Quinebaug Woods - Wildlife

Wildlife

In 2002, a breeding bird survey was conducted on the reservation in order to inform management of Quinebaug Woods. During the survey, a total of 37 species of birds were identified on the property including seven species listed as Massachusetts Priority Neotropical Migrant Bird Species. A male northern parula was observed along the river in June 2002. It is unlikely that this state-listed, threatened warbler is breeding on the property as it was only observed on one occasion. It is more likely that this individual was an unpaired male or a late migrant. Brown-headed cowbirds were one of the few problematic or non-native species observed. These birds pose a risk to neotropical migrants in that their habit of laying their eggs in the nests of other species impacts the productivity of native, neotropical migrants. In June 2002, a Louisiana waterthrush was observed feeding an immature cowbird.

The acreage of Quinebaug Woods alone is not large enough to support viable populations of wide-ranging species such as a barred owl or broad-winged hawk. However, in conjunction with other contiguous or nearby protected open space, the reservation plays an important role in supporting both wide-ranging and interior species. This may also be true of wide-ranging mammal species, in addition to birds.

One significant issue that has the potential to alter bird species composition at Quinebaug Woods is the loss of eastern hemlock trees from hemlock woolly adelgid(HWA). This will likely have the most significant impact on Black-throated Green Warbler and blackburnian warbler and blue-headed vireo, species that prefer mature mixed forest or conifers as habitat.