White Ibis • L 25”• Stable • Why Birds are Important of the White, mid-sized wader with long, Breeding Birds Alabama Coast downward-curving, red-orange bill • Bird abundance is an important indicator of the health and legs – juveniles mottled brown of coastal ecosystems • Nests in live and dead vegeta- Tricolored Heron • L 26”• Moderate • Revenue generated by hunting, photography, and Brown Pelican • L 51”• Stable • Large gray- tion • Uses touch-sensitive bill to Conservation Concern, declining • birdwatching helps support the coastal economy in brown bird with distinctive bill and pouch – probe shallow water and soft mud Mid-sized heron; slate gray back and Alabama breeding adults have yellow head with dark in search of food dark breast with contrasting white belly Chuck Tague brown neck• Colonial nesters on islands with • Nests in mixed-species colonies on dense vegetation and low shrubs • Plunge- islands in dense vegetation • Chases Black-bellied Whistling-Duck • L 21”• dives to feed on fish Threats to Coastal Nesting Birds fish through water, crouching low and Moderate Conservation Concern • Goose- Chuck Tague Chuck • Habitat loss from erosion and wetland degradation Chuck Tague quickly stabbing bill to catch prey like duck with long neck and pink legs, pinkish-red bill, black belly, and white eye-ring • Predators such as foxes, coyotes, and feral and free- Least Bittern ▪ 13” ▪ High Conservation • Nests in tree cavities, woody vegetation on Reddish Egret • High Conservation Con- roaming cats that eat eggs and young Concern, declining-limited distribution ▪ islands, and in nest boxes • Feeds on plants cern, rare, limited distribution • Dark morph Small marsh bird; buffy with black cap and seeds in shallow water • Disturbance from humans and their pets has slate-gray body with reddish breast,

and back ▪ Secretive solitary nester in Clipart.com • Entanglement in discarded or lost fishing tackle and reeds or cattails ▪ Stalks through water or neck, and head; white morph completely line, as well as other debris – PLEASE DISCARD FISHING stands on vegetation hunting fish, frogs, white – both have Mottled Duck ▪ L 22” • High Conser- LINE IN APPROPRIATE TRASH CONTAINERS and insects pink bill with black vation Concern, declining-limited John Turner tip; shaggy-looking distribution • Brown dabbling duck

Greg Lavaty plumage • Nests with paler buffy head and dull olive Great Blue Heron • L 46”• Stable • in mixed-species to orange (female) or bright yellow Largest heron – overall gray-blue colonies in low vegetation or on ground bill (male) • Nests in meadows, wet-

with yellowish bill – will extend and – in only one location • Uses quick, erratic Chuck Tague lands, or agricultural areas • Feeds coil long neck • Nests colonially on movements to stir up prey Bill Hubick on seeds and aquatic invertebrates islands in woody shrubs or trees • Wades to feed on a wide variety Cattle Egret • L 20”• Stable • Smallest white Clapper Rail • L 14.5”• Moderate Con- of prey

Chuck Tague egret, with stocky body, short legs, rusty-buff servation Concern, limited distribution • Thin, chicken-like bird, grayish to rusty Chuck Tague plumes on back, chest, and head, and Chuck Tague Cattle Egret nestlings Tricolored Heron nestlings Great Egret • L 39”• Stable • Large, white reddish-orange bill • Nests in mixed-species brown with long, orange bill • Nests in wading bird with long, orange-yellow bill groups on vegetated coastal islands • clumped grasses or low in forks of veg- How to Avoid Disturbing Birds and black legs; during breeding season Usually seen foraging in agricultural areas etation • Forages alone among woody

has long plumes on back and lime- inland; feeds on insects shrubs and along marsh edges Greg Lavaty Chuck Tague “Fish, Swim, and Play From 50 Yards Away!” green skin around eyes • Nests in groups Killdeer • L 10.5”• Stable • Large plo- among other species on wood shrubs Green Heron ▪ L 18” • Moderate • Please observe posted areas where groups of birds are ver with double black neck band and or trees • Wades or waits motionlessly to Conservation Concern, declin- nesting on beaches and islands capture fish or other prey red eye ring • Solitary nester on bare

