Audubon News

1) The Grand Canyon National Park-Yaki and Lipan Points (Grand National Park), key raptor migration route, primary observation points, and foraging habitat.
Town: Grand Canyon Village
County: Coconino
Contact: Scott Wilbor, AZ IBA (520) 206-9900

2) The Upper San Pedro River (San Pedro National Conservation Area, BLM), key breeding and migratory habitat for riparian associated species.
Town: Sierra Vista
County: Cochise
Contact: Scott Wilbor, AZ IBA (520) 206-9900

3) The Lower Colorado River/Mittry Lake Complex (Imperial National Wildlife Refuge, USFWS, and Mittry Lake Wildlife Area, AZGFD), key habitat for breeding and wintering waterfowl and wintering sandhill cranes.
Town: Yuma
County: Yuma
Contact: Scott Wilbor, AZ IBA (520) 206-9900

4) The Upper Santa Cruz River/Kino Springs (Various owners, including Tumacacori National Historic Park, NPS), key breeding and migratory habitat for riparian associated species.
Town: Tubac
County: Santa Cruz
Contact: Scott Wilbor, AZ IBA (520) 206-9900

5) The Verde River (Prescott and Tonto National Forest, USFS), key river corridor for riparian associated breeding birds and nesting bald eagles.
Town: Childs
County: Yavapai and Maricopa
Contact: Scott Wilbor, AZ IBA (520) 206-9900

1) San Jacinto Valley
Cities within or adjacent to site: Perris, Hemet, San Jacinto
County: Riverside
Significance: Quite simply one of the most important bird areas in southern California, the San Jacinto Wildlife Area support one of the few remaining southern California breeding colonies of White-faced Ibis, as well as Least Bittern, rails and hundreds of pairs of Tricolored and Yellow-headed Blackbird.
Contact: Daniel S. Cooper (323) 254-0252 dcooper1@pacbell.net

2) Elkhorn Slough
Cities within or adjacent to site: Castroville, Prunedale, Watsonville Monterey
Significance: Elkhorn Slough ecosystem is one of the richest estuaries in the state. Designated a National Estuarine Research Reserve (one of three in the state), it is a critical wintering and stopover site for shorebirds along the Pacific Flyway – any damp spot in the area can be filled with shorebirds during fall migration, and numbers have exceeded 30,000 individuals.
Contact: Daniel S. Cooper (323) 254-0252 dcooper1@pacbell.net

3) South San Francisco Bay
Cities within or adjacent to site: San Leandro, San Lorenzo, Hayward, Union City, Newark, Fremont, Milpitas, Santa Clara, Sunnyvale, Mountain View, Palo Alto, Redwood City, Foster City
Contra Costa/Alameda/Santa Clara/San Mateo
Significance: Most of the global population of the endemic Alameda Song Sparrow falls within this IBA. Surveys in the tidal marshes only on Don Edwards S.F. Bay NWR lands have estimated 600 California Clapper Rails (at least 60% of the global population of this taxa).
Contact: Daniel S. Cooper (323) 254-0252 dcooper1@pacbell.net

4) South Fork Kern River Valley
Cities within or adjacent to site: none (Weldon)
Kern
Significance: This IBA is best known for supporting one of a handful of large populations of Yellow-billed Cuckoo left in the western U.S. (ave. 40 birds/summer). It is the metropolis of the Kern Red-winged Blackbird, a poorly-known race confined to the lower Kern River watershed, and supports California’s largest population of Summer Tanager, with an estimated 80 birds summering.
Contact: Daniel S. Cooper (323) 254-0252 dcooper1@pacbell.net

5) Starr Ranch Area
Cities within or adjacent to site: Rancho Santa Margarita
Orange
Significance: This once-remote corner of Orange Co. lies southeast of the Orange County Wilderness Parks IBA and north of the Southern NCCP Planning Area IBA (see above), and supports strong populations of foothill species, including breeding Golden Eagle, Long-eared and Spotted (higher elevations) owls, Purple Martin and Bell’s Sage Sparrow.
Contact: Daniel S. Cooper (323) 254-0252 dcooper1@pacbell.net

