Big Foot Island

Location: Hyde County       Total Size: 10 acres

Site Description: Big Foot Island is a man-made island located in Pamlico Sound near Ocracoke.  The island was constructed of dredged sand from a nearby navigation channel.  The highest point on the island is approximately 15 feet in elevation, but most of the site is 10' or less.  Periodic renourishment maintains the open, bare sand substrate which provides good nesting habitat for several species of terns and sometimes skimmers.  This island is remote and surrounded on three sides by shallow water and seagrass flats, and on the other by a navigation channel.

Habitats: open, bare sandy island created of dredged sand

Land Use: wildlife conservation

Primary Threats: disturbance to birds, erosion

Protection Status: The site is protected and managed by the NC Wildlife Resources Commission.

Conservation Issues: The island is posted, patrolled and is entirely off-limits to visitors during the nesting season from 1 April to 1 September.  Big Foot island needs periodic renourishment to maintain its size, shape and habitats. This has been accomplished by the US Army Corps of Engineers in cooperation with the NC Wildlife Resources Commission, and the NC Colonial Waterbird Management Committee.

Birds: Big Foot island is a nesting site for colonial seabirds and a winter resting area for Double-crested Cormorants.

Key Bird Species

Criteria

  

Season

Number

  

4a

Royal Tern

B

850 prs.

  

4a

Sandwich Tern

B

260 prs.

  

4a

Double-crested Cormorants

W

3-15,000

  
         
         
         

B=Breeding    FM=Fall Migration     SM=Spring Migration     W=Winter

Sources:

NC Colonial Waterbird Database
David Allen, NC Wildlife Resources Commission
Walker Golder, National Audubon Society