Chuck Tague ing • Small, stocky heron with ground, gravel, or sandy/shell-based • Anchor your vessel at least 50 yards away from nesting long bill, dark body and dark surfaces • Forages on land or water’s Snowy Egret • L 24”• Stable • Small, rufous neck; juveniles similar with islands and beaches edge eating insects and worms white egret with long black bill - yellow streaked neck • Nests alone or in Chuck Tague • Keep children and pets away from all posted nesting feet contrast with dark legs; yellow skin loose groups in wetland trees and areas around eye • Nests in mixed-species shrubs • Feeds at water’s edge; Wilson’s Plover • L 8”• Highest • Move away from nesting birds if they increase colonies among shrubs • Slowly wades Ralph Wright may use bait to capture small fish Conservation Concern/Imperiled, rare, vocalization, fly off their nests, or otherwise move through water with neck extended in declining-limited distribution • Mid-size search of prey plover with single neck band, thick

away from you Chuck Tague Black-crowned Night-Heron • L 25” black bill, and white forehead • Nests • Do not leave discarded fishing tackle behind on • Moderate Conservation Concern on sandy ground, often among Least beaches and islands or in the water – dispose of it Little Blue Heron • L 24” • Moderate • Mid-sized, Tern colonies • Eats mostly crustaceans, Greg Lavaty properly Conservation Concern, declining • Smaller nocturnal heron including crabs, crayfish, and shrimp • If you see someone destroying nests or disturbing wader; entirely blue-gray with long, green- with short legs ish legs and bluish nesting birds, please contact: and neck – black Snowy Plover • L 6.25”• Highest

bill – immature birds Chuck Tague cap and back, Conservation Concern/Imperiled, rare, Alabama Wildlife Law Enforcement are white with gray wings and tail, and red eyes – juveniles declining-limited distribution • Small

or without blue are brown with white streaking • Nests in Chuck Tague pale plover with black forehead and at 1-800-272-4263 Robert Stalnaker mottling • Nests in groups on islands in shrubs • Crouches at ear patch, partial neck band – black All birds are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, as mixed-species colonies on islands in low Chuck Tague water’s edge waiting to strike and capture fish and other prey bill and gray legs • Solitary nester amended, and Alabama Nongame Species Regulation 220-2-.92. shrubs • Slowly wades through water with a stiff, extended neck in on sandy or shelly ground • Feeds in Game species can only be taken through legal hunting search of prey Chuck Tague coastal habitats on insects and worms American Oystercatcher • L 17” Royal Tern • L 20”• Low Con- • Highest Conservation Concern/ servation Concern, Protected of the Imperiled, declining-limited distribution • • Similar to Caspian Tern, but Breeding Birds Black and brown with white underside; with thinner orange bill– adults large, laterally- flattened, reddish- have black cap • Nests in large, orange bill and red eye ring • Nests mixed-species colonies on bare Fun Waterbird Facts Alabama Coast on sandy or shelly shores • Forages on to sparsely vegetated ground • tidal flats for shellfish Chuck Tague Plunge-dives to catch fish, also • Waterbirds take a wide variety of prey, including fish, crustaceans, snails, shellfish, worms, amphibians, rep- Gary Smyle eats crabs and shrimp A Bird Guide for Anglers and Beach-Goers tiles, and insects. Sandwich Tern • L 15”• Com- Black-necked Stilt • L 14” • Stable • February – August mon, increasing • Mid-sized tern Slender shorebird with long reddish- • Green Herons may use bait such as insects, small twigs, with shaggy black cap, slender, pink legs, black upperparts, white and leaves to capture small fish. This is one of few bird black bill with yellow tip • Nests underparts, and long, thin, black species that uses a tool and baiting behavior to cap- in groups, usually with Royal bill • Nests on vegetation clumps Terns, on sandy or shelly ground ture its prey. over water • Stands or wades slowly with little vegetation • Dives to through shallow water to catch • White Ibis have long decurved bills that are touch- Fish, Swim, and Play catch fish near water’s surface –

