Land Use: wildlife conservation, other conservation, recreation/tourism, water supply, hunting

Primary Threats: Disturbance to birds, recreational development/overuse, introduced plants/animals, other development/succession.

Protection Status: Site is managed by the National Park Service. Current efforts include monitoring and protection of colonial nesting birds and piping plovers. Recreational use assessment is planned to develop better management practices of ORV and other recreational activities that disturb birds. Monitoring programs are planned to document status, change, and threats to many bird groups in the park. The park is becoming actively involved in Partners in Flight.

Conservation Issues: Significant off- road vehicle (ORV) and other recreational pursuits have disturbed nesting colonial birds and piping plovers for many years. Predation from feral cats as well as raccoons, are a significant stress on ground nesting plovers and colonial birds. Habitats have been altered by dune building and channelization, ditching, etc. and have changed quantity and quality of seashore habitat and vegetation.

Birds: Barrier beach/dune habitat and maritime forest are extensive and significant (Criteria 3). Dozens of scientific studies of birds, bird populations, and bird habitats conducted have contributed significantly to the overall knowledge of birds (Criteria 5).

Key Bird Species