In the north the typical forest contains a mixture of oak, hickory, red maple, hemlock, and white birch. This species’ preferred habitat was dense deciduous forests, where they would feed on seeds and acorns of trees. It lived in small groups but would gather in flocks numbering in the hundreds when food was abundant. These five species have been lost forever from, not just New Jersey, but the entire planet. As forests were cleared for agriculture, they had fewer safe roosting locations, less food resources, and a greater chance of being shot while out in the open. NJ wild spring ephemerals. m_gallery_id = "14699603"; The Labrador duck once lived off the coasts of the northeastern U.S. and southeastern Canada. They begin to show them themselves above ground during a very small window when the trees do not yet have leaves and they can receive maximum sunlight. The table below lists mammals … For more information about NJ Audubon, wildlife viewing opportunities, the World Series of Birding or how to perform conservation efforts on your property to help improve water quality and habitat for all sorts of species contact John Parke of NJ Audubon at john.parke@njaudubon.org or see njaudubon.org. While a common species in the 1700’s and 1800’s, by the 20th century red-headed woodpeckers had suffered population declines due to road strikes, competition with invasive bird species for habitats, and harvesting to provide feathers for hats. m_gallery_permalink = "http://photos.nj.com/4645/gallery/nj_wild_spring_ephemerals/index.html"; imgMarginTop = imgMarginTop.replace("px",""); Their stories may help us understand how to better protect the species we still have. Today, parrots are one of the most threatened groups of bird species. if(imgMarginBottom.indexOf("px") > 0){ Because of their fragile beauty, spring ephemerals are also tempting to being picked for their flowers or for their taste. This species fed on nuts, seeds, and fruit. Our expanding network of roads has also negatively impacted this species by impeding salamander movements into these breeding ponds and increasing the number of salamanders hit by vehicles annually. Top Answer. dom_i.query(this).css("margin","0"); The heath hen was a subspecies of the greater prairie chicken (Tympanuchus cupido) which could once be found along the coastal plain from Massachusetts in the north to Virginia in the south. var dom_i = {}; var count = 1; dom_i.query(this).css("float","none"); The plummeting population of this familiar butterfly, along with the decline of many other butterflies and bees, threatens the wellbeing of people as well, because the food security of humans is dependent on the ecological services that pollinators provide. : dom_i.query(this).css("margin-left").trim(); And how we steward and manage our lands and understand the connections these plants have on an ecosystem is the key to a meaningful, healthy, and enjoyable existence. Trees, many of them more than 20 m (70 ft) tall, include oak, hickory, beech, sugar maple, and ash. More Hunterdon County news: NJ.com/hunterdon • Facebook • Twitter. Other species, not on this list, may also be considered invasive and/or exotic. m_gallery_json = "https://blog.nj.com/photogallery/4645/14699603.json"; And because parakeets are very social birds, when one of their own was killed, other parakeets would stay nearby the dead individual and expose themselves to harm. The Eskimo curlew fed primarily on small invertebrates, such as insects. Its meat was said to taste foul, but nesting sites were likely disturbed or plundered for its eggs. 10 : dom_i.query(this).css("margin-right").trim(); It is thought that this species may have required large flocks to successfully reproduce and that once their large flocks had dwindled, their eventual extinction was guaranteed. //dom_i.query(imgDiv).append(""); Heath hens were once very common during Colonial times, but relentless unregulated hunting caused this species to become extinct. The male had a dark body with white on the wings while the head, neck, and chest were white and there was a black stripe on its crown. One of their primary sources of prey during their spring migration, the Rocky Mountain locust, became extinct in 1902 after having been one of North America’s most abundant insect species. Timber Rattlesnake Photo Courtesy George Cevera: Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey Snakes There is perhaps no other animal victimized by myths, misconceptions, fear and contempt than snakes. Obviously plants that appear in Federal and State Endangered or Threatened species list should not be foraged, but what about other native plants that serve ecological niches in ecosystems? if (imgTitle != '') { Wetlands are very important natural communities providing valuable wildlife habitat. This is an exceptional number of species for a state as small as New Jersey. } These New Jersey books will help you learn everything you need to know about wild animals in New Jersey!