Jersey birds are chirping a happy tune.

About 2,000 acres of bird habitat along the southern New Jersey coast will never hear the rumble of a dump truck, feel the weight of a strip mall, or experience any sort of development, thanks to nonprofit organizations.

Ducks Unlimited and its partners recently bought 1,700 acres of marsh mitigation areas and wetlands in six counties. The land, which had a $4 million price tag, was the latest phase of the Southeast New Jersey Coastal Initiative and will soon be open to the public.

The initiative now protects more than 7,600 acres, according to a press release from Ducks Unlimited. The recently purchased land will be integrated into the National Wildlife Refuge System, State Wildlife Management Areas or various state and nonprofit preserves.

Portions of the wetlands -- which are in Atlantic, Burlington, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, and Salem counties -- will be open for visitors to bird watch, hunt, fish, research and hike, Ducks Unlimited officials said.

Over half of American Black Ducks and Atlantic Brant wintering populations rely on New Jersey’s tidal marshes, and the land supports more than one third of the area’s breeding population for other species that require conservation, according to Ducks Unlimited.

Jim Feaga, a regional biologist, said these coastal habitats face threats from urbanization and rising sea levels. But restoring the habitats will make sure the birds — and the visitors who like to watch them — will be around for the years to come.

Cassidy Grom may be reached at cgrom@njadvancemedia.com Follow her at @cassidygrom. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips