
- Black Vulture
- Canada Goose
- Common Yellowthroat
- Gadwall
- Horned Grebe
- Louisiana Waterthrush
- Osprey
- Red-necked Grebe
- Scarlet Tanager
- Tundra Swan
- Wood Thrush
- American Pipit
- Black-bellied Plover
- Canada Warbler
- Greater Yellowlegs
- Lesser Black-backed Gull
- Northern Mockingbird
- Cooper's Hawk
- Golden-crowned Kinglet
- House Finch
- Mallard
- Ovenbird
- Red-necked Phalarope
- Semipalmated Plover
- Turkey Vulture
- Yellow Warbler
- American Redstart
- Black-capped Chickadee
- Canvasback
- Dark-eyed Junco
- Grasshopper Sparrow
- House Sparrow
- Marsh Wren
- Palm Warbler
- Red-shouldered Hawk
- Semipalmated Sandpiper
- Veery
- Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
- American Robin
- Black-crowned Night-Heron
- Cape May Warbler
- Double-crested Cormorant
- Gray Catbird
- House Wren
- Merlin
- Pectoral Sandpiper
- Red-tailed Hawk
- Sharp-shinned Hawk
- Vesper Sparrow
- Yellow-billed Cuckoo
- American Tree Sparrow
- Blackpoll Warbler
- Carolina Chickadee
- Downy Woodpecker
- Great Black-backed Gull
- Iceland Gull
- Mourning Dove
- Pied-billed Grebe
- Red-throated Loon
- Short-billed Dowitcher
- Virginia Rail
- Yellow-rumped Warbler
- American White Pelican
- Blue Jay
- Carolina Wren
- Eastern Bluebird
- Great Blue Heron
- Indigo Bunting
- Mute Swan
- Pileated Woodpecker
- Red-winged Blackbird
- Short-eared Owl
- Warbling Vireo
- Yellow-throated Vireo
- American Wigeon
- Blue-headed Vireo
- Caspian Tern
- Eastern Kingbird
- Great Crested Flycatcher
- Killdeer
- Northern Cardinal
- Pine Siskin
- Ring-billed Gull
- Snow Goose
- Western Sandpiper
- Yellow-throated Warbler
- American Woodcock
- Blue-winged Teal
- Cedar Waxwing
- Eastern Meadowlark
- Great Egret
- Least Flycatcher
- Northern Flicker
- Pine Warbler
- Ring-necked Duck
- Snowy Egret
- White-breasted Nuthatch
- Baird's Sandpiper
- Bobolink
- Chimney Swift
- Eastern Phoebe
- Greater White-fronted Goose
- Least Sandpiper
- Northern Harrier
- Prairie Warbler
- Ring-necked Pheasant
- Solitary Sandpiper
- White-crowned Sparrow
See all »
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