Texas Rookery Island Protection and Stewardship

For more than a century, Audubon Texas has led the protection and management of rookery
islands along the Texas coast. Beginning with the establishment of our first sanctuaries at Green Island and Second Chain Islands in 1923, Audubon Texas now owns or leases 175 islands that provide essential nesting and foraging habitat for colonial waterbirds. These  sanctuaries support more than 26 species, and at least half of the colonial waterbirds that nest along the Texas coast rely on Audubon-leased islands.

In partnership with the Coastal Bend Bays & Estuaries Program, Houston Audubon, and other conservation groups we steward these islands through year-round management. During the nesting season, staff and volunteers patrol islands to reduce disturbance, monitor colony health, and track population trends. In the non-nesting season, we conduct habitat management, erosion mitigation, and restoration work to ensure the islands remain suitable for future nesting.

The Texas coast spans 367 miles and serves as a critical wintering and migratory stopover region for birds traveling thousands of miles. Yet the coastline faces accelerating pressures from erosion and habitat loss to stronger storms and rising sea levels. To meet these challenges, Audubon Texas is committed not only to protecting existing habitats but also to building new bird habitat where natural systems are degrading or disappearing.

Our work aligns with Audubon’s hemispheric conservation goals by safeguarding irreplaceable breeding sites for iconic species like Reddish Egrets and Roseate Spoonbill, and by strengthening coastal resilience for the birds and communities that depend on these ecosystems.