1) Pawnee National Grassland
Weld County
Nearest communities -- Greeley, Fort Collins
Significance: This IBA is one of the main breeding grounds in the world for Mountain Plovers a WatchList species. The Chalk Bluffs area is habitat for many raptors, including Ferruginous Hawk, Swainson’s Hawk, and Prairie Falcon. Significant concentrations of waterfowl, shorebirds, raptors, and landbirds are also found at this site.
Contact: Kris Cafaro, kcafaro@audubon.org

2) Comanche National Grassland
Baca County
Nearest communities -- Springfield
Significance: This site contains more than 25% of the Lesser Prairie-Chicken population in Colorado, and possibly greater than 5% of the total population of Lesser Prairie-Chickens. This species is considered Threatened in Colorado. The site also provides important breeding habitat for grassland bird species.
Contact: Kris Cafaro, kcafaro@audubon.org

3) Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge
Jackson County
Nearest communities -- Walden
Significance: The main focus of the refuge is nesting habitat for migratory birds, and 198 species of birds have been recorded on the refuge. The refuge was created in 1967 to offset loss of nesting habitat for migratory birds in the prairie wetland region of the Midwest. The upland hills harbor sage grouse year around with a winter population of more than 200 birds. Golden eagles, several species of hawks, and an occasional prairie falcon circle the skies above the refuge in search of food.
Contact: Kris Cafaro, kcafaro@audubon.org

4) Rocky Mountain National Park
Larimer, Grand, and Boulder Counties
Nearest communities -- Estes Park, Fort Collins, Boulder
Significance: Observers have recorded 260 species of birds at the site, including several threatened species, species of special concern, and species of high conservation priority.
Contact: Kris Cafaro, kcafaro@audubon.org

1) Quaker Ridge Hawkwatch at the Audubon Center in Greenwich
Town: Greenwich
County: Fairfield
Significance: Candidate Global IBA Over 20,000 raptors annually, including 10,000-15,000 Broad-winged Hawks per year.
Contact: Patrick Comins, 203/264-5098

2) Falkner Island
Town: Guilford
County: New Haven
Significance: Candidate Global IBA 3% of western North Atlantic Roseate Tern population. 3500 Prs Common Terns.
Contact: Patrick Comins, 203/264-5098

3) Lighthouse Point Park
Town: New Haven
County: New Haven
Significance: Candidate Global IBA, 20,000-30,000 raptors/season, Exceptional #'s of migratory landbirds.
Contact: Patrick Comins, 203/264-5098

1) Corkscrew Swamp Ecosystem Watershed
County: Collier County
Nearest Community: Naples
Significance: Last year had over 1700 pairs of breeding Wood Storks.
Contact: Bill Pranty 305/371-6399

2) Everglades National Park
Counties: Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties
Nearest Community: Miami is nearest large community (30 miles away), Homestead/Florida City areright outside the park boundaries
Significance: May currently contain the entire worlds population of Cape Sable Seaside Sparrows, as well as significant populations of many wading bird species, and a total of at least 343 species of birds.
Contact: Bill Pranty 305/371-6399

3) Kissimmee Prairie
County: Okeechobee County
Nearest Community: Okeechobee
Significance: Holds a significant portion of the worlds population of the Florida Grasshopper Sparrow.
Contact: Bill Pranty 305/371-6399

4) Apalachicola National Forest
Counties: Liberty, Franklin, and Wakulla, and Leon Counties
Nearest Community: Tallahassee
Significance: Holds 20% of the worlds population of Red-cockaded Woodpeckers
Contact: Bill Pranty 305/371-6399

5) Lake Wales Ridge Ecosystem
County: Highlands, Polk, Osceola & Lake counties
Nearest Communities: Sebring & Lake Wales
Significance: Holds more than 6% of the worlds population of Florida Scrub-Jays
Contact: Bill Pranty 305/371-6399

