Jamaica Bay Wildlife Preserve : an outstanding wildlife refuge within the City of New York.

Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge

An outstanding wildlife sanctuary
within the City of New York

Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library
Gift of Seymour B. Durst Old York Library

Jamaica Bay Park Jamaica Bay is located in the bor-
oughs of Brooklyn and Queens, be-
tween Shore Parkway on the north
and the Rockaway Peninsula on the
south, between John F. Kennedy
Airport on the east and Floyd Ben-
nett Field on the west. This encom-
passes more than eighteen square
miles of island, sandy upland, tidal

Most of the bay, except for a pe-
ripheral navigation channel and
parts of Broad Channel Island, is a
New York City park of more than
9,151 acres of underwater and up-
land terrain. Practically all of the
bay offers excellent habitat for
birds. But the most intensively man-
aged birding area is located on the
northern part of Broad Channel
Island.

The Refuge

This Wildlife Refuge, established in
1953, owes its development in large
part to the efforts of Herbert John-
son, the Park Department employee
directly responsible for its care
since its inception. Encompassing
two fresh-water ponds- on either
side of Cross Bay Boulevard, it is
approximately one mile north of
the Broad Channel IND station. The
East Pond (east of Cross Bay Boule-
vard) is one hundred acres in extent,
and is kept in a predominantly natu-
ral condition. The West Pond, of
about forty acres, is on the opposite
side of the boulevard and is encom-
passed by a two mile path. It is
here that an intensive planting pro-
gram is being carried on to provide
food, cover, and nesting areas at-
tractive to land birds. On the west
side of this pond terns and skim-
mers have established a nesting
area.

The Wildlife

Since Jamaica Bay is in the Atlantic
Flyway, it has proved beneficial to
a great variety of waterfowl, land
and shore birds. Many species of
ducks, such as scaup, baldpate, and
pintail, stop for visits of varying
lengths of time depending on sea-
son, weather conditions, and other
factors.

The number of Canada geese and
snow geese visiting the Refuge has
increased each year. A number of
blue geese have also been ob-
served. Breeding birds of the Ref-
uge have come in greater numbers
since its creation. Black duck, ruddy
duck, grebes, coot, and gallinule
breed extensively; gadwall, blue
and green wing teal and shovelers
are common nesting birds. Red-
head and baldpate also nested in
1961, a new record for the region.
Redhead continue to nest in in-
creasing numbers each year.

A heron roost is occupied by black
crown, yellow crown, great and lit-
tle blue and green herons, as well
as an occasional Louisiana heron.
Prominent in this area are common
and snowy egrets. The population
and nesting activities of these spe-
cies have been increasing in a spec-
tacular manner. Three pairs of

glossy ibis nested in the Refuge in
1961. In the past two years, the
number of nesting ibis approached
100 pairs.

In the 1930's the brant were faced
with a complete loss of food due
to the blight on eel grass, which re-
sulted in many dying from starva-
tion . But these birds have now
adapted their eating habits so that
they feed eagerly on sea lettuce, a
marine algae which grows exten-
sively and covers the bottom of Ja-
maica Bay.

Bird watching opportunities are best
during the spring and fall; however
the other seasons can present an
interesting variety of birds. Plant-
ings and wildlife provide combina-
tions suitable for nature study, orni-
thology, photography, sketching, or
scientific study. Fishing is permitted
in the salt water of the bay.

The Vegetation

The vegetation in the Refuge has
changed significantly in amount
and variety since the New York City
Park Department began its intensive
planting program in 1953. Plants
were chosen on the basis of pro-
viding food and cover for wildlife,
and erosion control for the loose
sand which had to be "tied down".
Only plants capable of growing in
the sand and withstanding the ex-
treme weather conditions could be
introduced.

/

Autumn olive, with its attractive
pink berries in the fall provides food
for over forty species of birds. It
grows profusely and has the quality
of being able to withstand extremes
of drought, heat and cold, and the
salt air. Another important food
plant is Japanese black pine, the
predominant evergreen in the Ref-
uge; winter finches come in great
numbers to eat the seeds found in
its cones, especially when the food
supply is low farther north. Red
cedar, a tall, narrow evergreen, pro-
vides food mainly for cedar wax-
wings, and is an excellent nesting
tree for other species.

Other important food plants are
rosa rugosa, which is very attrac-
tive when in bloom, chokeberry
both red and black, and bayberry,
whose waxy berries provide food
especially for warblers, swallows
and quail. The holly trees are ex-
pected to bear fruit in the next few
years.

