Altamaha River Delta attracts flocks of imperiled birds

 

American oystercatcher © Brad Winn/GA DNR

Explore

Explore our bird habitat map and learn about some of the rare and threatened species that live in each location.

State of the Birds

Which U.S. bird species are doing well, and which aren't? Find out in the 2009 State of the Birds report.

Conserving Coastal GA Since 1969

Forty years ago, the Conservancy acquired Wolf, Egg and Little Egg islands in the Altamaha Delta, setting in motion a long-range plan to safeguard Georgia's coastline. Read more about our history on the coast and the lower Altamaha River. 

Oyster Reef Restoration

The Conservancy and partners are promoting the growth of new oyster reefs in the Altamaha estuary to help restore eroding creek banks, while enhancing the natural coastal environment. Learn more. 

Banding Marbled Godwits

Read about an exciting project spearheaded by Georgia Department of Natural Resources to satellite-track the migratory journey of marbled godwits from their wintering grounds on Little St. Simons Island in the Altamaha River Delta.

Postcards from the Coast

Sarah Gottlieb gets a bird's eye view of nesting wood storks, while Scott Coleman helps monitor painted buntings on Little St. Simons Island.


 Great Places Network

American oystercatchers © Brad Winn/GA DNR

By Christine Griffiths

From the loggerhead sea turtle to the shortnose sturgeon, from the northern right whale to the blue crab, species of all shapes and sizes benefit from Georgia’s robust coastal environment. One of the most striking species is the American oystercatcher.

The Georgia Coast: A Preferred Destination

Nearly 100 miles in length, the Georgia coast is among the world’s most naturally diverse and intact coastal habitats. With sandy beaches, acres of maritime forests and nearly one-third of all the salt marshes in the eastern United States, Georgia’s coast is home to more than half a million residents as well as scores of year-round visitors—and that’s just the human population. 
 
More than 55,000 resident and migratory shorebirds and seabirds use the Georgia coast each year, benefiting from its protected beaches, forests and marshes that provide abundant food sources, shelter and nesting grounds.

The Altamaha River Delta – a 350-square kilometer area beginning at the southern tip of Sapelo Island and extending south to encompass Wolf, Egg, Little Egg and Little St. Simons islands in McIntosh and Glynn counties—is among the most noted Georgia habitats for seabirds and shorebirds, including the American oystercatcher.

  • In 1999, the Mexico-based Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network recognized the Altamaha River Delta as the 40th major reserve for shorebirds.
     
  • The National Audubon Society has designated the delta as one of the country's top 500 Important Birding Areas.

Altamaha River Delta © Braye Boardman“The longest undammed river on the Atlantic seaboard, the Altamaha system delivers a healthy flow of fresh water and sediments to the Georgia coast—making the delta an attractive nesting and foraging ground for not only the American oystercatcher but also the piping plover, least tern, red knots and marbled godwits,” said Christi Lambert, the Conservancy’s southeast Georgia conservation director.

Early in 2009, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) conducted a count along the Georgia coast, recording 200 American oystercatchers, with 89 of those sighted on Little St. Simons Island.

Only one percent of Little St. Simons Island is developed while the remainder of the island in its natural state, making it a high-quality habitat for American oystercatchers and a myriad of other species, including nesting loggerhead sea turtles.

Living on a Wing and a Prayer 

Considered a species of concern by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and listed as threatened in Georgia, the American oystercatcher breeds on coastal beaches from Baja California to Nova Scotia.

In a 2003 aerial survey of the species’ winter range along the lower Atlantic and Gulf coasts, researchers with the Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences and partners including Georgia DNR estimated a population of about 11,000 individuals.

“Birds like the American oystercatcher that nest on ocean beaches have a hard time competing not only with the natural forces of extreme high tides, storms and predation by raccoons and other species, but they also have to survive human activities,” said Scott Coleman, ecological manager for Little St. Simons Island. “Development, recreation, unleashed dogs—these are all factors that could destroy nests or disturb young birds.”

What You Can Do 

The more developed Georgia barrier islands, like Tybee and St. Simons, have no beach-nesting birds left, reinforcing that nests and chicks are sensitive to human presence. When visiting the beach—in Georgia or any coastal area, here are just a few things you can do:
 

  • Keep your dog on a leash and under your control. Unleashed dogs can destroy nests and chase young birds. 
  • Stay in populated areas of the beach, avoiding remote stretches where birds may be nesting, particularly between March and August.
  • Walk below the last high tide line to avoid injuring chicks or eggs.
  • Learn to recognize endangered or threatened birds.
  • Tell others about the importance of treading lightly on the beach.


Christine Griffiths is a marketing specialist with the Conservancy based in the southeast Georgia conservation office.

Nature picture credits (top to bottom, left to right): Photo © Brad Winn/GA DNR (American oystercatchers); Photo © Brad Winn/GA DNR (American oystercatcher); Photo © Braye Boardman (Altamaha River Delta).