1) Okenfenokee NWR
Counties: Charleton, Ware, and Clinch
Nearest communities: Waycross and Folkston
Significance: This huge area of wetlands and mixed forests in southern Georgia is the site for nesting sandhill cranes, red-cockaded woodpeckers, swallow-tailed kites, king rails, bitterns, and other priority species. Exceptionally high numbers of wood storks, prothonotary warblers, and northern parulas have also been recorded here.
Contact: Jim Wilson, 404/873-30342) Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park
County: Cobb
Nearest communities: Kennesaw and Marietta
Significance: This prominent landmark, with its forest covering and location just northwest of Atlanta, is the most significant site in the state for migrating warblers to come together and feed, apparently due to its visibility as the first small mountain to be seen coming from south Georgia. In particular, cerulean warblers are more numerous here during migration than at any other site in Georgia, but dozens of warblers of 37 species also use it extensively.
Contact: Jim Wilson, 404/873-3034

2) Altamaha River Delta
Counties: McIntosh and Glynn Counties
Nearest community: Darien
Significance: This coastal area is the site of many islands, dunes, Maritime forest, beachs, and saltmarsh habitats. As the mouth of Georgia's largest river, it harbors safe refuges for migrating waterbirds including royal terns (18,000), brown pelicans (5000), red knots (5000), and piping plovers (65) and many, many others
Contact: Jim Wilson, 404/873-3034

3) Cumberland Island NS
County: Camden
Nearest community: St. Mary's
Significance: This coastal island is a National Seashore with miles of beaches, dunes, and scrubs as feeding areas for migrating birds. Many thousands of birds use this area to stop and feed along the Atlantic Flyway including warblers, ducks, gulls, sandpipers, plovers, and cormorants to name just a few.
Contact: Jim Wilson, 404/873-3034

1) Assateague Island
Worcester County
Berlin, MD / Assateague Island
Significance: The beaches on this barrier island provide an important stopover point for thousands of shorebirds that migrate along the Atlantic coast. During the summer breeding season, its dunes and tidal marshes provide essential nesting habitat for several threatened and endangered bird species.
Rick Kearney, (410) 745-9283 rickkear@home.com

2) Blackwater NWR
Dorchester County
Seward, MD
Significance: The Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge on Maryland's Eastern Shore contains an extensive complex of marshes, swamps, and upland areas. It provides nesting habitat for several threatened and endangered bird species, as well as an important waterfowl migration stopover and overwintering site.
Rick Kearney, (410) 745-9283 rickkear@home.com

3) C&O Canal
District of Columbia and Montgomery County, MD
Significance: The C&O Canal National Historical Park forms a long, narrow corridor that follows the Maryland shore of the Potomac River north from Washington, D.C. It provides nesting habitat for a variety of birds and a migration corridor through the piedmont region.
Rick Kearney, (410) 745-9283 rickkear@home.com

4) Hart-Miller Island
Baltimore County
Baltimore, MD
Significance: Hart-Miller Island, located in the Chesapeake Bay, is accessible only by boat. It is the site of a dredged material disposal facility that routinely attracts tens of thousands of waterfowl, shorebirds, and gulls during spring and fall migration.
Rick Kearney, (410) 745-9283 rickkear@home.com

5) Eastern Neck NWR
Kent County
Rock Hall, MD
Significance: Eastern Neck NWR, located at the mouth of the Chester River on the Chesapeake Bay, is a major feeding and resting place for migratory and wintering waterfowl.
Rick Kearney, (410) 745-9283 rickkear@home.com

1) Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge.
County: Jackson
Nearest city: Pascagoula
Significance: The refuge, a large remnant of the native wet pine savanna habitat, is a major wintering site for Henslow’s Sparrows and other winter grassland birds, including Yellow Rails. The refuge also harbors the last population of Mississippi Sandhill Cranes (about 100 birds of this subspecies left in the world).
Bruce Reid (601)629-6621 mailto:breid@audubon.org

2) Pascagoula River Wildlife Management Area.
County: Jackson and George
Nearest city: Lucedale and Moss Point
Significance: The state-owned land stretches along 50 miles of the Pascagoula, the largest, free-flowing, essentially unfragmented river system in the lower 48 states. The area supports up to nearly 200 Swallow-tailed Kites in the spring and summer and provides an important forested corridor for Neotropical birds during spring and fall migrations across the Gulf of Mexico.
Bruce Reid (601)629-6621 mailto:breid@audubon.org

