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A stately heron stalking its next meal.
A flock of terns diving to catch small fish that swim
just below the water's surface. Majestic pelicans gliding
effortlessly above cresting waves.

Coastal Marshes © Tom Scott

These are scenes playing daily along North Carolina's coast -- scenes that are witnessed by residents and visitors alike. To many, these birds embody freedom and independence, so it's hard to imagine that they are dependent on humans for their survival.

But they are. Their vulnerability is a result of human interference, and it's going to take humans to ensure that these birds will be here for many future generations. The National Audubon Society's North Carolina Coastal Islands Sanctuary is working hard to protect habitats for many species of waterbirds.

And they could really use your help.

Each spring and summer, pelicans, herons, egrets, ibises, terns, skimmers and gulls gather on small islands and barrier beaches along North Carolina's coast to nest and raise their young. These birds nest in groups, called colonies, and are often referred to as colonial waterbirds.

Colonial waterbirds depend on specific types of habitats for nesting. Terns and skimmers usually nest on sand or shell that is bare or sparsely dotted with vegetation; pelicans typically nest on grassy islands or in low shrubs; and wading birds most often nest in shrub thickets or trees.

In recent years, biologists have expressed great concern about the condition of waterbird nesting sites along North Carolina's coast. Surveys conducted in the 1970's and 1980's revealed an alarming decline in the number of active nesting sites, largely due to chronic human disturbances, lack of suitable nesting habitats and erosion. These factors led the National Audubon Society to establish the North Carolina Coastal Islands sanctuary system in 1989 and to intensify its efforts to protect coastal birds and their habitat.

Historically, waterbirds have faced many problems. Around the turn of the century, feathers became the fashion craze of the day. Long filamentous plumes called "aigrettes," as well as wings and entire skins of birds were worn on hats and other accessories. The sources of these feathers and body parts were wild birds.

Great and snowy egrets were highly sought for their aigrettes, while terns and gulls were prized for their wings and skins. This great demand for feathers resulted in these species being shot by the tens of thousands. Because these waterbirds nest in colonies, they were easy targets for market gunners who often pursued them as the birds tried to nest and tend their young. One market hunter commented: "They don't much like to leave their young. I have often shot at these 'strikers' [terns] so fast that I had to put my gun overboard to cool the barrels."

The driving force behind such wholesale slaughter was quite simple: money. The nuptial plumes of egrets became so valuable that, in 1903, one ounce of plumes fetched $32.00, more than twice the price of an ounce of gold.

Egret © Tom Scott

This relentless shooting took a tremendous toll on populations, and several species were nearly pushed to the point of extinction. In the 1919 edition of Birds of North Carolina, the authors wrote: "No bird in America has so melancholy a history as the egret. Those of us living today are witnessing the passing of a race, and we doubt seriously if a single individual will be alive in the United States 25 years hence." Likewise, Least Terns, which once numbered in the thousands, became a rare sight in the early 1900's.

Over time, citizens began to take notice and speak out against the killing of birds for their feathers. In 1886, George Bird Grinnell, then the editor at Forest and Stream magazine, began a movement that would sweep the nation. Grinnell wrote of the decimation of bird populations to support the feather trade and called for an organization to be formed to combat this practice. His organization was called the "Audubon Society." State Audubon Societies eventually began to spring up throughout the country. The State Audubon Societies later joined forces to form the National Association of Audubon Societies for the Protection of Wild Birds and Animals, which is the predecessor of today's National Audubon Society.

North Carolina played an important part in this movement. The Audubon Society of North Carolina was formed on March 11, 1902 under the leadership of Thomas Gilbert Pearson. Pearson and the Audubon Society worked to educate both children and adults about the importance of birds and other wildlife. They worked to enact laws that prevented the killing of any bird not classified as a game bird and set specific seasons for the hunting of game birds. The Society also established North Carolina's first statewide system of game wardens and several wildlife sanctuaries. Two such Audubon Sanctuaries were Royal Shoal and Legged Lump, located in Pamlico Sound near Ocracoke. Protection of these islands was the responsibility of Audubon warden N.F. Jennett. Jennett defended nesting terns, skimmers and gulls from the relentless onslaught of market hunters, on sites where only a tiny fraction of these once-abundant birds continued to nest.

Today, Royal Shoal and Legged Lump have succumbed to erosion and are mere shoals that rarely exist above the water's surface. Happily, nearby Beacon, North Rock and Shell Castle Audubon Sanctuaries provide a safe haven for the area's nesting waterbirds.

The practice of killing waterbirds for their feathers has long since vanished, but equally devastating problems continue to concern biologists. Human disturbances, including recreation activities, off-road vehicles and uncontrolled pets have become significant threats at many nesting sites. When disturbed adults rise from their nests, leaving their eggs or young exposed to extreme temperatures, it only takes minutes for unattended eggs or young to die from temperature stress. Nests might also be exposed to predators such as crows or gulls, which are often waiting for the opportunity to seize an easy meal. Additionally, the nests, eggs and youngsters of some species are so well camouflaged that they are easily overlooked and can be inadvertently stepped on or crushed by off-road vehicles. .

Another serious problem is the number of animals that become entangled in discarded fishing line and other trash. Many birds, marine mammals and turtles die each year from encounters with this refuse. Once entangled, an animal can rarely free itself from the strong line, and a prolonged death almost certainly follows. This problem is often compounded when birds become entangled, and then entangle others. At one North Carolina colony site, five pelicans were discovered entangled in the same length of fishing line only one was able to be freed. At another site, six gulls met a similar fate.

The proper disposal of fishing line and other trash in refuse containers will help to greatly reduce this needless loss of wildlife.

The nesting sites that exist today, most of them found on natural islands, dredged-material islands and barrier beaches, are the last that remain for North Carolina's waterbirds. But nesting sites alone are not enough to ensure the survival of these birds. Food and foraging habitats are equally important. The vast wetlands that border rivers, lakes, streams, sounds, bays and barrier islands provide food for waterbirds food that is essential to their survival.

The National Audubon Society established the North Carolina Coastal Islands sanctuary system with the primary goal of safeguarding critical habitats for waterbirds. To this end, Audubon is working to: acquire, protect and manage waterbird habitats; conduct research that will lead to a better understanding of these birds and aid in the development of successful management and protection strategies; and raise awareness about the vital importance of maintaining a healthy coastal environment.

Presently, Audubon protects sanctuaries that stretch along much of North Carolina's coast. These sanctuaries provide vital habitats and safe havens for thousands of pelicans, seabirds and wading birds, fully one-third of North Carolina's nesting waterbird population, as well as habitat for other species.

Audubon sanctuaries are vital to the future of North Carolina's waterbirds and the Society is presently working to expand the sanctuary system to include additional important habitats.

Yet the long-term protection of North Carolina's waterbirds takes more than the efforts of the National Audubon Society and other organizations. It takes a commitment and respect from everyone to ensure that future generations can witness the beauty of pelicans, wading birds, terns, skimmers and gulls along our coast; scenes that may seem commonplace today.