Two types of grasses predominate
around the West Pond: The tall
marsh grass, phragmites, is an ex-
cellent cover for ducks; the short
grass planted on either side of the
pathway is beach grass, which is
important in terms of stabilizing the
sand.

Directions

To reach the Jamaica Bay Wildlife
Refuge by automobile take the
Shore Parkway, Southern Parkway,
or Woodhaven Boulevard to Cross
Bay Boulevard (the main highway to
the Rockaways). Drive south on
Cross Bay Boulevard. Approxi-
mately one and a half miles past
the North Channel Bridge a parking
field is maintained west of the road
where visitors may enter the main
birding area.

The Refuge may also be reached
by IND subway on the "A" ' , "E" or
"HH" train serving the Rockaways.
Leave the train at Broad Channel
station, walk west to Cross Bay
Boulevard, then walk north approxi-
mately three-fourths of a mile. Main
birding area is on west side of Cross
Bay Boulevard next to the parking
lot.

A permit is required for the use of
the wildlife area. This may be ob-
tained free of charge by writing to:

Director, Maintenance and Operations
Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs

Administration
The Arsenal
830 Fifth Avenue
New York, New York 10021

List of Birds

The following list of birds that have
been observed at the Jamaica Bay
Wildlife Refuge contains 257 spe-
cies, and is based on reliable obser-
vations of competent bird watchers
and Refuge personnel. Check marks
indicate the season that the species
may be most readily observed.
However, these same species may
be seen at other times of the year
as well.

Another list of 53 species, which
are rare, or have occurred acciden-
tally, has been added on the last
page. Total number of species ob-
served at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife
Refuge to date is 310.

Sd

Su

F

w

Common Loon

C

o

o

Red-throated Loon

o

o

r

Red-necked Grebe

r

r

Horned Grebe

c

c

c

Eared Grebe

r

r

*

ried-bilied Grebe

c

u

c

u

Double-crested Cormorant

u

o

c

o

Great Blue Heron

c

r

c

r

*

Common Egret (American)

c

c

c

r

Snowy Egret

c

c

c

r

*

Louisiana Heron

o

o

o

*

Little blue Heron

o

o

o

*

Green Heron

c

c

c

*

Black-crowned Night Heron

c

c

c

o

*

Yellow-crowned Night Heron

o

o

o

*

American Bittern

c

o

c

o

Least Bittern

o

o

o

Eastern Glossy Ibis

c

c

c

*

Canada Goose

c

o

c

o

Brant

a

o

a

a

Snow Goose

o

o

o

Blue Goose

r

r

r

*

Mallard

c

c

c

c

*

Black Duck

a

a

a

a

*

Gadwall

c

c

o

o

European Widgeon

r

r

r

baldpate

a

o

a

c

*

Pin tail

c

o

c

c

*

Green-winged teal

c

o

c

r

Blue-winged teal

c

o

c

r

*

Shoveler

c

o

c

o

*

Wood Duck

r

r

r

*

Redhead

c

c

u

r

r

Canvasback Duck

c

o

o

c

Greater Scaup

a

o

a

a

Lesser Scaup

u

r

c

c

Sd

Su

p

w

American Coldeneye

c

O

o

burtlehead

a

o

a

Oldscjuaw

r

r

White-winged Scoter

r

r

Surf Scoter

r

r

American Scoter

r

r

Kuddy Duck

c

c

c

o

Hooded Merganser

u

u

o

American Merganser

c

o

u

Red-breasted Merganser

c

r

c

c

Sharp-shinned Hawk

r

r

Ked-tailed Hawk

r

Red-shouldered Hawk

—
—

r

Broad-winged Hawk

r

r

Rough-legged Hawk

r

r

*

Marsh Hawk

—

u

u

u

Osprey

o

o

Duck Hawk

o

o

o

Pigeon Hawk

u

u

*

Sparrow Hawk

c

o

c

c

*

Bobwhite

a

a

a

a

Ring-necked Pheasant

r

r

King Kail

o

o

*

Clapper Rail

c

c

c

u

Virginia Rail

o

r

o

*

c

bora

o

o

o

*

Common Gallinule

c

c

c

L.OOI

a

a

a

a

*

Piping Plover

c

c

r

Semipalmated Plover

a

a

a

Miideer

c

c

c

o

Golden Plover

r

o

DiacK-Deiiied riover

c

o

c

r

Ruddy Turnstone

c

u

c

*

Woodcock

f

f

Wilson's Snipe

r

r

Hudsonian Curlew

r

T

r

Status

Column 1 (Sp)
Spring: March-May

Column 2 (Su)
Summer: June-August

Column 3 (F)

