CHAPTER IV: WILDLIFE HABITATS FOR MISSISSIPPI’S SGCN,
THREATS AND CONSERVATION ACTIONS^169cumulative effects of land clearing, erosion and sedimentation, hydrologic changes, pollutants and exotic
species. Large areas of wetlands have been created by water control structures but these tend to be of
lower quality and often heavily impacted by alligator weed or other exotics.
Freshwater marshes are vulnerable in the state due to widespread historical and recent declines;
however other factors as mentioned above have negatively affected the quality of the remaining marsh
habitat.
SPECIES OF GREATEST CONSERVATION NEED ASSOCIATED WITH
FRESHWATER MARSHES
GROUP SCIENTIFIC NAME COMMON NAME TIER
Birds Migrant Shorebirds 1
Coturnicops noveboracensis Yellow Rail 1
Laterallus jamaicensis Black Rail 1
Eudocimus albus White Ibis 2
Mycteria americana Wood Stork 2
Rallus elegans King Rail 2
Sterna antillarum athalassos Interior Least Tern 2
Egretta caerulea Little Blue Heron 2
Anas fulvigula Mottled Duck 2
Asio flammeus Short-Eared Owl 2
Elanoides forficatus Swallow-Tailed Kite 2
Nycticorax nycticorax Black-Crowned Night-Heron 3
Botaurus lentiginosus American Bittern 3
Anas rubripes American Black Duck 3
Pelecanus erythrorhynchos American White Pelican 3
Anhinga anhinga Anhinga 3
Ixobrychus exilis Least Bittern 3
Anas acuta Northern Pintail 3
Porphyrula martinica Purple Gallinule 3
Egretta thula Snowy Egret 3
Egretta tricolor Tricolored Heron 3
Nycticorax violaceus Yellow-Crowned Night-Heron 3
Fish Fundulus dispar Northern Starhead Topminnow 2
Enneacanthus gloriosus Bluespotted Sunfish 3
THREATS TO FRESHWATER MARSH COMMUNITIES
Channel Modification high
Groundwater and Surface Water Withdrawal high
Incompatible Agricultural Practices high
Operation of Dams/Impoundments high