Two of the three natural salt lakes in northern Hidalgo and western Willacy counties in South Texas have been recognized as internationally important shorebird habitats. La Sal del Rey and East Lake (La Sal Blanca) have been designated as a Site of International Significance by the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network (WHSRN). Counts by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service revealed that over 10% of the estimated global population of long-billed curlews use these lakes as roosting sites during the winter months. The two lakes are located primarily on tracts of the Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge with part of East Lake also extending onto a private ranch.
"This designation serves to emphasize the critical role of the National Wildlife Refuge System in conserving habitats essential to declining wildlife species," said H. Dale Hall, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southwest Regional Director. "The staff of Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge has been proactive in identifying and protecting key tracts of South Texas habitat. We are very pleased with the recognition of one of these sites by WHSRN.?
"This is great news for Valley communities and the Refuge! The purpose of the Refuge is to protect wildlife and habitat for the benefit of present and future generations of Americans. Having this site as part of WHSRN will help us to broaden awareness of the importance of these lakes and the value of conserving them," said Refuge Manager Jeff Rupert.
These South Texas salt lakes have played a prominent role in the history of the South Texas area. La Sal del Rey and East Lake, along with La Sal Vieja, have attracted people to the area for centuries. The lakes were a valuable source of salt for native people, Spanish explorers, and western pioneers.
Today, the salt lakes continue to play a major role in the economic development and quality of life in South Texas. The area is still an attractive gathering place. Managed now by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, birdwatchers from around the world visit to view the diversity of wildlife and rare species.
The long-billed curlew, one of the most threatened shorebirds in North America, is a species that can be sighted at the lakes during the winter months. Many of these migratory birds winter in the Valley, then travel north to breed and nest in the grasslands of the plains states during the summer. Their height of nearly 18 inches, with a bill that can measure up to 8 inches, makes them the largest shorebird in the nation. Their size and their long, down-curved bills make them easy for even beginning birdwatchers to identify.
Biologists from Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge counted the curlews as they landed at the lakes in the evenings. The birds roost on sand bars or in shallow water each night and are easy to spot as they drop down from the sky. Biologists and volunteers counted as many as 2,261 long-billed curlews on the lakes at one time. The total population of this species is estimated at 20,000. Because of the dense concentration of wintering long-billed curlews two of the South Texas salt lakes were nominated as a Site of International Significance for shorebirds.
"We have seen even more curlews than that in past years," stated Wildlife Biologist David Blankinship. It was Blankinship who first noticed the great numbers of long-billed curlews and suggested that the area could qualify as an Internationally Significant Site. "The salt lakes are important for other bird species as well. We have seen 6,000 or more Wilson's phalaropes, and 10,000 or more eared grebes.?
"I extend my thanks to the many local birders who volunteered to help with the curlew surveys," said Biologist Dorie Stolley, who conducted the field research. "One of my favorite duties as a biologist is to travel through the fascinating landscape of the salt lakes and get a peek into the secret lives of the birds and other wild creatures that are our neighbors. Deer, butterflies, falcons, coyotes, and javelinas showed themselves during our curlew surveys.?
The designation as an Internationally Significant Site comes from the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network. The mission of this group is to conserve shorebird species and their habitats across the Americas through a network of key sites. WHSRN brings together science, communities, and organizations by protecting critically important shorebird species and the habitat they depend on. It was established in 1985 when scientists discovered that if just one wetland 'stop over? was degraded, an entire shorebird species could be wiped out. The organization has designated 58 sites in seven countries.
"We are delighted to recognize the importance of the South Texas salt lakes site and welcome it into the Network," said Charles Duncan, Director of WHSRN's Coordinating Office. "Through the persistent efforts of people like the Refuge staff, landowners and all the partners involved, the conservation of shorebirds and their habitats is advancing across the entire Western Hemisphere. Participating in WHSRN is a sincere, voluntary commitment by landowners, managers, and communities to accept responsibility for the sustainable management of the site and to collaborate with others for the benefit of wildlife and society. Thanks to this kind of cooperative effort, we can realistically look forward to sustaining the environmental health of our wetlands and the fascinating species that rely on them.?
The nomination of the salt lakes was approved unanimously by the WHSRN Council. Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge now joins its sister Refuge, Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge, as a WHSRN recognized site. In honor of this designation, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, along with WHSRN and other partners, will hold a celebration at the site. The festivities will be scheduled in December when visitors can see the birds.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal Federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages the 95-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System, which encompasses 544 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 69 national fish hatcheries, 63 Fish and Wildlife Management offices and 81 ecological services field stations. The agency enforces federal wildlife laws, administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Assistance program, which distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies.
For more information about the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, visit our home page at http://www.fws.gov