Fall: September-November
Column 4 (W)

Winter: December-February

Abundance

a— abundant
c— common
u— uncommon
o— occasional
r— rare

* indicates species nested

Sd

Su

p

w

Upland Plover

r

r

r

Spotted Sandpiper

c

c

c

Solitary Sandpiper

o

o

Willet

r

r

r

Greater Yellowlegs

a

a

a

r

Lesser Yellowlegs

a

a

a

Knot

c

o

c

Pectoral Sandpiper

u

c

White-rumped Sandpiper

u

o

c

Least Sandpiper

a

c

a

Red-backed Sandpiper

c

c

o

Long-billed Dowitcher

o

o

Short-billed Dowitcher

a

a

a

Stilt Sandpiper

o

u

Semipalmated Sandpiper

a

a

a

Western Sandpiper

o

Marbled Godwit

r

r

Hudsonian Godwit

r

r

banderling

c

c

c

o

Red Phalarope

r

r

i » #• 1 / r»L 1

Wilson s Phalarope

o

o

o

Northern Phalarope

o

o

Glaucous Gull

o

o

Iceland dull

o

o

. n I _ _ 1 . 1 i . | /~ ..II

Great Black-backed Gull

a

a

a

a

Herring Gull

a

a

a

a

[■)•_,_ L;|| - J , . I 1

King-bil led Gull

c

c

c

c

Laughing Gull

c

o

c

Bonaparte's Gull

o

o

r

Forster's Tern

o

o

Common Tern

a

a

a

Caspian Tern

r

r

Roseate Tern

r

r

r

Least Tern

c

c

Black Tern

o

o

u

*

Black Skimmer

a

a

a

Rock Dove

c

c

c

c

5p

Cm

r

W

Mourning Dove

C

c

C

0

Yellow-billed Cuckoo

O

O

Black-billed Cuckoo

o

o

O

barn Owl

r

r

r

r

Snowy Owl

r

r

Long-eared Owl

r

r

Short-eared Owl

u

u

u

Saw-whet Owl

o

o

Whip-poor-will

r

Nighthawk

r

r

r

Chimney Swift

u

r

u

W% 1 mi . Iff • 1*1

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

r

r

r

Belted Kingfisher

o

0

r

r 1 ■ 1

Flicker

a

u

a

r

mil 1 l i a i l i

Red-headed Woodpecker

r

JL

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

o

o

Hairy Woodpecker

o

o

Downy Woodpecker

u

u

u

u

Eastern Kingbird

o

o

0

Western Kingbird

r

Crested Flycatcher

o

o

o

n 1 1

Phoebe

o

c

\/_ 1 1 _ i ic Irl . i

Yellow-bellied Flvcatcher

£_

0

Acadian Flycatcher

o

o

Alder Flycatcher

o

o

Least Flycatcher

o

o

Wood Peewee

o

u

Olive-sided Flycatcher

r

r

ii j i i
Horned Lark

c

u

c

c

*

Tree Swallow

a

a

a

Bank Swallow

o

o

Rough-winged Swallow

o

o

o

Barn Swallow

c

u

c

Liirt bwailow

r

r

Piirnlp Martin

1 U 1 U 1C v idl L 1 1 1

r

r
1

i»

Blue Jay

c

c

Crow

r

r

r

Sp

Su

F

VV

*

~ "." ■ ■" "■

Fish Crow

U

u

u

DldCK-Cdppca L.niLKd<JCti

o

o

r

Wnite-Dreastea [Nuthatch

o

o

ixcU UTtrdblcU l> U 11 Id ILM

u

u

DiUWII LIccUcl

u

o

nou5c vv ren

o

o

o

vv inicr vv icii

o

o

v_dIUIIIld WlcM

r

r

*

LUIlg-UI 1 IcU /Vidian Vvicn

c

c

c

o

Jl IUI 1 U 1 1 1 trU /VldlMi wren

r

r

r

*

Mockingbird

c

c

c

o

*

r^third

v_a iui I \J

f

\-

r
t.