3) Yazoo National Wildlife Refuge
County: Washington
Nearest city: Greenville
Significance: The refuge is an island of wetland and bottomland forest habitat in a sea of intense agriculture in the Mississippi Delta. Yazoo and other refuges in the Delta harbor large populations of wintering waterfowl and provide habitat for nesting and post-breeding wading birds.
Contact: Bruce Reid (601)629-6621 mailto:breid@audubon.org

1) Otero and Cedro Canyons
County: Bernalillo County
Nearest Community: Tijeras
Significance: The primary importance of this site is during the breeding season. Black-throated Gray Warbler relative abundance here far exceeds the highest abundance on any New Mexico Breeding Bird Survey. The area also contains high densities of Gray Flycatcher, Western Bluebird, Pygmy Nuthatch, Grace's Warbler and Virginia's Warbler - all New Mexico Partners in Flight priority species.
Contact: Christopher Rustay (505)828-9455 crustay@rt66.com

2) Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge
County: Chaves County
nearest town: Roswell, NM
Significance: Average 5-8 pairs of Interior Least Tern breed, 5,000 - 15,000 wintering lesser Sandhill Cranes, 5,000 - 15,000 wintering Snow/Ross's Geese, 6,000-10,000 ducks with approximately 1/2 composed of Northern Pintail.

3) Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge
County: Socorro County
nearest town: Socorro, NM
Significance: Average wintering numbers of 20,000 Snow Geese, 12,000 Sandhill Crane, 35,000 ducks (primarily dabblers)

4) Gila River
County: Grant County
nearest town: Silver City , NM
Significance: Highest density of breeding birds (excluding colonial nesting species) ever documented by spot-mapping in the United States. The largest population of endangered Southwestern Willow Flycatcher, high densities of Yellow-billed Cuckoo and Lucy's Warbler.

5) Elephant Butte Lake
County: Sierra County
nearest town: Truth or Consequences, NM
Significance: Contains high numbers of wintering waterbirds including 17,000 Aechmophorus grebes (both Clark's and Western), over 2,000 gulls, and 3,000-5,000 ducks, geese and cranes. Depending on water levels may host 100's of shorebirds.
Contacts :
Bill West - discovered and documented the birds on the Ruby Ranch in San Miguel Co. near Las Vegas, NM. This provided enough information to include it as a New Mexico IBA in the first round of nominations.
(505) 473-2780
wingswes@aol.com
Steve West - has birded in Eddy Co. since he was a boy. Has been banding Cave Swallows at the Natural Entrance to Carlsbad Caverns National Park for over fifteen years (a NM IBA) and has documented the birdlife at a number of other NM IBA's in Eddy Co. including Phantom Banks heronry, Rattlesnake Springs, Six-Mile Dam and Lagunas Uno y Dos.
wthrswift@carlsbadnm.com
(505) 885-3636

1) Braddock Bay
Nearest Community: Rochester
Significance: The Braddock Bay is well-known as having one of the world's largest spring hawk flights (144,000 counted in 1996). Banding efforts have shown the area also to be an important owl migration point with an average of 100 Northern Saw-whet Owls and 35 Long-eared Owls banded each spring from 1985-1995. Woodlands in the area are known to host large numbers and a great variety of songbirds
Contact: Jillian Butler, (607) 254-2437 jbutler@Audubon.org

2) Great Gull Island
Lake Ontario
Significance: This is one of the most important tern nesting areas in the world, with the largest breeding colony of Roseate Terns in North America (1500 pairs in 1996, 45% of northeast North American population) and one of the largest colonies of Common Terns (8000 pair in 1995, 7750 in 1996, 40-45% of state population) as well.
Contact: Jillian Butler, (607) 254-2437 jbutler@Audubon.org

