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Bird Conservation
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Important Bird Areas
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GEORGIA'S IMPORTANT BIRD AREAS PROGRAM
2007 Goals of the Georgia IBA Program:
- Submit and receive NFWF grant and matching sources for on-the-ground conservation program
- Place all site information in National Audubon's IBA database
- Nominate select Georgia sites for Global IBA recognition
- Continue to build partnerships, resources and programming to benefit birds and their habitats in Georgia
Ossabaw Island Recognized! Click here to read about the recent event.Georgia's Important Bird Areas Program, in existence since 2000 and funded primarily through the Atlanta Audubon Society, with support from the Albany, Augusta-Aiken, Coastal Georgia, Columbus, Ocmulgee, Oconee Rivers, Ogeechee Audubon Societies, and the Georgia Ornithological Society, has identified 49 IBAs and has recognized a dozen of these through dedication ceremonies.The program's current emphasis is on monitoring the bird populations at these sites, with the help of birders from local Audubon Chapters, and improving the survey methods used in assessing bird numbers at these sites. We are also researching and evaluating the implementation of a Conservation Program on select priority species and Georgia IBA sites.The IBA program in Georgia has partnered with many conservation groups throughout the state, including the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, federal agencies such as U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. Geological Survey, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and non-profit organizations such as The Nature Conservancy, Forest Watch, Georgia Ornithological Society, and many others.Our mission is to identify, monitor, conserve and enhance bird habitats in Georgia.Updated 15 June 2007
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Photo by Dan Vickers, Georgia IBA Advisory Committee
| Name: |
Altamaha River Delta |
| State: |
US-GA |
| Counties: |
Glynn, McIntosh
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| Site Status: |
Recognized |
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Birders on Ossabaw Island
The Altamaha River Delta found at the mouth of Georgia's largest river, includes sand spit and barrier islands to the north and south (Blackbeard, Sapelo, Wolf, Egg, Little Egg, and Little St. Simons Islands). Prominent features include extensive barrier beaches, dunes, maritime forest, and salt marshes.
These islands provide exceptional sites for breeding,wintering, and migratory waterbirds and the surrounding waters and wetlands provide a readily available food source. In addition the islands and their associated habitats serve as resting stops for migrating shorebirds, waterbirds, and landbirds. These habitats often contain high concentrations of Partners-in-Flight target species such as Painted Bunting, and Georgia priority species such as Royal Tern (nesting: 18,000), Brown Pelican (nesting: 5,000), Gull-billed Tern (nesting: 80), Sandwich Tern (nesting: 600), American Oystercatcher (mig./winter: 250), Red Knot (mig. 5000), Dunlin (mig. 1500), Piping Plover (mig./winter: 65), Wood Stork (nesting: 30), and Black Skimmer (nesting: 400).
As with many aquatic environments this site and the wildlife it supports faces a number of threats: pollution from farm pesticides and industrial wastes along Altamaha River, disturbances from human recreational activities, and hydrologic changes from water withdrawal. As an example of many on-going projects designed to protect this fragile environment, the state recently passed legislation to limit the recreational activities on the islands used for nesting (e.g., Little Egg Is. Bar), including the restriction of dogs on the beaches.
| Contact: |
| Charlie Muise |
368 Eady Creek Road
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| Barnesville, GA 30204 |
| phone: 678-967-9924 |
| email: cmmbirds@yahoo.com
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