c

r

*

Rrn\A/n Tnr^cnor
DiUWII IlirdbllCI

C

C

c

*

Robin

c

a

r
I

V V UUU 1 1 1 1 UM 1

u

U

Hprmit ThriiQh

llvTIIIIIL 1 1 1 I U 3 1 1

1 1

u

• •
u

{") 1 i\/P-ha c v c±c\ Tnriich

WIIVC UQLNcU 1 IIIUoll

u

U

i!r3\/-rnODL'ori ~T~ririicri

o i dy-ci iccivcu iiirubii

u

U

V/pprv
v cci y

r

U

Factum Rliiohird

r

r

Diuc-grdy v_inar.car.cner

o

r

CiC\ 1 nPn -C m\A/r\ Pn k'lnolfit'

VJUIUCI 1 V_ 1 U W 1 ICU IX 1 1 1 g 1 C I

r
l_

a
d

R 1 1 hv-rrnw/nprl Kinplpt

i\uuy LIUWIICU IXlllglCl

f
L

a

Amprirfln Pinit

r\
\J

VJ

r

f~~pHar \A/a v\a/i n cr

V— CUQl VVClAWIIlg

o

C

c

Nlnrthprn ^hriL'ti
nui u ici 1 1 oiiiiixt

r

r

1 nppprhp^H Shrimp

r

r

r

Starlinf?

JIQI Ml Ik

a
d

a
d

d

a
d

\A/n i tp-pvprl V/irpr»

r

r

Solitary Vireo

Red-eyed Vireo

■ ■

u

■ i

u

Philadelphia Vireo

f

l»

Warhlint? Virpn

T 1 Ul Ulll Ik V 11^

r

r
1

Black-and-White Warbler

r»

Worm-eating Warbler

r

r

Blue-winged Warbler

u

u

Golden-winged Warbler

r

r

Status

Column 1 (Sp)
Spring: March-May

Column 2 (Su)
Summer: June-August

Column 3 (F)

Fall: September-November
Column 4 (VV)

Winter: December-February

Abundance

a— abundant
c— common
u— uncommon
o— occasional
r— rare

* indicates species nested

Sp

Su

F

VV

i ennessee vvdruicr

r

VJ

Oranoo.rmvA/nPn \AJ arh Pr
Urdl]ftC_LlUWIlcU VVdiUICI

r
1

X

rNdsnviiic vvaruicr

c

V,

P^rnl^ Warblpr

l ai u la v v a I u I c I

Q

c

*

Ypllnw Warblpr

Q

Q

w

/VidgilUlld VVdiUICI

c

c

("anp Mau \A/,arhlpr

Q

o

Rlark-thrnatpd Rlup Warbler

L) 1 d V„ r\ 1 1 [1 w d I v_ VJ UIUC V V al Ul^l

o

o

Mvrtlp \A/;irhlpr
iviyiiic v v d i u i d

£

o

Rlark-thrnatprl ("irppn Warblpr
DlaLN M II UalCU vji cci I v > ai uici

(j

y

DldLKDUrnidll VVdiUICI

VJ

VJ

Chpstnut-sided Warbler

u

u

Rav-brp^QtpH Warhlpr

o

o

Pine Warbler

r

r

Rlarknnll Warblpr

Q

Prairip Warblpr

u

u

Palm Warblpr

1 dllll Wai Uivi

c

c

Ov/pnhi rrl

o

o

Nnrthprn Watprthrush

1 ^1 \J 1 1. 1 1 V~ 1 1 1 If T UlV,l 11 M UJI 1

o

o

1 nni^iana XA/atPrthrush

LUUI jlCll ICl VV d l\Z I 11 II Uji i

r

x

/VlUUrillllg VVdiUICI

i"