3) Jamaica Bay Complex
Counties: Queens and Kings
Nearest Communities: Rockaway, Howard Beach
Significance: This is a critical saltwater wetland habitats supporting a renowned abundance and diversity of shorebirds, waterfowl, gulls, terns, and other species. During migration the site hosts 600-1200 Black-bellied Plovers (1% or more of North American population), 200-1600 Red Knots (1% or more of eastern flyway population), and 35 or more other shorebird species. The beaches are breeding sites for 20-30 (22 in 1996) pairs of Piping Plovers (1% or more of east coast population, 9% of state population), 2000-3000 (2078 in 1996, 2737 in 1995) pairs of Common Terns (1% or more of east coast population, 11-16% of state population), 30-80 (38 in 1996, 77 in 1995) pairs of Forester's Terns, 70-200 (73 in 1996, 189 in 1994) pairs of Least Terns (2-7% of state population), 2-4 pairs of Roseate Terns, 190-250 (250 in 1996) pairs of Black Skimmers (51% of state population), and 4500-6000 (5830 in 1995) pairs of Laughing Gulls (99% of state population).
Contact: Jillian Butler, (607) 254-2437 jbutler@Audubon.org

4) Niagara River Corridor
Nearest Communities: Buffalo, Niagara Falls
The Niagara River annually supports one of the world's most spectacular concentrations of gulls, with 19 species recorded and one-day counts of over 100,000 individuals. The site is particularly noteworthy as a migratory stop-over and wintering site for Bonaparte's Gulls, with one-day counts of 10,000-50,000 individuals (2-10% of the world population). Herring Gull one-day counts vary from 10,000-50,000 and Ring-billed Gull one-day counts vary from 10,000-20,000. The river also hosts a remarkable diversity and abundance of waterfowl.
Contact: Jillian Butler, (607) 254-2437 jbutler@Audubon.org

5) Northern Montezuma Wetlands
Nearest Communities: Seneca Falls, Syracuse, Ithaca
Significance: These wetland habitats support an abundance and diversity of wetland-dependent species, as well as one of the largest migratory concentrations of waterfowl in the Northeast. Over 500,000 Canada Geese pass through the complex each migration period. During spring migration, 15,000 Snow Geese regularly use the area. In late fall, Mallard numbers peak at 100,000 and American Black Ducks at 25,000 or more. Montezuma is also one of the most significant stopover and foraging locations for shorebirds in upstate New York, regularly hosting 1000 or more individuals of 25 species.
Contact: Jillian Butler, (607) 254-2437 jbutler@Audubon.org

1) Battery Island
Brunswick County
Southport, NC
Significance: One of the largest colonies of White Ibis on Atlantic Coast with approximately 15,000 nesting pairs.
Contact: Walker Golder, (910) 798-8376

2) Lea-Hutaff Islands
Pender County
near Wilmington, NC
Significance: One of last remaining undisturbed barrier beach islands with significant tidal marsh habitat. Has colonies of nesting Black Skimmers, Common Terns, Least Terns, Wilson’s Plover, American Oystercatcher. Supports numbers of wintering American Black Ducks (Watchlist), Piping Plovers (Threatened), Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow (Watchlist).
Contact: Walker Golder, (910) 798-8376

3) Cape Hatteras National Seashore-Pea Island NWR
Dare County
Manteo, NC
Significance: Important site for nesting, wintering, and migratory shorebirds and waterbirds, waterfowl, and migratory landbirds. Supports over 100,000 shorebirds in migration including peak counts of up to 20,000 Least Sandpipers. Waterfowl numbers in winter exceed 20,000 including hundreds of American Black Ducks (Watchlist). Area has one of highest concentrations of wintering gulls in the region.
Contact: Walker Golder, (910) 798-8376

4) Pocosin Lakes
Washington-Hyde-Tyrell Counties
near Plymouth, NC
Significance: Critically important waterfowl wintering area supporting up to 100,000 waterfowl including as many as 30,000 Tundra Swans and 25,000 Snow Geese.
Contact: Walker Golder, (910) 798-8376

5) Great Smoky Mountains
Swain & Haywood Counties
near Bryson City, NC
Significance: The largest undisturbed high elevation forest tract in the Southern Appalachians at 250,000 acres in North Carolina including 80% of the spruce-fir forest in the Southern Appalachians. Large populations of Black-throated Blue Warblers (Watchlist), Golden-winged Warbler (Watchlist), Worm-eating Warbler (Watchlist), as well as Saw-whet Owl, Red Crossbill, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker.
Contact: Walker Golder, (910) 798-8376

