Experience it all... Birds of the Meadowlands in the Meadowlands checklist

The NJSEA offers a number of resources for Meadowlands District municipalities and educational programs for the public. They include: t Digital mapping services t Science and environmental education programs for t Shared heavy equipment students in Grades K-12 pool, including jet-vac truck focusing on ecology, chemistry, biology, astronomy and natural t Scientific research and history air, soil and water quality testing conducted by the t Public viewing nights Meadowlands Environmental and astronomy lessons at Research Institute (MERI) the William D. McDowell t Guided pontoon boat Observatory cruises, canoe tours and nature walks t Annual Halloween Party and

Spooky Walk Meet Me in the Meadowlands t More than 21 parks and eight miles of walking and t The Flyway Gallery, featuring hiking trails local environmental art exhibits

t Annual Butterfly Day t Tideland Treasures gift shop, t Year-round environmentally featuring environmentally themed workshops and themed educational products programs for all ages, for kids, birding books, home including animal visits and and garden decor, and much art work shops more.

About the NJSEA: The New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority is the planning and zoning agency for the 30.4-square-mile Meadowlands District, comprised of parts of 14 municipalities in Bergen and Hudson counties. In February 2015 the former New Jersey Meadowlands Commission (NJMC) was consolidated into the NJSEA. New Jersey Nature programming: In collaboration with the Bergen County Audubon Society, the NJSEA offers free twice Sports and Exposition Authority One DeKorte Park Plaza • P.O. Box 640 • Lyndhurst, New Jersey • 07071 monthly nature walks and additional special events. For a 201.460.1700 complete schedule, go to njmeadowlands.gov and click on “Events.” The Sports Authority also offers guided pontoon Website: njsea.com boat tours and canoe trips of the Hackensack River. Meadowlands Environment Center The Meadowlands Nature Blog: meadowblog.net, Two DeKorte Park Plaza • Lyndhurst, New Jersey • 07071 includes daily updates and great photography of the 201.777.2431 region’s flora and fauna, environmental-themed news Website: njsea.com/ec and information about NJSEA public programs.

Created in 1969, the NJMC (now NJSEA) has fought to end illegal dumping and encourage appropriate development in the Meadowlands District, and has helped to protect thousands of acres of wetlands and open space. The J agency has also developed or contributed to the design of 21 parks throughout the District. BOTM 2000 512

Come and explore the New Jersey Meadowlands!

Tree Swallow Black Skimmer Double-crested Cormorant Great Egret Snowy Egret Northern Pintail

Black-crowned Night Heron Magnolia Warbler Peregrine Falcon Osprey American Kestral Greater Yellowlegs Tricolored Heron

The Meadowlands District is a unique place to watch In the spring, waterfowl and shorebirds stop over as as possible. You can also join one of NJSEA’s twice- birds and to explore and discover nature in general. they migrate north to breeding grounds. Tree Swallows monthly free, guided bird walks. Information on these The 19,500-acre region, just six miles from Manhattan, seek homes in nest boxes built by volunteer groups. outings is available on our Nature Blog, meadowblog. includes salt-and fresh-water wetlands and a variety net, or on the “Events” page at njsea.com. of uplands on both sides of the Hackensack River. In the summer, wading birds and songbirds are also present. Double-crested Cormorants perch atop pilings As you explore the parks, trails and waterways of the More than 280 bird species have been reported in and the remains of old tide gates. Great Blue Herons, Meadowlands District, check off the birds you see. the Meadowlands, which is a major stop along the egrets and terns feed along shorelines. Yellow-crowned Who knows - you may discover a species that is not Atlantic Flyway. Most are migrants who spend a Night Herons, a threatened species in New Jersey, nest currently listed! If you do, take a few minutes to call few weeks or a few months here, with each season in the taller trees. us at 201-460-1700. We are always interested in new hosting a predominant group. findings. In the fall, shorebirds, neotropical migrants and many In the winter, waterfowl, raptors and gulls are present waterfowl stop over as they migrate south. We wish you happy birding and hope you enjoy in large numbers. Green-winged Teal congregate in your visit to the “real” Meadowlands. It is an amazing the District’s open waters, using Phragmites – the tall, To add to your bird-watching experience, the NJSEA natural experience. tasseled plants also known as “phrag” or “the common has compiled this checklist and updates it as often reed” - as a barrier from the cold winter winds. Birds of the Meadowlands

