Habitat – Mount Tom Reservation

The Mount Tom Reservation is made by the composition of the 1600 acres of forest, most of which is over 100 years old, and its location in the middle of the lowland Connecticut River Valley. Since the establishment of the reservation, this habitat has been protected from most human impact. Because of this the mountain is home to a mixture of many trees, including mountain maple, yellow birch, and red oak, as well as hophornbeam, white birch, hemlock, flowering dogwood, basswood, and many old-growth red and white pine. More than half of the tree species native to Massachusetts can be found on the Mt. Tom Reservation!

This old forest provides a rich habitat, or home, for a variety of creatures, both who live here year round, or those who migrate, depending on the season. Hundreds of birdwatchers flock to the reservation each year to view the migration of several large raptors, including hawks, vultures, and eagles, which use the thermal drafts created when the cooler air from the valley is warmed by the heat-retaining rock, called basalt, of the mountains. Over 25 additional species stop over in the reservation on their migration routes including: the Treetop Warbler, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Tree Sparrow, Pine Grosbeak, Purple, House, and Goldfinches, Pine Siskin, and Evening Grosbeak can be seen passing through. Year-round residents of Mt. Tom include the Hairy and Downy Woodpeckers, Blue Jays, Chickadee and Titmouse. Less frequently viewed, and more wonderful due to the infrequency are the Pileated Woodpecker, Ruffed Grouse and Great Horned Owl, which all require a large habitat of mature forest.

This reservation is also home to almost 40 species of amphibians and reptiles, which inhabit the variety of ecological areas of Mt. Tom. Pools form when groundwater seeps from between cracks in the basalt, providing turtles, frogs, and toads with the perfect egg-laying environment. On a rainy spring night, one may even see salamanders migrating among the pools!