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Important Bird Areas |
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NORTH
CAROLINA’S IMPORTANT BIRD AREAS PROGRAM Audubon
North Carolina has completed the initial identification phase of the Important
Bird Areas Program. Ninety sites have been identified to date. We are
very pleased to now have full GIS capabilities, including hardware, software
and printing, in our Wilmington office. To launch the GIS component of
the IBA program, we had the assistance of a full-time summer intern who
was extremely knowledgeable about GIS mapping and data analysis. Donald
Auer, a graduate student at Duke University and expert GIS technician,
completed the initial phase of mapping all North Carolina IBAs. After
mapping all IBAs, we analyzed existing land cover and habitat data to
review areas with habitat types known to support significant populations
of endangered, threatened, special concern or WatchList species. From
this we identified several potential IBAs that had not been identified
during the nomination and review process. Assemblages of birds within
these potential IBAs will be verified through on-the-ground surveys. When
completed, we will have a thorough assessment of all IBAs and potential
IBAs. The
second phase of the NC IBA program has focused on monitoring and conservation.
We are pleased to report that great progress has been made in the conservation
of 2 key IBAs. Bullhead Mountain, the key component of the Bullhead-Mahogany
Rock IBA, has been purchased and will be protected forever. On the coast,
we have secured permanent protection of 30% of Lea Island and expect to
acquire the remaining acreage within the next 12 months. At the same time
we continue to protect and manage critical habitats for birds on the adjacent
Hutaff Island. We
were pleased to launch the first season of a long-term biological monitoring
program for both Lea and Hutaff Islands. To carry out these programs,
we hired two biological technicians. Beginning in May, at the start of
the seabird and shorebird nesting season, we initiated a program to locate
all nests of terns, skimmers, oystercatchers, plovers and willets on the
island. Nesting areas were posted, roped off, and monitored throughout
the season. A peak of incubation nest census was conducted for each species.
For selected species (Least Tern, Black Skimmer, Piping Plover) we marked
and monitored nesting success. Weekly shorebird and waterbird surveys
will continue through the winter. Beginning
in late August, migrating raptors passing Bullhead Mountain and Mahogany
Rock IBA and Pilot Mountain IBA were recorded 3-7 days each week. Compiling
raptor migration data from both Bullhead-Mahogany Rock and Pilot Mountain
enables us to develop a more complete picture of raptor migration through
the NC Mountains. It
is our goal to publish a summary of North Carolina's IBAs on our Audubon
North Carolina web site. This will make the information widely available
to all interested parties and will enable us to update the information
on a regular basis. To date, 75% of the site summaries have been completed
for NC IBAs. We will include a list of all IBAs, along with maps, site
summaries, and other pertinent information on the web site. We expect
to have the IBA web site available by year's end. To
Learn More About Audubon North Carolina’s Contact:
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