Alabama beach goers used the eggs of protected birds as sand decoration
Alabama Beachgoers May Have Killed Hundreds of Protected Birds, Experts Say
Beachgoers in Alabama who descended on the breeding ground of a threatened seabird species this summer scared adults away from their nests and used the eggs to decorate the sand, most likely killing hundreds of chicks, wildlife experts say.
The exact number of least tern birds that died in Mobile Bay is unknown, but it was “a tragic loss of a colony that size,” said Katie Barnes, a senior biologist at Birmingham Audubon who oversees the protection, monitoring and surveying of Alabama’s coastal bird species.
Least terns, which are protected by the federal government under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, often lay their eggs on wide-open beachfronts, digging shallow nests beneath the sandy surface. The diminutive birds — adults weigh just 1.5 ounces — are considered a threatened species for several reasons, including beach recreation, Ms. Barnes said.
“They’re very sacred to us because they are so sensitive,” she said.
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Beachgoers in Alabama who descended on the breeding ground of a threatened seabird species this summer scared adults away from their nests and used the eggs to decorate the sand, most likely killing hundreds of chicks, wildlife experts say.
The exact number of least tern birds that died in Mobile Bay is unknown, but it was “a tragic loss of a colony that size,” said Katie Barnes, a senior biologist at Birmingham Audubon who oversees the protection, monitoring and surveying of Alabama’s coastal bird species.
Least terns, which are protected by the federal government under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, often lay their eggs on wide-open beachfronts, digging shallow nests beneath the sandy surface. The diminutive birds — adults weigh just 1.5 ounces — are considered a threatened species for several reasons, including beach recreation, Ms. Barnes said.
“They’re very sacred to us because they are so sensitive,” she said.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/07/science/birds-alabama.html?module=WatchingPortal®ion=c-column-middle-span-region&pgType=Homepage&action=click&mediaId=thumb_square&state=standard&contentPlacement=1&version=internal&contentCollection=www.nytimes.com&contentId=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2018%2F08%2F07%2Fscience%2Fbirds-alabama.html&eventName=Watching-article-click
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I see them at the beach here in Tahoe, letting their kids terrorize the ducklings and other baby birds...they throw rocks, chase them away from their mother, etc. and parents don't stop them either.
I usually get into a couple arguments at the beaches in the summer trying to school people and protect our wildlife...whether they are endangered or not, ALL animals deserve respect.
(And also, agreed with comment upthread about ropes and signage... But then again, most people really don't give a shit...)
That these people are right to lifers? 
