Reserves Love Frequent Flyers

Happy International Migratory Bird Day! Around the coasts, National Estuarine Research Reserves are welcome layovers on journeys that can stretch from the Canadian Arctic to the tip of Chile. Along the way, Reserves are places that iconic birds like the Least Bittern and the endangered Whooping Crane rely on for cover, feeding grounds, and nursery habitat as they travel vast distances. 

What’s good for the birds is also good for the millions of people who visit Reserves every year. Drawn by opportunities to experience wildlife and iconic coastal landscapes, these visits contribute an estimated $1.15 billion to coastal economies, while also fostering deeper public connection to conservation.

Birdwatching is an important part of this. According to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, birding supports approximately 1.4 million jobs nationally, generating more than $90 billion in labor income, with total economic output reaching hundreds of billions of dollars annually.

Migration itself is one of the most compelling times to visit a Reserve. For example, at Mississippi’s Grand Bay Reserve, spring brings waves of songbirds, while at the Old Woman Creek Reserve in Ohio, winter is the time to observe bald eagles bonding and preparing nests. 

Reserves help people engage with migratory birds in safe and sustainable ways around the System. At the Rookery Bay Reserve’s Birding with Biologists Workshop, participants learn to identify birds through plumage and behavior. Their Festival of Birds connects people to the swamps, coastal islands, and other habitats where birds thrive. The Weeks Bay Reserve offers guided walks through restoration areas, where people can observe birds while learning about ecosystem recovery. California’s Elkhorn Slough Reserve provides online resources like birding guides, recent sightings, and checklists, and in Maine, the Wells Reserve has partnered with organizations like York County Audubon to host programs that expand awareness of bird migration on a global scale.

A multi-Reserve initiative links the Reserve System to Motus, a global tracking network which uses radio technology to follow migratory species across continents. The project is uncovering the role of coastal habitats in sustaining these long-distance travelers and demonstrating how Reserves are connected ecologically, reinforcing the importance of protecting habitat at every stage of migration. 

Participatory science initiatives also play a role in Reserve support for migratory birds. Efforts like the Great Backyard Bird Count invite people of all experience levels to contribute observations that help scientists track bird populations and migration patterns. These data are essential for informing conservation strategies and protecting vulnerable species.