Sharing the shore with birds

A least tern sits on her eggs in a scrape on Santa Rosa Island, Florida.

NPS/Willis

Each year, beginning in February and ending in late summer, the Gulf Islands National Seashore provides an important habitat for several species of ground-nesting shorebirds including, least terns, snowy plovers, Wilson’s plovers, and black skimmers.

Did you know there are threats to shorebirds besides animal predators?
Adult birds and their tiny chicks are sometimes struck by vehicles while crossing roadways to access feeding and resting areas. Also, human or pet intrusion into nesting closures can cause birds to take flight and nests to be abandoned.

Here are some tips on how you can recreate responsibly and share the shore with shorebirds.

- Observe the posted speed limit of 25 mph during shorebird season.
- When biking, hiking, or driving watch for birds in the roadway
- Obey pet rules, no animals on the beach or in the water anywhere in the park
- Do not enter a roped-off area
- Never pick up eggs or shorebirds, leave them where they are
- Dispose of trash in approved dumpsters (leave no trace)

Park staff monitor beaches for nesting activity and temporarily sign and close areas as needed. The areas with shorebird closures are as follows: In Florida, Fort Pickens Area, Santa Rosa Area, Perdido Key Area, and Okaloosa Area in Florida; In Mississippi, Ship Island, Cat Island, Horn Island, Petit Bois Island, and West Petit Bois Island.

For a list of shorebirds in Gulf Island visit Birds - Gulf Islands National Seashore (U.S. National Park Service)

Warning: Beware of adult birds will often dive at intruders to drive them away from the colony as a protection behavior. Alarmed birds may then fly low across the road and into the paths of an oncoming vehicle. If visitors find themselves besieged by birds, it means that they are near an unmarked nesting area or young chicks. Please leave the area by back-tracking your steps - the eggs are very small, well camouflaged, and hard to see.