Cape May National Wildlife Refuge
Encyclopedia
The Cape May National Wildlife Refuge is a protected area
on the Cape May Peninsula in Cape May County, New Jersey
. It is part of the National Wildlife Refuge System and managed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service
. Established in January 1989 with 90 acre (0.3642174 km²) acquired from the Nature Conservancy, it has since grown to more than 11000 acres (44.5 km²) in size, and plans call for its further expansion to more than 21200 acres (85.8 km²). It comprises three distinct and disjunct units: the Delaware Bay Division, the Great Cedar Swamp Division, and the Two Mile Beach Unit.
It provides habitat for large numbers of migratory birds.
It is in the Northeastern coastal forests
ecoregion
.
It was designated as a Ramsar site in 1992.
Because of the Delaware Bay Estuary's value to migrating shorebirds and wading birds, in 1992 it was designated a Wetland of International Importance under the The Convention on Wetlands of International Importance—otherwise known as the Ramsar Convention.
Cape May Peninsula is renowned for its spectacular raptor migrations each fall. During this period great numbers of 17 raptor species are commonly seen including peregrine falcons, ospreys, northern harriers, American kestrels, Cooper's and sharp-shinned hawks. Because many raptors do not choose to cross such large bodies of water as the Delaware Bay, many use the bayshore upland forest edge as a migration corridor.
All raptor species found in southern New Jersey occur on the Refuge. Some, like the red-tailed hawk, frequent the Refuge year 'round. After a population decline in the 1970s, bald eagles once again nest on Refuge land. Owl populations make extensive use of Cape May's woodland habitats in winter, and several species—such as the barred owl—also nest here.
Swamp pink—a unique lily family member which is on the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Plants and Animals—also occurs on the Refuge, as do 34 State-listed plant species.
Protected area
Protected areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognised natural, ecological and/or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the enabling laws of each country or the regulations of the international...
on the Cape May Peninsula in Cape May County, New Jersey
Cape May County, New Jersey
-Climate:Being the southernmost point in New Jersey, Cape May has fairly mild wintertime temperatures. Contrary to that, the summertime has lower temperatures than most places in the state, making the county a popular place to escape the heat. It is in zone 7a/7b, which is the same as parts of...
. It is part of the National Wildlife Refuge System and managed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service
United States Fish and Wildlife Service
The United States Fish and Wildlife Service is a federal government agency within the United States Department of the Interior dedicated to the management of fish, wildlife, and natural habitats...
. Established in January 1989 with 90 acre (0.3642174 km²) acquired from the Nature Conservancy, it has since grown to more than 11000 acres (44.5 km²) in size, and plans call for its further expansion to more than 21200 acres (85.8 km²). It comprises three distinct and disjunct units: the Delaware Bay Division, the Great Cedar Swamp Division, and the Two Mile Beach Unit.
It provides habitat for large numbers of migratory birds.
It is in the Northeastern coastal forests
Northeastern coastal forests
The Northeastern coastal forests are a temperate broadleaf and mixed forests ecoregion of the northeastern United States. The ecoregion covers an area of 34,630 sq miles encompassing the Piedmont and coastal plain of seven states, extending from northern Maryland and Delaware through southeast...
ecoregion
Ecoregion
An ecoregion , sometimes called a bioregion, is an ecologically and geographically defined area that is smaller than an ecozone and larger than an ecosystem. Ecoregions cover relatively large areas of land or water, and contain characteristic, geographically distinct assemblages of natural...
.
It was designated as a Ramsar site in 1992.
Wildlife
Cape May National Wildlife Refuge provides critical habitat to a wide variety of migratory birds and other wildlife. It supports 317 bird species, 42 mammal species, 55 reptile and amphibian species, and numerous fish, shellfish and other invertebrates. Its value for the protection of migratory birds and their habitat will continue to grow as wildlife habitat along the Jersey Shore is developed into roads, shopping centers and housing developments. Cape May Peninsula's unique configuration and location concentrate songbirds, raptors and woodcock as they funnel south to Cape May Point during their fall migration. Faced with 12 miles of water to cross at the Delaware Bay migrants linger in the area to rest and feed until favorable winds allow them to cross the Bay or head north along the Bay's eastern shore.Shorebirds
The Refuge's five-mile stretch along the Delaware Bay is a major resting and feeding area for migrating shorebirds and wading birds each spring. The Delaware Bay shoreline has gained international recognition as a major shorebird staging area in North America second only to the Copper River Delta in Alaska . Each year hundreds of thousands of shorebirds-nearly 80 percent of some populations-stop to rest and feed here during their spring migration from Central and South America to their Arctic breeding grounds. The arrival at Cape May of more than twenty shorebird species-primarily red knots, ruddy turnstones, sanderlings and semipalmated sandpipers-coincides with the horseshoe crab spawning season which occurs in May/early June. The crab eggs provide an abundant food supply which these long-distance flyers use to replenish their energy reserves before moving on. (In May virtually the entire North American red knot population gathers along Delaware Bay beaches!)Because of the Delaware Bay Estuary's value to migrating shorebirds and wading birds, in 1992 it was designated a Wetland of International Importance under the The Convention on Wetlands of International Importance—otherwise known as the Ramsar Convention.
