Birds that nest on sandy beaches and dunes need an area free of predators and humans to successfully raise their young. During nesting season several "Bird Sanctuaries" are established in the park to give the birds a place to nest. At the Point a large sanctuary is marked off where Black Skimmers (Rynchops niger), Least Terns (Sterna antillarum), and Common Terns (Sterna hirundo) nest in colonies. American Oystercatchers, (Haematopus palliatus) nest individually in pairs along the beach and are vulnerable to being run over. The southern most range of nesting Piping Plovers (Charadrius melodus) is North Carolina and a few Piping Plovers make their nests on the park beaches each year. Jeff Cordes, Park Biologist, says that the number of Piping Plovers that nest in the park each year are approximately 2/3 of all NC nesting piping plovers. Extra measures, such as placing wire cages and nets over the nest, are used to help protect the Piping Plover nests. Some beaches are also closed to vehicle traffic to help protect young chicks.

The nests of these birds usually doesn't consist of much more than a small depression in the sand. The eggs are highly camouflaged with spots to help them blend into the surroundings. They are usually so camouflaged that you could step on an egg and never know it. The young chicks are also highly camouflaged and blend into the sandy beaches. When adult terns start dive bombing at your head you can be sure you are too close and should retreat. Least Terns have been known to defecate on intruders.

Even in the bird sanctuaries, nesting birds have to contend with predators, flooding, human disturbances, and high temperatures. Predators include raccoons, feral cats, ghost crabs, and other birds such as Herring Gulls. Human disturbances include vehicles driving through, humans walking through the sanctuaries, and large groups of visitors along the edges of the sanctuaries. Some years the entire colony is wiped out with storm tides. During the heat of the day we see small chicks resting in the shade of a tire track. The young chicks are often run over by vehicles driving along the edges of the sanctuaries since their natural instinct is to hunker down when threatened. If disturbed too often the birds will abandon their nests.

Least Terns are listed as endangered in part of their range, but not in NC. Piping Plovers are listed as threatened in NC. According to Jeff Cordes, Park Biologist, American Oystercatchers are listed as a "Bird of Conservation Concern" and are particularly vulnerable to disturbance by park visitors and off-road vehicles. Black Skimmers are currently not listed. The Cape Lookout National Seashore is one of the few places left with undeveloped beaches for these birds to nest.

Unfortunately a common sight is dead and dying birds on the beach. Brown Pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis) and different species of gulls entangled in fishing line or hooked with fishing hooks dying on the beach are all too common. Unexplained die-offs of Pelicans and Northern Gannets also occur in winter. Pelicans and gulls often have metal bands on their legs and should be reported to the USGS Bird Banding Lab. In the summer partially molted and dying loons unable to migrate north are also seen on the beach.

(References)

Bird Photos

The following reports were provided by Jeff Cordes, Biologist with the Cape Lookout National Seashore:

2005 CLNS Piping Plover Report

2004 CLNS Piping Plover Report

2003 CLNS Piping Plover Report

2003 CLNS American Oystercatcher Report

Map of American Oystercatcher Nests