Birds of Lake George
For the summer of 2009 the Lake George Land Conservancy
hired Nathaniel Child, graduate student from the Center for Adirondack
Biodiversity at Paul Smith’s College, to do a preliminary study of the bird
populations of Lake George. LGLC initiated the project as an important first
step in providing the necessary ecological data that would help support future
land conservation efforts and ensure the continued ecological integrity of the
Lake George area.
The specific area of study included four sites on the
northeastern shore of Lake George, stretching from LGLC’s
Gull Bay Preserve to Anthony’s Nose, and including the Sucker Brook Wetland
complex and LGLC’s recent acquisition, the
Last Great Shoreline.
The following conclusion was included in the final
report produced by Nathaniel and his advisor, Center Director David A
Patrick:
“In conclusion, it is clear that Lake George represents an
important site for avifaunal conservation in New York State, especially given
the location of the protected area in a region with high pressure for
land-development. The diversity of avifauna at the site is directly attributable
to the diversity of intact terrestrial and aquatic habitats, including mature
forest, rocky shorelines and cedar swamp. The birds documented at the site also
offer an important indication of the overall integrity of the ecosystem: The
mature heterogeneous forest found in protected areas at Lake George is an
important habitat type for many species of flora and fauna, with structural
legacies such as coarse woody debris and snags playing an important role in
providing both habitat and the cycling of nutrients. Similarly the diversity of
wetlands not only plays a valuable role in maintaining biodiversity, but also
contributes towards maintaining clean water in the lake and intact aquatic
ecosystems.”
The report can be read in its entirety
here. Please contact
shoffman@lglc.org or call 644-9673 to request a printed copy.
For more bird information, download the Lake George Land Conservancy's
Common Birds of the
Lake George Watershed Brochure, or
contact us
for a printed copy.
