Photo: Bryan Stokes
Photos: Bryan Stokes
The Salt Marsh In Peril
The Saltmarsh Sparrow (SALS) has often been referred to as the "Canary in the Coal Mine" for rising sea levels due to global warming. It has successfully built nests only an inch above the ground for thousands of years. This species is dependent upon healthy salt marshes on the east coast of the US. Since the 1990s, 75% of the population has been lost. It lives nowhere else in the world, and could become extinct by 2040, due to flooding and habitat loss. Learn more about our project to study this threatened species.
News
See a preview of what sea level rise might have in store for Jacob's Point Salt Marsh. Details and photo.
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New feature article by Joel Eckerson on visits of Nelson's Sparrows to Jacobs Point.
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SSRI Project Report Published as Rhode Island Naturalist Special Issue
Read a detailed report of our project findings, focusing on sparrow nesting habitats, through summer 2020.
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"Hope is the Thing with Feathers"
Read the extraordinary story of a Saltmarsh Sparrow born at Jacob's Point.
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Developmental Guide to Aging Saltmarsh Sparrow Nestlings
Our new photo guide for use by SALS researchers is now available for download.
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Photo © Evan Lipton