1) Magee Marsh / Crane Creek / Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge (Contiguous large sites)
County: Ottawa County
Nearest Community: Oak Harbor
Significance: This Important Bird Area forms the most essential wetland complex in the Lake Erie Marsh region, which allows waterbirds and songbirds to flourish. Major waterfowl species include: Mallard, American Black Duck, American Widgeon, and Canada Goose. Rafts of waterfowl, up to 100,000 individuals, are present offshore in winter. During migration Tundra Swans pass through along with thousands of neotropical migrants. This IBA probably provides the most important migratory staging area in the state for these songbirds. Also abundant during the migratory seasons are birds of prey.
Contact: John Ritzenthaler (614)224-3303, ext. 13 jritzenthaler@Audubon.org

1) Presque Isle State Park
Erie County
Nearest Community: Erie
Significance: supports up to 100,000 waterfowl
Contact: Steve Hoffman, (717)213-6880 shoffman@audubon.org

2) Mount Zion - Piney Tract
County: Clarion County
Nearest Community: northeast of Pittsburgh
Significance: Supports largest Henslow's Sparrow breeding population in the state with approximately 1,000 pairs as well as an estimated 1,000 pairs of Grasshopper Sparrows.
Contact: Steve Hoffman, (717)213-6880 shoffman@audubon.org

3) Kittatiny Ridge
Counties: various
Significance: More than 20,000 raptors pass by here every fall with upwards of 200 Golden Eagles annually. The Kittatinny Ridge funnels tens of thousands of raptors of 16 species during autumn, and lesser numbers in the spring. In addition, tremendous numbers of passerine species and other birds (hummingbirds, loons, geese, etc.) use the ridge as a migratory corridor during both seasons.
Contact: Steve Hoffman, (717)213-6880 shoffman@audubon.org

4) Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area
Nearest Communities: between York and Lancaster
Significance: Site supports averages of 8,000 Tundra Swans, 50,000 Snow Geese, and 10,000
Canada Geese during spring migration.
Contact: Steve Hoffman, (717)213-6880 shoffman@audubon.org

5) Conejohela Flats
Nearest Communities: between York and Lancaster
Significance: Site supports as many as 17,000 shorebirds in fall migration, 15,000 Tundra Swans and 15,000 Snow Geese in spring migration.
Contact: Steve Hoffman, (717)213-6880 shoffman@audubon.org

6) John Heinz NWR at Tinicum & Mud Island
Nearest Community: Philadelphia
Significance: Site supports average of 2500 Northern Pintail, 3000 Green-winged Teal, 1000 American Black Ducks, 1000 Blue-winged Teal, 10,000 Semipalmated Sandpipers, 500 Pectoral Sandpipers, 100 pairs of Marsh Wren.
Contact: Steve Hoffman, (717)213-6880 shoffman@audubon.org

1) Francis Beidler Forest
County: Berkeley, Dorchester, and Orangeburg
Nearest community: Charleston, SC
Significance: Francis Beidler Forest is the largest virgin blackwater cypress-tupelo swamp forest in the world. This 11,000-acre riverine sanctuary supports one of the highest concentrations of characteristic birds of this habitat including Prothonotary Warbler, Swainson’s Warbler, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Brown-headed Nuthatch and others.
Contact: Norman Brunswig—Director of South Carolina Audubon (843-462-2150), or Ann Shahid—Education Specialist at Francis Beidler Forest and South Carolina IBA committee member (843-462-2150)

2) Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge
County: Charleston
Nearest community: Charleston, SC and Myrtle Beach, SC
Significance: The Refuge is a barrier island/salt marsh habitat extending for 20 miles along the Atlantic Coast. Concentrations of waterfowl, shore birds, wading birds, and raptors with over 337 species of birds found on the refuge. Largest nesting rookery for brown pelicans, terns, and gulls on South Carolina Coast including as many as 1,743 Brown Pelican nests in 1995 and 500 Sandwich Tern nests in 1995.
Contact: Gary Phillips—President, Waccamaw Audubon Society and South Carolina IBA committee member (843-248-4595)

