February Meeting This Wednesday FEBRUARY 6th!

Guest Speaker:

Dr Susan Heath

Gulf Coast Bird Observatory

The Gulf Coast Bird Observatory is an independent non-profit organization dedicated to protecting birds and their habitats around the Gulf of Mexico.

Dr Heath has been leading a research project focused on American Oystercatchers, a large shorebird that nests on bay islands. As part of their conservation for this species they have embarked on a public education campaign for boaters and fisherman and has asked to speak to our group about these bay island nesting birds.

Based on an aerial survey from winter 2003, preliminary estimates of the Western Gulf Coast Oystercatcher population, located in Texas, show it to represent approximately 5% of the U.S. population, but little is known about how or if these birds interact with regional and/or international populations, what their reproductive parameters are, and what factors may be limiting their reproductive success.