The Niagara River flows north from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario and forms part of the border between the province of Ontario in Canada and New York State.
Located on the banks of the Lower Niagara River, the Joseph Davis State Park’s diverse habitats enable visitors to enjoy the natural world. Wetlands, successional shrublands, fields, meadows, forest, and open waters attract an abundance of wildlife species. The park has a nature trail, as well as cross-country skiing/snowshoeing and snowmobiling trails.
The habitats along the Niagara River shoreline support an exceptional diversity of migratory songbirds during spring and fall migration. The vegetation, including several species of berry producing shrubs, provides significant food sources for migratory birds.
The fields host northern harrier, horned lark, savannah sparrow, bobolinks, and eastern meadowlark. Species at risk include: state threatened pied-billed grebe, bald eagle, northern harrier, and common tern. State species of special concern include: osprey, sharp-shinned and cooper’s hawk, common nighthawk, whip-poor-will, horned lark, and yellow-breasted chat. The area is also one of the best spots in the Niagara Region for wintering eastern bluebirds.
Part of Joseph Davis State Park has been designated a Bird Conservation Area (BCA). It includes approximately 1,400 feet of frontage on the Niagara River and 31 acres of underwater land. About two-thirds of the BCA is successional shrubland. Mature second growth forests are found in the eastern portion of the BCA and along the Niagara River shoreline.
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