Important Bird Area: Blue Hills Reservation
Site Summary
Nominated By
Laura Liptak, Patty O'Neill
Size
7,000 acres
Towns and Counties
Canton, Milton, Quincy, Randolph; Norfolk
Ownership
Department of Conservation and Recreation, Mass Audubon
Major Habitats
5% pitch pine/scrub oak forest, 5% early successional shrubland, 10% emergent freshwater wetland, 10% palustrine wooded swamp
Land Use
nature & wildlife conservation/ land trust, fishing, other recreational or tourism, quarry/gravel pit (historically), undeveloped, weather observatory
IBA Criteria
- Category 2: Sites important for long-term research and/or monitoring projects that contribute substantially to ornithology, bird conservation, and/or education.
- Category 5: Land Birds: The site is an important migratory stopover or seasonal concentration site for migratory land birds (e.g., warblers). Sites may also qualify on the basis of supporting exceptionally high densities of breeding species as shown from point counts or other surveys or if they represent "migrant traps" relative to surrounding areas. Strong consideration will be given to areas with consistently high overall species diversity..
Site Description
This 7,000-acre reservation features deep forests, shaggy cliffs, trails, and brooks. Two hundred fifty miles of footpaths are shared by hikers, horseback riders, cross-country skiers, and mountain bikers. Summits dominate the landscape, with 23 peaks in the Blue Hills. This IBA features an environmentally unique bog and a freshwater marsh that is prime habitat for birdwatching. Recreational features include Houghton's Pond beach and quarries for rock climbing.
Current Conservation Status
Owned by the Department of Conservation and Recreation, partly managed by Mass Audubon, dependent on annual state funding.
Other Flora or Fauna of Significance
Timber Rattlesnakes, Fishers, River Otters, Northern Copperheads, Marble Salamanders, Blandings and Box Turtles
Data Sources
G. D'Entremont, personal observations.
M. Rines, Bird Observer records, 1994-2000.