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Migratory Birds
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I am a frequent visitor to SPI for exceptional and unique birding. What SPI has for birding is special. Your island is not only special for birders, but it is critical habitat for migratory birds crossing the gulf. SPI offers the first place for these amazing birds flying 1000s of miles to rest and recover before continuing their journey. Destruction of this critical habitat will contribute to migratory species decline, migration path changes and even decimation of sensitive local species.
I am opposed to convention center expansion that destroys native, mature habitat. Surely you can come up with plans to keep habitat in tact.
Roughly 37% of the US population over 18 are birders. That is 37% of the population that has a reason to come to SPI other than for a beach or party. Those can be found anywhere. If you won't save the habitat for migratory birds, then do it for your tourism economy.
Tonya supported: Preserve the Migratory Birding Habitat at South Padre Island Convention CenterThere are always options! Build that theater on the parking area entrance or renovate the building that is already there into a two story building with a parking garage on top. A reliable source told me that the designs could be made way different from what is being proposed but they are not being considered. Why not? Why are they so set on destroying habitat for a theater? Why such disregard for nature and this natural resource that should be treasured? Why not renovate the Cameron County Amphitheatre instead? There are always options or alternatives. Habitat from 1997 cannot be brought back. We don't need a bird tower. Whoever suggested it doesn't know that the birds are on trees, branches, shrubs and like to dig in the ground under those bushes. I bet they can't even name 5 migratory birds that stop in our habitat, or never even go birding or even spend a weekend seeing what beauty we have in front of us. Fight to preserve this and include the birding community in its plans- what better way to work together to find an alternative.
Michelle
Michelle supported: Preserve the Migratory Birding Habitat at South Padre Island Convention CenterI strongly oppose any plan that would destroy the natural habitat around the South Padre Island Birding and Nature Center to expand the convention center. Our island’s natural beauty is part of what makes it so special — it draws wildlife lovers, families, tourists, and locals alike. There has to be a way to improve the convention center without flattening one of the few remaining natural sanctuaries on the island. Both the birding center and the convention center serve unique and overlapping visitors — we should be finding solutions that support both, not sacrificing one for the other. Let’s protect what makes South Padre Island truly special — its nature, its biodiversity, and its peaceful spaces. Please consider an alternative plan that prioritizes preservation and progress, not destruction.
Sarah supported: Preserve the Migratory Birding Habitat at South Padre Island Convention CenterThis is THE reason I come visit from Houston….to see this habitat and the wonders there. I have seen a number of birds here and nowhere else in the state, some nowhere else in the nation, and I can think of one I have seen nowhere else in the world. If this habitat is removed, there will be no reason for the wildlife, or me, to come visit. This sort of thing really does contribute to the local economy.
Sara supported: Preserve the Migratory Birding Habitat at South Padre Island Convention CenterThis habitat is absolutely critical to so many neotropical migratory birds to rest and refuel on their long journey north. You also have a perfect opportunity to show visitors some wonderful Texas ecology. If you were to create a space for onsite signage/interpretation it would be a haven for visitors to conventions. There is so little space for wildlife these days and I urge you to protect this gem. Thank you !
Amanda supported: Preserve the Migratory Birding Habitat at South Padre Island Convention CenterI have spent vacations at South Padre Island for the birding. It is world-renowned, and the best site is land, ponds and trees around the Convention Center. It is a vital stop over for migrating birds. If these habitats are destroyed, the birds will disappear, and so will the birders.
Ian supported: Preserve the Migratory Birding Habitat at South Padre Island Convention CenterDestroying the habitat around the South Padre Island Convention Center poses a serious threat to the diverse bird species that rely on this area for survival. This region is a critical stopover site along the Central Flyway, one of the major migratory bird routes in North America. Each year, thousands of birds—some traveling thousands of miles—depend on the native vegetation, wetlands, and brushlands surrounding the convention center for food, shelter, and rest. These habitats support threatened species, including the piping plover and the reddish egret, as well as a wide range of shorebirds, songbirds. Removal or degradation of this environment can lead to population declines, disrupted migration patterns, and even the local extinction of sensitive species. Protecting this area isn't just about preserving birdwatching opportunities—it's about maintaining a vital piece of the global ecosystem.
Ben supported: Preserve the Migratory Birding Habitat at South Padre Island Convention CenterI am not from South Padre Island, or even from Texas. In fact, I’ve never set foot on South Padre Island. I live nearly 1,500 miles away in North Carolina. So why do I care about a proposed development project on the southern tip of Texas? Because the very habitat slated for destruction is critically important not just for local wildlife, but for migratory bird species that pass through both your community and mine. Nearly every migratory bird that visits my backyard in North Carolina relies on stopover habitat near the South Padre Island Convention Center during their long journey from Central and South America. Many Neotropical migratory birds cross the Gulf of Mexico in a single non-stop flight spanning 600 to 1,000 kilometers (Sauer et al. 2020; Deppe et al. 2015). South Padre Island is one of the most important first landfalls after this exhausting journey in spring, and a last refueling site in fall. This narrow strip of land provides food, shelter, and safety at a time when migrants are most vulnerable and energetically depleted (Moore et al. 1995). I live on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, another barrier island and well-known stopover for migratory birds. Many of the birds that pause at South Padre, especially on the south side of the convention center, continue their journey up the Atlantic Flyway, with the Outer Banks serving as another key resting and feeding point. I’ve witnessed firsthand how development erodes these fragile waypoints here on my barrier island. Once habitat is gone, birds cannot simply "go elsewhere"; they face increased mortality and declining population viability (Petit 2000). As a lifelong resident of a barrier island community, I implore decision-makers to consider the far-reaching consequences of destroying this vital habitat. What happens in South Padre doesn’t stay in South Padre. This development will reverberate across the continent, affecting ecosystems and bird populations thousands of miles away. Please protect this irreplaceable stopover site; for the birds, for the communities that treasure them, and for the health of our shared environment.
Fenton supported: Preserve the Migratory Birding Habitat at South Padre Island Convention CenterWe go to South Padre during spring migration of birds & again in the fall also for bird migration. We’ve been coming down there for birding for 30 years. We love our time there for birding & relaxation. What y’all are planning to remove part of the natural habitat does not even make sense. I implore ya’ll to change the plans and not do this. The birds are losing way too much habitat and they need our help. Please reconsider and help the birds. Thank you. Jeanie Cumbie, Member of East Texas Audubon Society
Jeanie supported: Preserve the Migratory Birding Habitat at South Padre Island Convention CenterAs a winter texan, this is an important topic. Please do not get rid of this. Green space is always important and especially now with all the loss of habitat. We spend hours on the island when there wintering.
Kevin supported: Preserve the Migratory Birding Habitat at South Padre Island Convention CenterYou’re not alone — a community of supporters is ready to back you.
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