Dredging Operations Technical Support Program. Colonial Waterbird Habitats and Nesting Populations in North Carolina Estuaries: 1983 Survey

As part of the Dredged Material Research Program, a research project conducted in 1975 demonstrated that colonial waterbirds were using dredged material islands in North Carolina estuaries as nesting sites. At that time, most dredged material islands were not diked. Subsequent research in 1976 and 1977 demonstrated further that most colonial waterbirds nesting in North Carolina were utilizing dredged material islands as nesting sites. Research during that same time period also demonstrated that the practice of diking dredged material islands, a practice just coming into regular use in North Carolina, created islands quite different from undiked islands. The study indicated that overall nesting populations of colonial waterbirds have increased since 1977, and populations have dramatically increased on dredged material islands. A total of 87 island sites were utilized in 1983, compared with 97 island sites in 1977, a 10-percent decline. these are disturbing colonial waterbirds in North Carolina estuaries.