Important Bird Areas: Southeastern Coastal Plain

The sites listed here come from The American Bird Conservancy Guide to the 500 Most Important Bird Areas in the United States (2003). The southeastern coastal plain extends from the south end of the Chesapeake Bay in Virginia down the Atlantic coast through the panhandle of Florida (but not the peninsula) and thence along the Gulf coast to the Mississippi River delta in Louisiana. The coast has numerous riverine swamps and marsh complexes, while the inland portions are dominated by pine forests. Important landbirds of the region include Swallow-tailed Kite, Red-cockaded Woodpecker, Swainson's Warbler, Bachman's Sparrow and Painted Bunting. Shorebirds make use of intertidal habitats during migration and winter, and large colonies of Brown Pelicans and various tern species nest on offshore islands. The coast also shelters nesting and foraging areas for many herons, egrets, ibis and storks, as well as critical wintering habitat for waterfowl, including the Tundra Swan.