3) Francis Marion National Forest
County: Charleston and Berkeley
Nearest community: Charleston, SC and Myrtle Beach, SC
Significance: Supports the world’s second largest population of Red-cockaded Woodpecker (Endangered) within its 250,000 acres. Significant breeding populations of Swallow-tailed Kite and Bachman’s Sparrow.
Contact: Gary Phillips—President, Waccamaw Audubon Society and South Carolina IBA committee member (843-248-4595)

4) Congaree Swamp National Monument
County: Richland
Nearest community: Columbia, SC
Significance: The Congaree Important Bird Area has the largest remaining old-growth bottomland forest in the country. It has one of the densest breeding populations of Northern Parulas and more than half of the breeding species at Congaree are neotropical migrants. The 1995 bird checklist included 173 species. A winter bird census documented over 2,000 birds per 250 acres, one of the highest wintering bird densities reported in the country. One group of endangered Red-cockaded Woodpeckers occupies an upland pine bluff adjacent to the floodplain.
Contact: Robin Carter—President, Columbia Audubon Society and South Carolina IBA committee member (803-782-8820)
Paul Koehler, South Carolina IBA coordinator, at 803-827-0781

1) Southern Cumberland Mountains
Counties: Morgan, Anderson, Scott, and Campbell Counties
Nearest Community: Wartburg, LaFollette, Caryville, Jacksboro, and Huntsville Counties
Significance: The bird-life of the Southern Cumberland Mountains is particularly rich. The most common species detected on point count routes conducted from 1996 - 2000 included Red-eyed Vireo, Indigo Bunting, Scarlet Tanager, Hooded Warbler, Ovenbird, and Wood Thrush (WatchListed), species expected to be associated with such a heavily forested landscape. The Southern Cumberland Mountains IBA includes significant populations of several species of high conservation concern.
Contact: Troy Ettel (615) 781-6653 tettel@mail.state.tn.us

1) The Bolivar High Island Sanctuaries to the Bolivar Flats Sanctuary -- -- upper Texas coast
County: Galveston
Nearest Community: Galveston, High Island
Both are owned by Houston Audubon Society
Significance: Bolivar Flats is a complex of over 1,000 acres of beach, mudflats and salt marsh facing the Gulf of Mexico. It supports at least 100,000 shorebirds annually, or 15 percent of a species' flyway population.
Contact: Terry Austin, (512) 306-0225 taustin@audubon.org

2) Big Bend National Park – west Texas

2) County: Brewster
Nearest Community: Terlingua or Lajitas (Castalon or Panther Junction inside the park)
Significance: Big Bend is best known for its specialties that occur nowhere else in the United States except within the Chisos Mountains or just within the border country of Texas to Arizona. Such unique birds as the Mexican duck , the Lucifer hummingbird (Watchlist), the Mexican Jay, the black-capped (Endangered) and gray vireos (Watchlist), the Colima warbler (Watchlist), and the varied bunting occur here at different times of the year.
Contact: Terry Austin, (512) 306-0225 taustin@audubon.org

3) Aransas National Wildlife Refuge -- central Texas coast
County: Aransas
Nearest Community: Rockport
Significance: Aransas carries the distinction of having the second highest species count in the National Wildlife Refuge System. A total of 392 species have been recorded at Aransas, a number which results from several factors: the refuge location along the Gulf coast ( major "funneling" area for many species of birds during migration), and the variety of habitats on the refuge, from salt marsh to grassland to oak woodland. Aransas supports the entire world population of the only wild, migratory population of the Whooping Crane—a highly endangered species.
Contact: Terry Austin, (512) 306-0225 taustin@audubon.org

4) Lost Maples State Park -- central Texas
County: Bandera
Nearest Community: Vanderpool
Significance: The park is an outstanding example of Edwards Plateau flora and fauna. It is a combinations of steep, rugged limestone canyons, springs, plateau grasslands, wooded slopes, and clear streams. Rare species of birds, such as the Green Kingfisher, can be seen year-round. The endangered Black-capped Vireo and Golden-cheeked Warbler (Endangered) nest and feed in the park in spring and early summer. Nearly 200 species have been observed at the park.
Contact: Terry Austin, (512) 306-0225 taustin@audubon.org

