Ecosystem
A wide variety of wildlife can be found in and around Matagorda Bay. The Mad Island-Oyster Lake conservation area, located on the eastern shore of Matagorda Bay, is a habitat for over 300 species of birds including songbirds, shorebirds and waterfowl. More species of birds were found in the area than any other in the nation during the National Audubon Society's Annual Christmas bird count from 2000 to 2002. Other fauna located along the bay include Bobcats, White-tailed deer, River otters, Texas horned lizards, Reddish egret, White-tailed Hawk, Peregrine Falcon, the piping plover and alligators.
According to Texas Parks and Wildlife, the following fish have been caught in the bay: Striped Bass, Gafftopsail catfish, Atlantic croaker, Black drum, Red drum, Southern flounder, Barred grunt, Hake, Skipjack herring, Crevalle jack, Ladyfish, Gulf menhaden, Pigfish, Smooth puffer, Sand seatrout, Spotted seatrout, Blacktip shark, Gray snapper, Southern stingray, Gulf toadfish, Tripletail. The bay serves as a nursery for finfish, shrimp and crabs.
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