Habitat - Estuaries are places where the fresh water of rivers and streams joins the saltwater of the ocean. The environment here is neither freshwater nor saltwater but due to mixing of waters it serves as an important nursery for marine organisms.
The vegetation is composed mainly of salt tolerant grasses and sedges which, at lower levels, are flooded daily by tides. Salinity is highest during the summer months and lowest during the winter when most geese, ducks, and gulls use Estuaries as feeding and resting areas. Some birds, like, the Song Sparrow, Killdeer, and Spotted Sandpiper breed on the land side of estuaries.
The voices of most birds visiting Estuaries can be heard throughout the year.
