King Fisher Park natural area

Miles Ave., Corbin Ave., Barlow Ave., Fairfield St.

King Fisher Park is a 23-acre green space that features a small pond and associated wetland with abundant bird life. A successional meadow, once a farmer's field or a shallow pond, has been slowly changing over the last two centuries into a "climax" forest, which contains oak, hickory, and beech trees, as well as an under-story of red maple (Acer rubrum), silky dogwood (Cornus amomum), and black cherry trees (Prunus serotina). The term "climax forest" refers to a forest that has reached a steady state in its development. The individual trees may grow, change, or die, but the species make-up of the forest remains the same. A forest that is still in succession may undergo more significant changes as one group of species crowds out or replaces another.

The pond in King Fisher Park is home to frogs, turtles, catfish, sonnies, and carp. In 1999, wildlife enthusiasts counted 35 distinct species of birds in the park. Belted kingfisher (Ceryle alcyon), glossy ibis (Plegadis falcinellus), great egret (Ardea alba), snowy egrets (Egretta thula), and several species of heron can  be found using the park's wetlands. Freshwater wetlands provide resting, breeding, and feeding grounds for hundreds of thousands of migrating birds. Many of these birds arrive in New York City only twice a year as they travel along the Atlantic flyway, a major migratory route.