Editing Tangier, Virginia (section)

===Marshes and waterfowl===
[[File:Townoftangier.JPG|thumb|upright=1.25|The marshes outside of town]]
Tangier and nearby islands are valuable tidal salt marsh habitat for waterfowl, especially as there is a general absence of predators for ground-nesting birds and birds in general.<ref name=Audubon>{{cite web |url=https://www.audubon.org/important-bird-areas/chesapeake-bay-islands |title=Important Bird Areas: Chesapeake Bay Islands |date=September 12, 2016 |publisher=National Audubon Society |access-date=August 11, 2018}}</ref> Tangier marshes are home to many birds, including [[pelican]]s, [[great blue heron|blue herons]], [[Rallidae|rails]], [[egret]]s, several varieties of [[duck]]s and [[geese]], and [[osprey]]. The group of islands is one of the "few remaining population strongholds for American Black Ducks in Virginia."<ref name=Audubon />

Including the surrounding marshes, Tangier Island totals less than {{convert|740|acres|abbr=off}}, but only {{convert|83|acres|abbr=off}} are high enough for habitation. The highest point of land is barely {{convert|4|ft}} above sea level, and about {{convert|9|acres|abbr=off}} of Tangier shoreline are estimated to erode into the Chesapeake each year. Local residents see their existence threatened from falling catches, state regulation of the waterman livelihood on the Bay, constant erosion, and increasingly frequent flooding.<ref>{{cite news |first=Scott |last=Harper |newspaper=The Virginian-Pilot |date=May 12, 2012 |url=http://hamptonroads.com/2012/05/residents-drowning-tangier-island-look-lifeline |title=Residents of drowning Tangier Island look for lifeline |access-date=August 11, 2018}}</ref>