Gulf Coast Sensing

Every spring, 2 billion migratory birds pass through the Gulf of Mexico on their path from overwintering sites to breeding grounds. Nearly all of these migrating species have been recorded passing through Texas, which acts as the southern gateway to the Central Flyway, a North American migration corridor that leads from the Texas Gulf Coast as far north as the Canadian tundra. During this journey, birds rely on stopover habitats along the way to rest and refuel. Unfortunately, coastal stopover and wintering habitats face increasing threats as humans modify the environment and climate change effects, like sea level rise, are increasing. Migratory birds face potential decline if these habitats essential to their life cycles are lost. In turn, these birds play important roles in local ecosystems, providing cultural and economic value to communities through ecotourism, migrant bird festivals, recreational hunting, and more.

Our team, a collaboration between University of Texas Austin, University of Texas Marine Sciences Institute, Mission Aransas National Estuarine Research Reserve, Fennessey Ranch and the City of Port Aransas Nature Preserve, are establishing a monitoring network that uses remote sensing and community science to help us better understand how migratory birds use Texas Gulf Coast habitat, and how they are affected by applied land management, anthropogenic development, and climate change.