Conservation in South Carolina

Our Goals: Protect South Carolina’s birds from habitat loss, climate change, and other human-caused threats—while building healthier, more resilient communities for people and wildlife. 

What we're doing: We’re protecting and restoring critical habitat, reducing threats, and engaging communities through science, advocacy, stewardship, and education to advance Audubon’s Flight Plan and help “Bend the Bird Curve.” 

More than one-third of North America’s bird species are at risk of extinction without urgent conservation action. The leading threats—habitat loss, land-use change, invasive species, and climate disruption—also impact people. When we protect birds, we also safeguard clean air and water, healthy communities, and a resilient economy. 

Audubon South Carolina’s work is guided by Audubon’s Flight Plan, a shared strategic framework to conserve birds across their full migratory flyways. Here in South Carolina, we focus on three priority landscapes: coasts, grasslands and forests, and bird-friendly communities. Together, these habitats support more than 440 bird species throughout the year. 

At our flagship sanctuaries—Francis Beidler Forest and Silver Bluff—we manage and restore critical habitat for species of conservation concern. Fire-managed longleaf pine savannas support declining grassland birds like Bachman’s Sparrow, Eastern Meadowlark, and Northern Bobwhite, while mature forest and wetland edges provide for Red-cockaded Woodpeckers, Brown-headed Nuthatches, and Bald Eagles. Seasonal wetlands and managed ponds offer foraging habitat for Wood Storks and resting sites for migratory species like American Woodcock and Northern Pintail. 

Along the coast, we protect and steward key nesting sites through our Shorebird Stewardship Program, benefiting species such as American Oystercatcher, Piping Plover, Black Skimmer, and Clapper Rail. We’re also advancing high marsh restoration near Cape Romain to support the Black Rail, a secretive bird in steep decline. 

We empower community scientists and support research through programs like Project PROTHO, Climate Watch, and the Christmas Bird Count, which help track long-term trends for vulnerable species such as Rusty Blackbird, Henslow’s Sparrow, and Northern Harrier. We also address ecosystem resilience more broadly through native plant restoration and invasive species control on public and private lands. 

Through our Bird-Friendly Communities initiative, we help South Carolinians take action in their own backyards and neighborhoods. From planting native species and reducing invasive plants, to restoring greenspaces and installing nest boxes, these efforts create critical stopover and year-round habitat for birds like Loggerhead Shrike, Red-headed Woodpecker, and Seaside Sparrow. We also work with municipalities, building owners, and local advocates to reduce threats in the built environment—promoting Lights Out initiatives, bird-safe building design, and public awareness around window collisions. 

Finally, we advocate for science-based policy solutions at the local, state, and federal levels to fund habitat protection, address climate threats, and ensure lasting benefits for both birds and people. 

By acting together we can give South Carolina’s birds a fighting chance in a rapidly changing world, while helping build a more resilient future for us all.