x

Cnnnprtirut Warbler

r

x

*

YpI Inwth mat

1 V_ 1 1 W VV 11 II w CI I

c

c

c

Yellow-breasted Chat

o

o

HddHpH Warhlpr

i iuuucu vvai uici

r

x

WiUnn's Warblpr

o

u

Canada Warbler

u

u

American Redstart

c

c

Rnhnl ink

r

o

o

Meadowlark

o

u

*

Red-winged Blackbird

a

a

a

o

Orchard Oriole

r

r

Baltimore OrioTe

u

u

Rusty Blackbird

u

u

*

Purple Grackle

a

a

a

o

Bronzed Grackle

o

o

r

*

Cowbird

c

o

o

o

Sp

Su

F

w

C /~ -j riot" TanaoDr
OL-dMCl 1 dlldKcr

r

r

Summer Tansppr

*J U 1 1 1 1 1 1 VIZ I 1 d I 1 d vTI

r

r

v-dlU 1 lldl

r

r

Rosp-hrpastpd Grnshpak

YJ

lndit?n Rnntinp

1 1 lUI^U U U 1 1 LI 1 1^

KJ

r\

U

D iris t~\ ccp 1

T

r

r

Fvpninp CirrKhp^k

LVtl III Ig VJI UDUCulx

r

r

r

*

HniisP Finrh

1 IUU3C 1 IIIV-II

c

c

Purnlp Finrh

1 U 1 Ult 1 1 1 1 V_ 1 1

■

r»
U

VJ

Pinp Grnxhpak

i 1 1 ii^ vj I w juv, ai\

r

r

Rprlnnll

r

Pine Siskin

*

CinlHfinrh

VJ UIUI II 1 v-l 1

■ ■
U

r

U

U

Red Crossbill

o

o

Wh ifp-wi nt?pH Crnxshill

V V 1 1 1 IV3 VVIIIgVTU v.1 UjDUII 1

r»
U

*

Eastern Towhee

Q

q

Inswirh Snarrnw

IL/JfY IV.I 1 JUUI 1 v_y V V

Q

*

Savannah Snarrnw

V Ul 1 MUM jl/ui i v_/ V V

Q

Sharn-tailpd Snarrnw

Q

f

Q

x

*

Spasidp Snarrnw

j^ujiuc juai tu vv

u

■

\/ pcnpr ^narrnu/

VC3JJCI vJ|JdilVJW

r

r

Slate-colored Junco

Q

o

Tree Sparrow

o

o

Q

Chipping Sparrow

o

FiplH Snarrnw

n

Q

Wh itp-rrnwnpd Snarrnw

Q

Q

White-throated Sparrow

Q

o

Fox Sparrow

o

o

o

Grasshnnner Snarrnw

vj i ujji i \j vj yj v_ i jl/ui i kj v v

r

x

Lincoln's Sparrow

o

o

Swamp Sparrow

o

r

c

r

*

House Sparrow

c

c

c

c

*

Song Sparrow

c

c

c

c

Lapland Longspur

u

o

Snow Bunting

o

u

o

Accidental List

WHITE PELICAN
EUROPEAN CORMORANT
CATTLE EGRET
WOOD IBIS
MUTE SWAN
WHISTLING SWAN
FULVOUS TREE DUCK
EUROPEAN TEAL
CINNAMON TEAL
BARROW'S GOLDENEYE
COMMON EIDER
TURKEY VULTURE
GOSHAWK
COOPER'S HAWK
BALD EAGLE
GYRAFALCON
YELLOW RAIL
BLACK RAIL
PURPLE GALLINULE
OYSTERCATCHER
WILSON'S PLOVER
PURPLE SANDPIPER
BAIRD'S SANDPIPER
CURLEW SANDPIPER
BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER
WHITE IBIS
RUFF

AVOCET

BLACK-HEADED GULL
LITTLE GULL
ARCTIC TERN
GULL-BILLED TERN
ROYAL TERN
HORNED OWL
AMERICAN MAGPIE
PROTHONOTARY WARBLER
CERULEAN WARBLER
KENTUCKY WARBLER
BLUE GROSBEAK
GRASSHOPPER SPARROW
BAIRD'S SPARROW
LARK SPARROW
OREGON JUNCO

CHESTNUT COLLARED LONGSPUR
LARK BUNTING
BAHAMA PINTAIL

BAR-HEADED GOOSE (probable escape)
EUROPEAN RED-WING THRUSH
SPUR-WINGED PLOVER (confirmed escape)
CLAY-COLORED SPARROW
KING EIDER

TOWNSEND'S WARBLER
YELLOW-THROATED
WARBLER

Status

Column 1 (Sp)
Spring: March-May

Column 2 (Su)
Summer: June-August

Column 3 (F)

Fall: September-November
Column 4 (W)

Winter: December-February

Abundance

a-abundant
c— common
u— uncommon
o-occasional
r— rare

* indicates species nested

A PUBLIC SERVICE OF THE CULTURAL COUNCIL FOUNDATION
Map and drawings by Richard Edes Harrison

Edited by Phyllis Stemau under the direction of William R. Ginsberg, First Deputy Administrator
Graphic Production by Proper Press, Inc. c^^fe>57