State of the Harbor Herons 2023 | NYC Bird Alliance (original) (raw)
Great Egrets on Elders East in Jamaica Bay. Photo: NYC Bird Alliance
Discover the Hidden World of NYC's Majestic Harbor Herons
For over 40 years, NYC Bird Alliance scientists have monitored and protected 10 species of herons, egrets, and ibis—collectively known as the Harbor Herons—that nest on wild islands throughout our City’s waterways. These large, charismatic birds bring many New Yorkers into birding and conservation, but more importantly, are critical indicators of the health of our harbor.
Get a view into the world of the fascinating Harbor Herons with our annual State of the Harbor Herons report. Learn about their nesting habits, conservation issues facing the harbor and its wildlife, and the incredible work done by NYC Bird Alliance to protect these magnificent birds.
KEY FINDINGS:
These secretive harbor herons—egrets, ibises and more—are an integral part of our ecosystem. But they face urgent critical conservation challenges.
NYC Bird Alliance's 2023 State of the Harbor Herons report reveals:
- Steep population declines among several key species over the past 20 years
- The threats these birds face, from sea level rise to human disturbance
- Reasons for hope, like the return of the Great Blue Heron as a nesting species
To learn more about the 2023 island surveys and data-gathering process, read our Syrinx blog Q&A with report author Tod Winston and Harbor Herons Nesting Survey Coordinator Shannon Curley, PhD.
Great Egret chick. Photo: Jeffrey Kolodzinski
ABOUT STATE OF THE HARBOR HERONS REPORT
Guarding the Herons and their Habitats for Over 40 Years
NYC Bird Alliance’s Harbor Herons Nesting Survey has been monitoring the Harbor Herons since 1982, using knowledge gleaned to protect, monitor, and preserve these captivating birds—key indicators of the health of our harbor—and bring New Yorkers into the birding and the conservation cause.
We employ data spanning four decades to raise awareness of the vulnerability of these species and fight for their protection, helping to preserve vital habitats like the Bronx’s Brother Islands and those around Staten Island.
Learn more about our City’s Harbor Herons and NYC Bird Alliance’s longstanding efforts to protect them and their habitats, on our Harbor Herons page.
NYC Bird Alliance research collaborator José R. Ramírez-Garofalo holds up an egg for identification with NYC Bird Alliance Director of Conservation and Science Dustin Partridge, PhD, on Elders East. Photo: NYC Bird Alliance
Protect the future of NYC's beautiful wading birds.
Help us ensure the survival of these vulnerable species. NYC Bird Alliance is the only organization studying the decline of wading bird species like the Black-crowned Night-Heron in New York Harbor, and using that data to secure greater state and federal protections. You can help protect these endangered birds by giving to NYC Bird Alliance today.
THANK YOU TO OUR SUPPORTERS
NYC Bird Alliance’s 2023 Harbor Herons research was made possible through funding from the Hudson River Foundation, the Sarah K. de Coizart Article TENTH Perpetual Charitable Trust, and Elizabeth Woods and Charles Denholm. Critical support is also provided by the generous annual contributions of our members and donors.