Tom Grey prey sensitive. They forage through shallow water sweeping also eats crustaceans Chuck Tague From 50 Yards Away! their bills back and forth until it comes into contact with Common Tern ▪ L 12” • Moderate Willet • L 15”• Stable • Large, drab, prey, causing the bill to reflexively close. Conservation Concern, declining gray-brown shorebird with long bill • Mid-sized tern with black cap, • The Killdeer, like many plovers, will feign a wing injury and legs – in flight shows distinctive orange bill with black tip, and if you get too close to its nest. This behavior is called black and white wing stripe • Solitary orange legs • Nests on sandy/shelly ground nester amid marsh or beach a broken-wing display, and is used to lure predators substrate within sparse vegetation grasses • Forages on beaches and away from the nest. • Plunge-dives to capture fish

tidal flats Greg Lavaty • Black Skimmers rest in a strange position – they lay flat Johanna van de Woestijne on the ground with their heads stretched out in front of Laughing Gull • L 16”• Stable • Breed- Least Tern • L 9”• Moderate Conser- them. “Rest assured” they aren’t dead! ing adult has black hood, reddish-black vation Concern, declining • Smallest bill, and dark gray back with white un- local tern – yellow bill and legs, • The American Oystercatcher has a laterally com- derparts –juveniles are varying shades white forehead, black cap • Nests pressed bill that allows it to easily pry open shellfish to of brown• Nests in large colonies • in sparse colonies on bare, sandy or reach its soft-bodied prey inside. Opportunistic feeder; will take eggs shelly ground • Hovers and plunge- and young of other birds dives to catch small fish and shrimp • Terns and Black Skimmers display a behavior called Greg Lavaty Chuck Tague “mobbing”, flying up as a group to dive-bomb Black Skimmer • L 18” • Moderate people, dogs, or predators that approach their nesting Caspian Tern • L 21”• Stable Conservation Concern, declining colonies. Agitated birds will peck at and defecate on • Large tern with thick red bill Large, black bird with white under- intruders, so steer clear of nesting colonies! and black cap • Nests with parts, neck, and forehead – large, other terns and gulls on bare or red and black bill with lower bill sparsely vegetated ground • Gulf State Park longer than upper • Nests in groups Alabama State Parks Dives to capture fish near the on bare ground • Feeds by skimming 20115 State Hwy. 135 Gulf Shores, AL 36542 water’s surface Greg Lavaty surface of water with bill, snapping up 251-948-7275 • alapark.com/GulfState prey by feel

Gull-billed Tern • L 14”• High Greg Lavaty U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Conservation Concern, declining- Alabama Ecological Services Field Office limited distribution • Mid-sized tern 1208 Main St. Daphne, AL 36526 – breeding adults have black cap, 251-441-5181 • www.fws.gov/daphne short, sturdy, black bill, pale gray upperparts • Nests in small colonies American Bird Conservancy on bare to sparsely vegetated 4249 Loudoun Avenue The Plains, VA 20198

Greg Lavaty ground • Makes long, swooping 540.253.5780 • www.abcbirds.org dives to capture aquatic prey

Sources: Checklist of the Birds of the Gulf Coast Region of Alabama (2011), ADCNR Checklist of Alabama Birds (2012), Field Checklist of Alabama Birds (2013), The Birds of North America Online (2014) Not all of the inland coastal breeding species are listed in this guide. Great Egret: ClipArt.com

This guide features beach- and barrier island-nesting birds. American Oystercatchers: Chuck Tague COVER PHOTO: Mike Degteariov, Shutterstock