Audubon North Carolina is working across the state to protect birds where they are now and where they are predicted to be in the future as they react to the effects of climate change. Our overarching goals include reducing greenhouse gas emissions and helping birds become more resilient and ready to adapt to our changing climate.

Our existing conservation programs sustain birds and protect the habitats they need. These initiatives will become even more important as our birds struggle to adapt to new environmental conditions.

Important Bird Areas

96 Important Bird Areas have been identified across North Carolina as vital regions our birds need to thrive. These regions are locally and globally significant areas that provide the right mix of resources including habitat and food.

Bird-Friendly Communities

Bird conservation begins at home, and with Bird-Friendly Communities, Audubon educates individuals about the small, simple actions every bird lover can take in your own backyard. From putting up a nest box for the climate endangered Brown-headed Nuthatch to planting a bird-friendly native plant like the spicebush, everyone can do their part to create connected habitats birds need to thrive.

Putting Working Lands to Work

Each summer, Golden-winged Warblers flock to the higher elevations of Western North Carolina for nesting season. Audubon’s team of field biologists, through the Working Lands initiative, work with resident landowners to preserve young forests this warbler needs for nesting.

Sharing Our Seas and Shores

The Coastal program takes a full life-cycle approach to the conservation of coastal birds by focusing on the protection of key sites and habitats that shore-dependent birds require at critical points in their annual cycle.

As sea level rise is predicted to increase over the next century, coastal habitats will be increasingly important to sustaining our coastal birds like the Brown Pelican.

Donal C. O’Brien, Jr. Sanctuary and Audubon Center in Corolla

As the Outer Banks continues to see the effects of development, habitat fragmentation and sea level rise, Audubon has preserved 3,000 acres of land and marsh to serve as a bird and wildlife sanctuary on the Currituck Sound. The Donal C. O’Brien, Jr. Sanctuary campus will serve as a living research facility where conservationists can study and test new methods related to water quality and sea level rise to sustain habitats for climate imperiled waterfowl like the American Black Duck.