When, in 2014, Felicia Sanders of the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) observed a large nocturnal roost of Whimbrels at Deveaux Bank, she might not have imagined to have found the most significant known roost of Whimbrels in the Americas! Today we are pleased to announce that it has been designated as a new WHSRN site of International Importance!
Between 2019 and 2022, a series of nocturnal surveys during spring migration revealed at least 19,485 roosting Whimbrel during peak migration, representing no less than 25% of the entire North American population.
Due to this importance to Whimbrel, on July 9, 2024, the Hemispheric Council of the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network (WHSRN) voted unanimously to approve the designation of Deveaux Bank in the United States!
Deveaux Bank is an ephemeral, horseshoe-shaped, uninhabited island at the mouth of the North Edisto River, located along the Atlantic coast of South Carolina. It lies on the northeastern edge of the Ashepoo, Combahee, and Edisto Basin (ACE Basin), which is a 350,889.642 acre (42,000 ha) multi-use conservation area and one of the largest wetland estuarine systems on the Atlantic coast of the U.S. The island itself covers approximately 247 acres (100 ha) at low tide, but it is constantly shifting and changing in a cycle of erosion and accretion.
Left: Aerial view of Deveaux Bank the new WHSRN site of International Importance. Photo: Andy Johnson. Right: Red Knot (Calidris canutus rufa) frequently use the sandbar for roosting and feeding. Photo: Maina Handmaker.
Historical data from the International Shorebird Survey (ISS) and research carried out in the past years have shown that Deveaux Bank is an essential area for many species of shorebirds throughout the year. A total of 27 species have been recorded using the area for breeding, roosting, feeding, wintering, or as a stopover site during migration. Besides large numbers of the Whimbrel, significant Red Knot flocks (Calidris canutus rufa) frequently use the sandbar for roosting and feeding. A total of 17,247 Red Knots have been estimated passing through the area February-May 2021!
Other species like the Wilson’s Plover (Anarhynchus wilsonia), Willet (Tringa semipalmata), American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus) and, occasionally, Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) and Black-necked Stilt (Himantopus mexicanus), can be found breeding on the beaches and in the low vegetation in the center of the island.
Despite its importance to shorebirds as a roosting and breeding site, the sandy beaches of Deveaux Bank are also popular for fishing and swimming. Human disturbance include beach recreation, dogs, and plane and helicopter flyovers. It is located within Charleston County, which has a growing human population nearing half a million residents and is just 0.6 mile (1 km) from Seabrook Island, a vacation destination.
Fortunately, the entire island is a Seabird Sanctuary and Heritage Preserve, and it has an active Management Plan, published as recently as 2022. Several regulations ensure that human disturbance is managed.
Deveaux Bank is a great addition to the WHSRN network, especially for conserving key sites for Whimbrel and Red Knot. Both species are in decline and are considered species of conservation concern. And federally the Red Knot is listed as a threatened species.
Deveaux Bank has become the 50th WHSRN site in the United States, including the shared site with Mexico (Laguna Madre) and the site in Puerto Rico (Cabo Rojo Salt Flats), making it the 124th site in the entire hemisphere.
Please join us in welcoming Deveaux Bank and its partners to the Network!
Cover Photo: Whimbrels roosting at Deveaux Bank, the new WHSRN site. Photo: Maina Handmaker.