Songbirds / Neotropical Migrants
Neotropical migrants—birds that spend their summers in Canada and the U.S. and their winters in Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America and South America—use Cape May Peninsula's varied habitats in great abundance during their long and difficult migrations. Due to loss of habitat throughout much of their range many of these species are in decline. Almost 100 neotropical songbird species stop to rest and feed along the Cape May Peninsula most often using forest habitats. Many songbird species also nest here including ovenbirds, wood thrushes and yellow-throated warblers.Raptors
American kestrel. Credit: USFWSCape May Peninsula is renowned for its spectacular raptor migrations each fall. During this period great numbers of 17 raptor species are commonly seen including peregrine falcons, ospreys, northern harriers, American kestrels, Cooper's and sharp-shinned hawks. Because many raptors do not choose to cross such large bodies of water as the Delaware Bay, many use the bayshore upland forest edge as a migration corridor.
All raptor species found in southern New Jersey occur on the Refuge. Some, like the red-tailed hawk, frequent the Refuge year 'round. After a population decline in the 1970s, bald eagles once again nest on Refuge land. Owl populations make extensive use of Cape May's woodland habitats in winter, and several species—such as the barred owl—also nest here.
American Woodcock
During fall migration these unique upland shorebirds concentrate in massive numbers in Cape May 's moist woodlands and thickets. They use such habitats for foraging, replenishing their fat reserves by eating more than their weight in earthworms daily. On the Atlantic Coast, only Cape Charles, Virginia hosts comparable concentrations of woodcock. The Refuge provides excellent resting and feeding habitat for this interesting species. (The woodcock—also known in some parts of the country as a timber doodle- walks as though it were doing the rumba.)Endangered / Threatened
Peregrine falcons, found on the Federal List of endangered and Threatened Plants and Animals, use the Refuge's protected habitats and are commonly seen during migration. The threatened piping plover uses Two Mile Beach Unit for feeding and roosting. New Jersey State-listed species confirmed within the Refuge boundary include ospreys, short-eared owls, barred owls, red-shouldered hawks, grasshopper sparrows, great and little blue herons, red-headed woodpeckers, sedge wrens, yellow-crowned night-herons, northern harriers, black rails, southern gray tree frogs, Eastern tiger and mud salamanders, corn snakes and northern pine snakes.Swamp pink—a unique lily family member which is on the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Plants and Animals—also occurs on the Refuge, as do 34 State-listed plant species.
Fishery Resources
Cape May National Wildlife Refuge's marshes and tidal creeks provide important nursery areas and nutrient resources for many popular species of finfish and shellfish including summer flounder, weakfish, striped bass, blue crabs and lady crabs. These fisheries provide abundant resources for wildlife as well as for people. Seventy percent of the species sought by recreational and commercial fishermen depend on shallow water habitats such as those found on the Refuge for at least part of their life cycle.Refuge Wetland Values
While more than half the wetlands in the United States have been destroyed many people still wonder why we should protect our wetland resources. The Refuge's protected wetlands not only provide critical resources for fish, wildlife and plants, they also provide many benefits for people. They hold up storm surge and flood waters thus protecting the communities behind them; they discharge ground water supplies even during the drier times, when we most need it; they protect our water quality by filtering out impurities. The aesthetic and recreational pleasures, and the educational benefits these dwindling unique habitats provide for us are very important.See also
- Supawna Meadows National Wildlife RefugeSupawna Meadows National Wildlife RefugeThe Supawna Meadows National Wildlife Refuge is part of the Cape May National Wildlife Refuge. A component of the Delaware River estuary in Salem County, New Jersey, it just north the Salem River and south of Pennsville....
- Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife RefugeEdwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife RefugeThe Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge is a United States National Wildlife Refuge located in southern New Jersey along the Atlantic coast north of Atlantic City, in Atlantic and Ocean counties. The refuge was created in 1984 out of two existing refuge parcels created to protect tidal...
- Killcohook National Wildlife RefugeKillcohook National Wildlife RefugeKillcohook National Wildlife Refuge was a National Wildlife Refuge located on the east bank of the Delaware River adjacent to the current Supawna Meadows National Wildlife Refuge. It had originally been established in 1934 as a secondary sludge disposal site for use by the Army Corps of Engineers...
- The Glades (New Jersey)The Glades (New Jersey)The Glades is a name for in southern New Jersey along the Delaware Bay. The formal name of this preserve is The Glades Wildlife Refuge and is publicly accessible at several points...