Nest Sites of Seabirds on Dredge Islands in Coastal Louisiana
Dredge islands are an important but relatively unstudied habitat for seabirds on the northern coast of the Gulf of Mexico. We characterized nest sites of Forster's terns (Sterna forsteri), least terns (S. antillarum), gull-billed terns (S. nilotica) and black skimmers (Rynchops niger) on dredge islands in the Atchafalaya Delta Wildlife Management Area in Louisiana. With the exception of the least tern, seabird use of the islands has increased over the last 5 years. Generally, dredge islands were used only during the first nesting season following their creation. Forster's terns nested on...
