Gulf Coast Nesting Birds Perish After Tropical Storm Cindy

NEW YORK – Last week Tropical Storm Cindy passed through the Gulf Coast, ushering storm surge and waves across beaches that severely affected nesting bird populations from Louisiana to Florida. In the time since, National Audubon Society staff and volunteers have been working to assess the damage and respond. Audubon is seeking volunteers this holiday weekend to help monitor and steward beach bird colonies along the coast.

Communities along the Gulf of Mexico are currently evaluating the storm’s damages and cleaning up after multi-day rainstorms battered regions in the Florida Panhandle and western Gulf of Mexico. This time of year is the peak of nesting seasons for birds that nest on beaches, and shorebird biologists are concerned. Many recently hatched chicks perished as they were not old enough to escape flooded beaches.

Hundreds of nests are currently being surveyed along the Gulf Coast, and full results won’t be available for several weeks. Preliminary reports show at least half of most shorebird nests and chicks are gone. Birds that nest on low-lying beaches were hit the hardest, including vulnerable species as Least Terns, Wilson’s Plovers, and Black Skimmers.

According to Erik Johnson, director of bird conservation for Audubon Louisiana, some species may attempt to nest a second or third time though most are not likely to as this was the second wave of floodwaters these birds endured this year.

“The one-two punch and the timing of these is really challenging,” Johnson says. “We know at this point it’s not a good nesting season. How good or how bad it is—those are little tweaks that we will figure out over the next month.”

Every spring, more than 20 million shorebirds migrate through the United States to nest as far as the Arctic each summer, and return back to Central and South America to spend the winter. Shorebirds are highly site faithful across their annual cycles and often depend on a few, discrete stopover, breeding and wintering sites. They are also among the fastest group of declining birds in North America.  The habitats needed by shorebirds have been altered dramatically in the last century across the Western Hemisphere, largely by development, human encroachment, and climate change.

Climate change is predicted to cause more coastal flooding from a combination of rising sea levels and more intense storms that bring larger storm surges. Audubon will continue to protect and restore Gulf Coast beaches to strengthen populations of climate threatened birds while preserving the places both they and people depend on.  

To speak with an Audubon expert contact:

Gulf Region, Jacques Hebert, jhebert@audubon.org, 504-264-6849

Florida State, Sean Cooley, scooley@audubon.org, 850-999-1030

National Audubon Society, media@audubon.org, 212-979-3100

Summer is in full swing and with the approach of Independence Day many people celebrate the holiday weekend at the same beaches birds depend on. With millions of tourists visiting the shores, there's no better time to help. Volunteers are needed more than ever in the regions below. To get involved contact:

Florida: FLConservation@audubon.org

Alabama: info@birminghamaudubon.org

Mississippi: mfolkerts@audubon.org

Louisiana: ejohnson@audubon.org

Texas: TERN@audubon.org

Atlantic, Gulf, Pacific Coasts: media@audubon.org

About Audubon

The National Audubon Society protects birds and the places they need, today and tomorrow, throughout the Americas using science, advocacy, education and on-the-ground conservation. Audubon's state programs, nature centers, chapters and partners have an unparalleled wingspan that reaches millions of people each year to inform, inspire and unite diverse communities in conservation action. Since 1905, Audubon's vision has been a world in which people and wildlife thrive. Audubon is a nonprofit conservation organization. Learn more how to help at www.audubon.org  and follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @audubonsociety.

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