 Black-bellied Plover c c  Marsh Wren* c c c r SEASONS  American Golden Plover r u  Golden-crowned Kinglet u c Sp Spring...... March - May  Semipalmated Plover u c c  Ruby-crowned Kinglet c c u Su Summer...... June - July  Killdeer* c c c u  Blue-gray Gnatcatcher u u F Fall...... August - October  Short-billed Dowitcher c u c  Brown Thrasher* c c c W Winter...... November - February  Long-billed Dowitcher u u u  Gray Catbird* u u r RELATIVE ABUNDANCE  Wilson’s Snipe c c r  Northern Mockingbird* c c c u c Common (should see)  American Woodcock* c u c  American Robin* c c c u Uncommon (might see)  Willet r r  Gray-cheeked Thrush r r r Rare (seldom see)  Hudsonian Godwit r r  Swainson’s Thrush u u * Nests in the Meadowlands  Marbled Godwit r r  Hermit Thrush u u  Greater Yellowlegs c c c u  Veery u u LOONS - GREBES - WATERFOWL Sp Su F W  Lesser Yellowlegs c c c r  Wood Thrush r r  Red-throated Loon r r r  Solitary Sandpiper c c c  American Pipit u u u  Common Loon u u u u  Upland Sandpiper r  Cedar Waxwing* u u u  Pied-billed Grebe* u u u r  Semipalmated Sandpiper c u c  Northern Shrike r  Horned Grebe r r r  Sanderling r r  Loggerhead Shrike r  Red-necked Grebe r r  Pectoral Sandpiper u u u  Yellow-throated Vireo r  Double-crested Cormorant c c c c  Buff-breasted Sandpiper u u u  Warbling Vireo* u u  Great Cormorant r u  Ruff r r  Red-eyed Vireo* c c c  Fulvous Whistling Duck r r r r  Stilt Sandpiper c u c  White-eyed Vireo u u  Tundra Swan r r  Curlew Sandpiper r  Blue-headed Vireo u u  Mute Swan* c c c c  Dunlin c c u  Northern Parula u u  Snow Goose u u  Spotted Sandpiper* c c c  Black-throated Green Warbler u u  Brant u u  Western Sandpiper u u  Blackpoll Warbler c c  Canada Goose* c c c c  Least Sandpiper c c c  Cerulean Warbler r r  Cackling Goose u u u  White-rumped Sandpiper u u u  Black-and-white Warbler c c  American Black Duck c c c c  Baird’s Sandpiper r  Black-throated Blue Warbler u u  Eurasion Widgeon r  Wilson’s Phalarope r r r  Magnolia Warbler u u  Wood Duck* c c c u  Red-necked Phalarope u u  Cape May Warbler u u  Gadwall* c c c c  Red Phalarope r r  Blackburnian Warbler u u  Mallard* c c c c  Whimbrel r r r  Chestnut-sided Warbler* u u  Northern Pintail c c c  Bay-breasted Warbler u u BIRDS OF PREY Sp Su F W  American Redstart c u c  American Wigeon u u u  Turkey Vulture c c c u  Green-winged Teal* c c c c  Pine Warbler u u  Osprey* c c c  Prairie Warbler u r u  Blue-winged Teal* c c c r  Bald Eagle r r r u  Northern Shoveler c c c  Palm Warbler c u  Northern Harrier* c u c c  Blue-winged Warbler u u  Long-tailed Duck r r r  Sharp-shinned Hawk r u r  Surf Scoter r r r  Yellow Warbler* c u u  Cooper’s Hawk r u u  Yellow-rumped Warbler c c u  White-winged Scoter r r r  Northern Goshawk r  Canvasback c u c  Canada Warbler u u  Red-shouldered Hawk r r  Mourning Warbler r u  Redhead r r r  Broad-winged Hawk r r  Ring-necked Duck c u  Tennessee Warbler u u  Red-tailed Hawk* c c c c  Orange-crowned Warbler u  Greater Scaup u u u  Rough-legged Hawk u c  Lesser Scaup c u c  Wilson’s Warbler u u  American Kestrel* c c c c  Nashville Warbler u u  Common Goldeneye u u u  Merlin u u u  Bufflehead u c c  Connecticut Warbler r r  Peregrine Falcon* r r r  Common Yellowthroat* c c c  Ruddy Duck* c c c c  Barn Owl* u u u u  Hooded Merganser c u c  Northern Waterthrush u u  Eastern Screech Owl* r r r r  Louisiana Waterthrush u u  Common Merganser c c c  Great Horned Owl* r  Red-breasted Merganser u u u  Ovenbird c c  Snowy Owl r  Yellow-breasted Chat r u GULLS - TERNS - SKIMMERS Sp Su F W  Barred Owl r r r  Scarlet Tanager u u  Glaucous Gull r r  