During early fall, northern pine snakes may follow scent trails back to their original overwintering sites or seek out another suitable hibernaculum. Cold weather in mid-October or early November will promote the descent of the snakes into the hibernacula, where they will remain until spring emergence (Zappalorti and Torocco 2002).
The following factors should be considered when evaluating habitat for pine snake:
Proximity to suitable nesting habitat and potential hibernacula
Overall area of contiguous upland forest/undeveloped land
Vegetation community characteristics such as species composition, strata structure and variation, and canopy closure
- Vegetation community characteristics such as species composition, strata structure and variation, and canopy closure
DuBois evaluated the site in August of 2025 for habitat features critical to the northern pine snake. Open, exposed sandy features indicative of suitable nesting habitat were absent from the site and its vicinity. Additionally, decaying logs and anthropogenic features which may offer subsurface refuge for snakes were minimal within the uplands. Although the basic vegetation composition is indicative of suitable foraging habitat for the species, the fragmented forest patches the site is associated with are limited to approximately 12-acres and fragmented by roadways and residential homes.
This area does not contain enough contiguous land to support the range of northern pine snakes and fragmentation has significantly limited access from or onto the site. It is the opinion of DuBois that development of the site does not pose adverse impacts to the northern pine snake or its habitat.
Barred owls are forest dwellers which rarely stray from forested swamps, or other mature old growth woodlands. Nesting habitat for this species requires extensive contiguous forests containing large, mature trees and snags for suitable cavity nests. They are typically found in remote wilderness areas that may also contain other rare species such as the red-shouldered hawk or the Cooper's hawk. Barred owls typically shun human activity by avoiding residential, agricultural, or commercial areas (Liguori 2003). Typical nesting trees are large, greater than 20 inches, live or dead (NJDEP 2013). Foraging usually occurs in and along open areas where prey can be easily seen, but because of the ability to pounce on prey rather than swoop, barred owls are able to forage in dense Pine Barrens habitats.
In their analysis of barred owl habitat use in southern New Jersey, Laidig and Dobkin (1992) found barred owls to be primarily associated with three habitat types; Atlantic white cedar (Chamaecyparis thyoides) swamp, pitch pine (Pinus rigida) lowland habitat, and hardwood swamp. Cedar swamp habitats featured typical understory vegetation of sweetbay (Magnolia virginiana) and highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum), while pitch pine lowlands featured inkberry (Ilex glauca) and highbush blueberry. Overstory tree species in hardwood swamps included tulip-tree (Liriodendron tulopifera), sweet gum (Liquidambar styraciflua), black gum (Nyssa sylvatica), and red maple (Acer rubrum). Understory species were the same as those in the softwood swamps. In both cases, understory vegetation was considered dense and often contained large amounts of catbriar (Smilax spp.).
The diet of the barred owl consists of predominantly small mammals such as mice, voles, shrews, squirrels, rabbits, moles, rats and chipmunk. Barred owls may also consume frogs, lizards, small snakes, salamanders, spiders, crayfish, snails, slugs, fish, opposums, bats or small birds.
The following factors should be considered when evaluating a property for potentially critical barred owl habitat: