Chapter 3 North Carolina Species
• The Saltmarsh Sparrow is the rarest marsh-endemic sparrow species that overwinters along the North Carolina coast. Despite an increase in the number of observers and a consistent number of count circles reporting Saltmarsh Sparrow presence, there was a persistent decline in the number detected during Christmas Bird Count surveys from 1997- 2019 (NAS 2020) . The species is expected to continue losing suitable habitat from sea level rise and extreme weather events. The USFWS considers the Saltmarsh Sparrow an at-risk species and is evaluating it for potential listing for federal ESA protection. It is estimated that bird collisions with glass kill over 1 billion birds annually, with over 99% of collisions with homes and low-rise buildings (Barges and Morris 2023, Sheppard and Lenz 2023, Klem et al. 2009) . Daytime collisions are often associated with bird feeders near buildings. There is a need to treat glass to reduce daytime reflections and potential collisions. Nighttime collisions happen because birds are attracted to light and become disoriented. The darkness of the night sky is an important resource for many animals, and the impact of lighting on buildings and other tall structures on nocturnal migrating songbirds is a great concern. There is a need to address problematic lighting through use of programs such as Lights Out, Fatal Light Awareness Program, and other initiatives. Nonnative, invasive plants reduce habitat quality for nesting birds by supporting fewer native insects and creating monocultures or otherwise unsuitable vegetation structure for nesting birds. There is concern for loss of suitable nest cover for ground-nesting species such as Kentucky Warbler. A few species that nest in North Carolina are threatened on their wintering grounds in international locations by collection from the wild for the illegal pet trade or singing competitions. These include Indigo Bunting, Eastern Painted Bunting, and Rose-breasted Grosbeak. Though the exchange of cage birds traditionally took place on the street, the advent of social media for advertising has led to a surge in the cage bird trade, particularly in the Caribbean (McBride 2012) . Migratory songbirds can also face predation threats from feral and free-ranging domestic cats (Loss et al. 2013, Herrera et al. 2022) . Cats are obligate carnivores that are efficient hunters of small vertebrates (Bradshaw 2006) , especially in open landscapes and forest edges (Herrera et al. 2022) . The results from studies conducted on predation by cats introduced to island habitats have been used to extrapolate predation impacts in other landscapes. It is estimated that outdoor cats (both feral and outdoor pets) kill over a billion birds every year (Patronek 1998, Cornell Lab 2025) . In response to this threat, the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies’ Bird Conservation Committee completed a toolkit for state wildlife agencies to provide guidance on how to alleviate this manageable threat (Schweitzer and Gillin 2024) . The Toolkit to Address Free-ranging Domestic Cats (Felis catus) on Agency Lands Managed for Native Wildlife and Ecosystem Health provides guidance based on compassion for the well-being of wildlife, native habitats, domestic animals, and people (Schweitzer and Gillin 2024).
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2025 NC Wildlife Action Plan
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