At 80.8 miles in length, and draining an area of more than 8,000 square miles, the Pascagoula River encompasses a diversity of habitats and is home to more than 300 species of birds. This is the gateway to important nesting grounds for birds such as the Mississippi and Swallow-tailed Kites and Prothonotary Warblers. Along with important breeding bird habitat, the protected forest lands surrounding the Pascagoula, as part of the greater Mississippi Flyway, make up a critical piece of migratory stopover habitat each year for hundreds of species of migratory birds. Some of these species spend their winters in the Gulf Coast region and others continue south (or north, depending on the season). Native plants and trees provide crucial food and shelter.