Habitat, Plants & Wildlife

The Crab Meadow Watershed includes several ecological habitats . The predominant habitats include hardwood and deciduous forests, freshwater/brackish ponds, salt marsh and sandy beaches. 

The forests, dominated by oak, beech and maple tress provide shelter an food for woodpeckers, owls, and a variety of songbirds and raptors, white-tailed deer, and small mammals such as squirrels. 

NYSDOS has designated the Crab Meadow wetlands as a Significant Coastal Fish and Wildlife Habitat, because they represent one of the largest tracts (approximately 300 acres) of undeveloped salt marsh on Long Island’s north shore. This wetland system, the associated tidal creek and beach areas provide important nesting and feeding habitat for a variety of shorebirds, including the state-endangered and threatened species and provide a productive nursery habitat for finfish, shellfish and crustaceans.

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Additional Information and References for Habitat, Plants & Wildlife include lists of plants and animals that have been observed in Crab Meadow.
Explore during your own naturalist experiences, and let us know what you observed!