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Conservation

Important Bird Areas

Photo: Ida Phillips

Audubon North Carolina has identified 96 Important Bird Areas (IBAs) in North Carolina comprising 4.9 million acres. These are places that provide essential habitat for one or more species of birds at some time during their annual cycle of breeding, migrating or wintering. Nearly all of North Carolina's IBAs include public lands,  land trust conservation lands, and land owned or managed by private citizens. The IBA program is not a regulatory initiative and places no restriction on land use or activities. Audubon staff work with managers of IBAs to support bird and habitat monitoring, habitat management, and education and advocacy efforts focused on birds. Virtually every conservation planning entity in the state recognizes that IBAs are priority sites for long-term protection. The IBA program has become a dynamic "blueprint for conservation" in North Carolina.

Explore the Important Bird Areas of North Carolina
Important Bird Areas

Explore the Important Bird Areas of North Carolina

Audubon North Carolina has released a new edition of Important Bird Areas of North Carolina, a full-color publication with detailed descriptions of North Carolina’s most critical bird habitats. 

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Saving Important Bird Areas
Important Bird Areas

Saving Important Bird Areas

Saving our Important Bird Areas (IBA) is a strategic initiative serving as a conservation blueprint identifying areas that are of critical importance to priority bird species. 

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Adopt an Important Bird Area
Important Bird Areas

Adopt an Important Bird Area

Want to get involved in an exciting community science project? Read more about how you can help monitor North Carolina's irreplaceable bird habitats.

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Click Here to Explore Infographic

We focus on where conservation actions are possible, and where protections can be secured, habitats restored or threats reduced.

Learn More About Some NC Important Bird Areas

Monkey Island IBA

Monkey Island IBA

Outer Banks and Inshore Ocean IBA
Important Bird Areas

Outer Banks and Inshore Ocean IBA

Alligator River Lowlands IBA
Important Bird Areas

Alligator River Lowlands IBA

Grandfather Mountain IBA
Important Bird Areas

Grandfather Mountain IBA

Beacon Island IBA
Important Bird Areas

Beacon Island IBA

Highlands Plateau IBA
Important Bird Areas

Highlands Plateau IBA

New River Corridor IBA
Important Bird Areas

New River Corridor IBA

Bald Head - Smith Island IBA
Important Bird Areas

Bald Head - Smith Island IBA

Masonboro Island IBA
Important Bird Areas

Masonboro Island IBA

Bull Creek IBA
Important Bird Areas

Bull Creek IBA

Pungo-Pocosin Lakes IBA
Important Bird Areas

Pungo-Pocosin Lakes IBA

Lea-Hutaff Island IBA
Important Bird Areas

Lea-Hutaff Island IBA

Amphibolite Mountains IBA
Important Bird Areas

Amphibolite Mountains IBA

Currituck Marshes-Pine Island IBA
Important Bird Areas

Currituck Marshes-Pine Island IBA

Important Bird Area Posts

Expansion of Eastern NC Refuge Would Bring Critical Bird Habitat into Conservation
News

Expansion of Eastern NC Refuge Would Bring Critical Bird Habitat into Conservation

By Brittany Salmons

Audubon and our members backed the proposed expansion of a refuge that supports the highest density of nesting birds in our state.

Vegetation Management on the Cape Fear River Pays Off
Eco-Friendly Habitat Management

Vegetation Management on the Cape Fear River Pays Off

Through tilling and herbicide treatment, Audubon NC was able to transform these jungle-like islands into ideal open sand nesting grounds for oystercatchers and terns.

Posting Sites for the 2017 Coastal Nesting Season
Coast

Posting Sites for the 2017 Coastal Nesting Season

Working to protect nesting birds at coastal posting sites from human disturbance

Warwick Mill Bay is Forever Protected for Wildlife Preservation
Conservation

Warwick Mill Bay is Forever Protected for Wildlife Preservation

Nonprofits Band Together to Preserve One of North Carolina’s Last Undisturbed Bays

Important Bird Areas

Important Bird Areas of NC Infographic

Mountain Region IBAs
Important Bird Areas

Mountain Region IBAs

Partnerships Advance Conservation at Grandfather Mountain State Park
Conservation

Partnerships Advance Conservation at Grandfather Mountain State Park

Through long-standing partnerships, many groups have contributed to the wealth of data collected at the Grandfather Mountain State Park and IBA.

Great Dismal Swamp IBA Offers Protection to Endangered Birds
Conservation

Great Dismal Swamp IBA Offers Protection to Endangered Birds

Visiting the Dismal Swamp State Park can help researchers understand the birds of the Great Dismal Swamp IBA and continue to protect the priority forest block.

Elk Knob State Park Hosts Golden-winged Warbler Research
Important Bird Areas

Elk Knob State Park Hosts Golden-winged Warbler Research

Where the Amphibolites IBA overlaps with the Elk Knob State Park, land provides public access to rare Golden-winged Warblers.

State Parks and Important Bird Areas Offer Protection for NC Birds
Important Bird Areas

State Parks and Important Bird Areas Offer Protection for NC Birds

We're joining the centennial celebration! See how the NC State Parks system overlaps with our Important Bird Areas to help protect NC birds across the state.

How you can help, right now