Long-eared Owl r u  Eastern Towhee u u  Iceland Gull r r r  Short-eared Owl r r u  American Tree Sparrow u u u  Herring Gull c c c c DOVES - CUCKOOS - WOODPECKERS Sp Su F W  Chipping Sparrow u u u  Ring-billed Gull c c c c  Rock Dove* c c c c  Clay-colored Sparrow r r  Laughing Gull u c c  Mourning Dove* c c c c  Field Sparrow u u u  Black-headed Gull r r r  Black-billed Cuckoo u u  Vesper Sparrow r r  Bonaparte’s Gull r r r  Yellow-billed Cuckoo* u u  Savannah Sparrow* c c c u  Lesser Black-backed Gull r r r r  Common Nighthawk u u u u  Grasshopper Sparrow r r  Great Black-backed Gull c c c c  Ruby-throated Hummingbird u u  Saltmarsh Sparrow* u u u  Gull-billed Tern r r r  Belted Kingfisher* u u u r  Seaside Sparrow* u u u  Caspian Tern r r r  Red-bellied Woodpecker u r u u  Fox Sparrow u u  Royal Tern r r  Red-headed Woodpecker r r r  Song Sparrow* c c c c  Roseate Tern r  Yellow-bellied Sapsucker u u  Lincoln’s Sparrow u u  Common Tern c u u  Downy Woodpecker* c c c c  Swamp Sparrow* c c c u  Forster’s Tern u u u  Hairy Woodpecker* u u u u  White-throated Sparrow c c u  Least Tern* u u u  Northern Flicker* c u c u  White-crowned Sparrow u u u  Black Tern r r r  Dark-eyed Junco c c u  Black Skimmer u r PASSERINE (PERCHING) BIRDS Sp Su F W  Lapland Longspur r r  Great Crested Flycatcher u u  Snow Bunting u u HERONS - EGRETS - BITTERN - IBIS Sp Su F W  Western Kingbird r  Northern Cardinal* c c c c  Great Blue Heron c c c c  Eastern Kingbird* c u c  Rose-breasted Grosbeak u u  Little Blue Heron u c c  Eastern Phoebe* u u u  Blue Grosbeak* u u u  Tricolored Heron u u u  Eastern Wood-Pewee r r  Indigo Bunting* u u u  Great Egret c c c r  Yellow-bellied Flycatcher r r  Dickcissel r  Snowy Egret c c c r  Acadian Flycatcher u r u  Bobolink u u u  Cattle Egret r r r  Willow Flycatcher* u c u  Red-winged Blackbird* c c c u  Black-crowned Night-Heron c c c u  Least Flycatcher u u  Eastern Meadowlark u u u  Yellow-crowned Night-Heron* r u r  Horned Lark* c u u u  Rusty Blackbird u u r  Green Heron* c c c  Purple Martin r r  Common Grackle* c c c c  Least Bittern* u u u r  Cliff Swallow r r  Boat-tailed Grackle r r r  American Bittern u u u u  Barn Swallow* c c c  Brown-headed Cowbird c c c  Glossy Ibis u u u  Tree Swallow* c c c  Orchard Oriole u u u PHEASANTS - RAILS - COOTS Sp Su F W  Northern Rough-winged Swallow* u u u  Baltimore Oriole u u u  Ring-necked Pheasant* c c c c  Bank Swallow u u  Purple Finch r r r  Wild Turkey r r r r  Chimney Swift* u u  House Finch* u u u u  Virginia Rail* u u u u  Blue Jay* c c c u  Common Redpoll r  King Rail r r r  American Crow* c c c c  Pine Siskin r r  Clapper Rail* u u u u  Fish Crow* c c c c  American Goldfinch* c c c c  Sora u u  Common Raven* r r r r  European Starling* c c c c  Yellow Rail r r r  Black-capped Chickadee* c c u  House Sparrow* c c c c  American Coot c c c c  Tufted Titmouse* u u u  Common Moorhen* c c c r  Red-breasted Nuthatch r r r SPECIES OF ACCIDENTAL OCCURRENCE  White-breasted Nuthatch* u u u  Brown Creeper u u Franklin’s Gull • Chuck-Will’s-Widow • Thayer’s Herring Gull SHOREBIRDS Sp Su F W White Ibis • Ruffed Grouse • Lark Sparrow • Yellow-headed Blackbird  Black-necked Stilt r r  House Wren* u u u Common Teal • Northern Wheatear • Gyrfalcon  American Avocet r r  Winter Wren u u r  Carolina Wren* u u Please report any sighting of birds that are not included in this list by calling  Ruddy Turnstone r r 201.460.1700.  Red Knot r r  Sedge Wren r

New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority One DeKorte Park Plaza t PO Box 640 t Lyndhurst, NJ t 07071 t 201-460-1700 t njsea.com