Share the Shore

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Learn MORE about Shorebirds and Keeping them Safe

Shorebirds need safe spaces on our beaches for nesting, migration stopovers and overwintering. Over 40 species of shorebirds can be found on our beaches at various times during the year, including several types of Gulls and Terns, Herons and Egrets, Sanderlings and Sandpipers, Oystercatchers, Pelicans, as well as endangered species such as the Piping Plover and Least Tern. Learn about some of our shorebirds here: (click on bird name)

Shorebirds You May See in Hilton Head

Many shorebirds found on Hilton Head and other coastal islands and beaches in the southeast are permanent residents, living here all year round, while others are migratory, often flying in from thousands of miles away to or from their breeding grounds in the north.

Traveling the Great Atlantic Flyway

The Atlantic coastal habitats of the Lowcountry are part of the great Atlantic Flyway, a bird migration pattern that goes along the East Coast of North America. Shorebirds are some of the world’s most amazing migratory species. Many species nest in the arctic and sub-arctic zones of the globe and spend the winter in the Southern Hemisphere. During their travels, they stop in large groups to rest and fuel themselves to sustain their migration. Hilton Head Island and the sea islands of Beaufort County provide both stop-over sites for flocks of thousands of these migrating birds and wintering grounds for birds that do not travel as far south.

Did You Know…

Our Lowcountry’s coastal region serves as a rich source of food for migratory stopovers? It’s actually a rich source of food throughout the year for shorebirds. Different shorebirds use different parts of the shore, from the barely wet sand out to the depths of the ocean. Have you ever watched those cute little birds skittering across the beach? Birds such as sanderlings, semipalmated plovers and piping plovers run along the edge of the waves during the changing tides to capture insects, worms and crustaceans to eat. Egrets and herons may eat some of those same creatures but will also wade into deeper waters for their meals, while gulls, terns and pelicans will even venture out to the open ocean to dive for fish. These feeding activities aren’t just extra snacks for them – this is their means of survival.

Give Birds Their Space

These incredible creatures depend on our shore to survive in other ways as well. It’s where they rest and nest. So when human activities encroach on them – like biking, flying kites, playing loud music, or jogging – it can cause birds to panic. When birds fly away due to our activities, that means we’ve gotten too close. Especially for migrating birds who are using our beaches as resting stop-overs during their 20,000 mile journeys, birds need to conserve whatever energy they can to complete their flights to or from their breeding grounds. Flying away just drains that energy from them.

We all want to enjoy our beaches for the fun and sun they provide. We just ask that, while you’re sunning and enjoying the waves along the beach, you also be mindful of the importance of our beaches to our shorebirds. Our beaches would be so empty without them!

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Take Action: Protect America’s Seabirds

More ways to Help Here on Hilton Head Island: