New York City Audubon's Harbor Herons Project

Bernick, Andrew

New York City Audubon's Harbor Herons Project Nesting Survey of New YorkJNew Jersey Harbor and surrounding waterways was conducted from 17 May through 3 June 2007. This report summarizes wading bird, cormorant, and gull nesting activity at 17 islands and one mainland colony, and discusses population changes in New YorkJNew Jersey Harbor since 2004. A total of 1,846 nests of nine species of wading birds (Black-crowned Night-Heron, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Glossy Ibis, Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, Little Blue Heron, Tricolored Heron, Cattle Egret, and Green Heron) were located on ten islands; 26 pairs of Yellow-crowned Night- Herons were noted at one mainland colony in Far Rockaway. South Brother Island was the largest wading bird colony in 2007 (592 nests). Black-crowned Night-Herons were the numerically dominant nesting species throughout the study area (802 nests on nine islands). Since 2004, nesting of Great and Snowy egrets has increased in NYINJ Harbor, while Glossy Ibis nesting has declined. No active wading bird nests were found within the Arthur Kill and Kill Van Kull; suitable nesting habitat at Prall's Island was removed to control an Asian Longhorned Beetle population discovered on the island in March 2007. In the East River, few Black-crowned Night-Herons nested on North Brother Island, while the developing colony at Mill Rock remained relatively stable. Declines for wading birds, cormorants and gulls were observed on Huckleberry Island. Wading birds nested in over 15 species of trees, shrubs, and vines. Double-crested Cormorants nested on or near seven islands (1,046 nests total), including a new colony discovered in July on Elders Point West in Jamaica Bay. Cormorants nested predominantly in Black Locust trees in most colonies, in Hackberry trees on Swinburne Island, and on built structures west of Shooter's Island. Herring and Great Black-backed gulls nested on islands throughout the harbor (2,656 and 796 nests, respectively) and Common Terns (8 nests) were found nesting at Little Egg Marsh.