5) Sabal Palm Audubon Center & Sanctuary and The Lower Rio Grande Valley Wildlife Corridor -- deep south Texas
County: Cameron, Hidalgo, Starr, Zapata
Significance: The Sabal Palm Sanctuary Important Bird Area is home to the Yellow-Green Vireo, Green Jay, Great Kiskadee, Plain Chachalaca, Olive Sparrow, WatchListed Long-billed Thrasher, White-tipped Dove, Couch's Kingbird, and Golden-fronted Woodpecker. In addition the WatchListed Buff-bellied Hummingbird, Olive Sparrow, and Least Grebe that occur here are at the northernmost limit of their Mexican range. While the habitat at Sabal Palm Sanctuary provides critical breeding habitat for many species it also serves as a migratory stopover site, providing many warblers with a place to stop and rest. Some of the migrants are also known to overwinter here.
Nearest Community: Brownsville, McAllen, San Ygnacio
Contact: Terry Austin, (512) 306-0225 taustin@audubon.org

1) Crockett Lake
near Keystone on Whidbey Island
Significance: Supports an average of more than 160,000 shorebirds of 17 species in autumn migration, as well as small numbers of Merlins and Peregrine Falcons.
Contact: Tim Cullinan, (360)786-8020 tcullinan@audubon.org

2) Columbia National Wildlife Refuge
near Othello
Significance: Supports an average of 40,000 waterfowl in autumn migration and in winter, and provides vital wetland and open-water habitat in the desert of the Columbia Plateau.
Contact: Tim Cullinan, (360)786-8020 tcullinan@audubon.org

3) Bowerman Basin
near Hoquiam
Significance: Averages 250,000 shorebirds in spring migration including more than 1% of flyway population of Western Sandpiper and includes Grays Harbor NWR.
Contact: Tim Cullinan, (360)786-8020 tcullinan@audubon.org

4) Protection Island
near Discovery Bay
Significance: Supports one of largest colonies of Rhinocerus Auklet in the world (17,000 pairs) and holds 70% of nesting seabird population of Puget Sound.
Contact: Tim Cullinan, (360)786-8020 tcullinan@audubon.org5) Fitzner-Eberhardt Arid Lands Ecology Reserve
Benton County
near Richland
Significance: The Reserve supports an extraordinary assemblage of breeding birds associated with grassland and shrub-steppe ecosystems, including Ferruginous Hawk, WatchListed Long-billed Curlew, Burrowing Owl, Loggerhead Shrike, Sage Thrasher, WatchListed Brewer's Sparrow,
Contact: Tim Cullinan, (360)786-8020 tcullinan@audubon.org

1) Yellowstone National Park
County: Park County
Nearest Community: Bozeman, Montana
Significance: Yellowstone National Park provides critical habitat for several endangered, threatened and vulnerable species, its habitats contain representative bird communities, and it holds 10,000 or more waterbirds during given times of the year. Some endangered, threatened or vulnerable species congregating in the park include Bald Eagles, Great Gray Owls and nesting Peregrine Falcons. The Park also has one of the most significant American White Pelican colonies in the northern Rockies and is also an important migratory stopover and wintering area for the WatchListed Trumpeter Swan.
Contact: Alison Lyon (307) 371-8779 alyon@audubon.org

2) Seedskadee National Wildlife Refuge
County: Sweetwater County
Nearest Community: Green River
Significance:
Vicki Spencer (307)235-3485 wyoming888@aol.com

3) Bird Island- White Pelican Nesting Colony
County: Carbon County
Nearest Community: Rawlins
Significance:
Vicki Spencer (307)235-3485 wyoming888@aol.com

4) Shamrock Hills Raptor Concentration Area
County: Carbon County
Nearest Community: Rawlins
Vicki Spencer (307)235-3485 wyoming888@aol.com

5) Pathfinder National Wildlife Refuge
Counties: Natrona and Carbon County
Nearest Community: Casper
Significance:
Vicki Spencer (307)235-3485 wyoming888@aol.com