 Least tern chicks (DNR)
Georgia’s beaches are not only vacation hotspots, they’re top spots for nesting shorebirds and seabirds, and for migrating species fueling up for long flights to the Arctic.
American oystercatchers, Wilson’s plovers and least terns use sites such as Little Tybee Island, Pelican Spit off Sea Island, Cumberland Island and the southern end of Jekyll Island. Among other species, black skimmer, royal tern and gull-billed tern also nest on beaches and offshore sandbars.
When nesting, human disturbance is a significant threat for these birds, which also face risks from native predators and high spring tides. Pets can be destructive, too, killing or scaring birds.
Visitors to Georgia beaches can help beach-nesting birds and migrating species by:
- Avoiding posted sites.
- Walking below the high-tide line.
- Watching beach birds only from a distance.
- Backing away from any nesting birds they accidentally disturb.
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