Cape May National Wildlife Refuge
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.[5] 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.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.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.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.
IUCN categoryCape May County, New JerseySouth Dennis, New JerseyU.S. Fish and Wildlife Serviceprotected areaCape May PeninsulaNational Wildlife Refuge SystemUnited States Fish and Wildlife ServiceNature ConservancyMiddle TownshipDennis TownshipUpper TownshipLower TownshipMiddle Atlantic coastal forestsecoregionDelaware BayCopper River DeltaAlaskared knotsruddy turnstonessanderlingssemipalmated sandpipershorseshoe crabWetland of International ImportanceDelaware Bay Estuaryloss of habitatovenbirdswood thrushesyellow-throated warblersperegrine falconsospreysnorthern harriersAmerican kestrelsCooper'ssharp-shinned hawksred-tailed hawkbald eaglesbarred owlEast Coast of the United StatesCape Charles, Virginiawoodcockpiping plovershort-eared owlsred-shouldered hawksgrasshopper sparrowslittle blue heronsred-headed woodpeckerssedge wrensyellow-crowned night-heronsblack railssouthern gray tree frogseastern tigermud salamanderscorn snakesnorthern pine snakesSwamp pinksummer flounderweakfishstriped bassblue crabslady crabsSupawna Meadows National Wildlife RefugeEdwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife RefugeKillcohook National Wildlife RefugeThe Glades (New Jersey)BioSciencepublic domain materialProtected areasNew JerseyFederalNational historical parksMorristownPaterson Great FallsThomas EdisonNational monumentsStatue of LibertyNational recreation areasDelaware Water GapGatewayOther protected areasPinelands National ReserveNational scenic trailsAppalachian TrailNational wild and scenic riversDelaware RiverGreat Egg Harbor RiverMaurice RiverMusconetcong RiverNational wildlife refugesEdwin B. ForsytheGreat SwampSupawna MeadowsWallkill RiverNational Estuarine Research ReservesJacques CousteauState parksAllaireAllamuchy MountainBarnegat LighthouseCape May PointCheesequakeCorson's InletDelaware and Raritan CanalDouble TroubleEdisonFort MottHacklebarneyHigh PointHopatcongIsland BeachKittatinny ValleyLibertyLong Pond IronworksMonmouth BattlefieldParvinPigeon SwampRancocasRingwoodStephensSwartswoodVoorheesWashington CrossingWashington RockWawayandaState forestsAbram S. Hewitt