ECOLOGICALLY-ORIENTED COASTAL ENGINEERING: A NEW APPROACH FOR BIRD ISLAND RESTORATION AND AVIAN CONSERVATION AT SUNDOWN ISLAND, MATAGORADA BAY, TEXAS

摘要

Sundown Island is on the mid-coast of Texas in Matagorda Bay, Texas, approximately 1.3-miles west of the Matagorda Peninsula, north of the Matagorda Ship Channel and southeast of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway (GIWW). The island has been an official Texas Audubon Society bird sanctuary since 1973, but was formed in 1962. The island hosts substantial numbers of nesting Brown Pelicans, Gull-billed tern, Royal tern, Sandwich tern, Black skimmer and other birds. To gain a better understanding of how dredge placement actions may influence avian use of the island, nesting bird census data were analyzed from 1973-2013. The analysis attempted to identify avian numerical responses following placement actions. Understanding the potential response of particular species or species guilds (i.e., bare ground nesting birds) following placement actions is important for proper management of the island and its ecological function and to direct sediment placement for targeted priority species.