They eat algae that grows on its stalks, and they use the stalks as an escape from the rising tide. Ribbed mussels, oysters and fiddler crabs are found in the low salt marsh habitat. Birds and mammals also forage in the low salt marsh. Egrets, herons, willets and osprey are just a few of the birds that rely on the low salt marsh for food. Racoons, meadow mice and even bats venture into the marsh for a meal.
Fewer animals use the high salt marsh for food.
High salt marshes are the areas where daily tidal flooding in the low salt marsh has created a build-up of fine sediment. Soil elevation increases and shrubs gradually move into the upland edge of these zones. Salt meadow cordgrass, salt grass, sea ox-eye, black needlerush and glasswort become more common. Marsh elder and wax myrtle are among the shrubs that are prevalent in this area. Insect-eating birds like the red winged blackbird, meadowlark and seaside sparrow nest in the high marsh.