Sister Islands

Sister Islands is a historic gull and tern nesting area consisting of two low, gravel islands. It is one of the important gulleries in Green Bay. High water levels in the early 1980s greatly reduced the size of the islands. During the low water levels of the 1960s, the islands were connected. The most common breeding birds are herring gulls, but small numbers of red-winged blackbirds, common tern, pintail, and mallards are also present. The flora is quite variable due to the disturbance caused by nesting birds and fluctuating water levels. During low water years, shrubs and weeds dominate with small numbers of boxelder, red-osier dogwood, elderberry, bitter nightshade, spotted jewelweed, and stinging nettle also growing here. Sister Islands is owned by the DNR and was designated a State Natural Area in 1966.