Download FLORIDA SHOREBIRD PRESENTATION

FLORIDA SHOREBIRD
PRESENTATION
2/23/2009
Janell Brush - Florida Fish and
Wildlife Conservation Commission
[email protected]
Life History of Florida Shorebirds
approximately 50 species that breed in
North America, shorebirds make up a
small percentage of the world’s more
than 8,000 bird species
They can be found all year round on
most Florida beaches.
Breeding Season
The Florida breeding season is March July
14 Species of shorebirds and seabirds
nest in Florida
The majority of shorebirds leave
Florida to nest in the Arctic, Midwest
or the North Atlantic Coast
In Florida, shorebirds and seabirds nest
on coastal beaches, barrier islands,
spoil islands, causeways, gravel roofs,
coral rock islands
Nesting Birds
Colonial Nesting– ‘seabirds’ gulls,
skimmers, terns
Enhanced protection and defense
against predators
Improved foraging – follow successful
hunters to food source
Solitary Nesting – shorebirds
(oystercatchers, willets, plovers)
Use camouflage for protection from
predators
Food resource remains more constant
in area of territory
Colonial Nesting Birds
Nesting ‘Seabird’ Status – 10 Species
Threatened – Least Tern, Roseate Tern
Petitioned for listing – Gull-billed Tern
Species of Special Concern in FlBlack Skimmer, Sooty Tern, Royal
Tern, Caspian Tern, Sandwich Tern,
Brown Noddy
Common- Laughing Gull
Colonies on ground or rooftops
Loss of habitat on beach
Many coastal buildings are getting rid
of gravel rooftops
Human disturbance on ground
Risk of chicks falling off roof
Least Tern – Only tern that will nest on
rooftops in FL
Roofs support 75% of all colonies and
83% of all nests
Black Skimmer – Starting to nest more
on rooftops in FL
10% of nests are on roofs
Solitary Nesting Birds
Four shorebird species nest in FL
Snowy Plover (threatened), American
Oystercatcher (threatened), Willet
(common), Wilson’s Plover (species of
special concern)
Advantages of solitary nesting
Use of camouflage for predator
protection (instead of colony)
Food resource remains more constant
Snowy Plover Nest Monitoring
USFWS census and WEC Master’s
student Raya Pruner
Information about population, nest
success, nesting distribution and
relative survival
Occur on mainly the Gulf Coast
American Oystercatcher Nest
Monitoring
Determine nest success, relative
survival and distribution of Florida
birds
Provide information to managers
Occur throughout coastal Florida
Wintering Shorebirds
About 20 species of shorebirds winter
in Florida annually
Most of the species are species that are
in trouble
Piping Plover – Federally Endangered
Only 54% of them have been found on
the wintering grounds
Many groups conducting
research/monitoring
Report banded birds at
[email protected]
American Oystercatcher –
Threatened in Florida
declines, particularly in the
Southeastern U.S., has prompted
research aimed at understanding the
bird's biology and conservation
needs.
Large winter roosts (>2,000)
Gulf Coast Barge Canal to
Horseshoe Beach and Jacksonville
The majority of birds are not part
of the Florida breeding population
Large group of researchers
throughout its range
Report bands at
http://www.ncsu.edu/project/grsmgi
s/AMOY/Research.htm
efforts along the Atlantic coast have
revealed connections between
breeding and wintering sites and a
glimpse into the complexity of
patterns of movement and
dispersal.
Migrating Birds
More than 30 species of shorebirds
and seabirds migrate through
Florida
Energetically costly to migrate long
distances
Need ‘re-fueling’ stopover habitats
consistent from year to year to gain
weight in a short amount of time
Alterations to food resources can
have devastating effects on the
birds
availability. Classic example is the
spawning events of horseshoe crabs
and migrating shorebirds in
Delaware Bay
Red Knot – Species of Special
Concern in Florida – Petitioned for
federal listing
America (robin-sized). They can
live 10-15 years. Dietary generalist
– mollusks, amphipods, horseshoe
crab eggs, insects
Heavily relies on Horseshoe crab
eggs in Delaware Bay
Unknown where the FL wintering
population nests – Alaska?
Historically the most common
shorebird – today 20,000
Winter largely along Gulf Coast,
concentrations in SW and
Panhandle, migrate through Duval
County
Although still rufa subspecies,
some population genetic and
morphological differences from S.
American birds
Research to document movement
and survival, report bands to
[email protected]
Threats
EX. Robin, Blue Jay, Sparrow.
Helpless at hatching. An altricial
hatchling is naked or sparsely
downy, unable to leave the nest,
and its eyes are closed
young that have characteristics of
precocial young at hatch (open
eyes, down, capacity to leave the
nest) but that remain at the nest and
are cared for by parents until close
to adult size.
Capable of a high degree of
independent activity from birth. A
precocial hatchling has heavy
down, is quickly mobile, and often
requires little direct parental care.
Human related disturbance
Disturbance - Activities that
“upset” birds by causing them to
fly, run walk away, or vocalize.
Managers try to decrease
disturbance by posting nesting
areas
Enforce leash laws
Increase in mammalian predators
Habitat alteration – nourishment
and raking
Increasing pressures in the Arctic
Climate Change
The population of the Florida
coastal counties is predicted to
double from 12.3 million to more
than 26 million by 2060
already experiencing erosion.
Some of this erosion is the result of
natural forces; however the
majority of the impact is a
consequence of human activities.
This situation will be exacerbated
in the near future by the effects of
climate change.
will require an increase in
management of coastal systems in
the form of habitat modifications
including raking, nourishment,
armoring, and dredge-spoil
deposition, and these modifications
have the potential to impact
shorebird and seabird communities.
Much uncertainty exists about the
long and short-term ecological
impacts of these types of
management activities
Arctic Tundra
The only major environment whose
range is completely unable to shift
northward in response to global
warming
tundra habitat will be cut in half by
the end of the twenty-first century
due to northward shift of boreal
forest
Sea-level rise will affect shoreline
habitats in the Arctic and farther
south
flooding may heavily impact birds
breeding in coastal lowlands such
as coastal tundra, salt marshes, and
beaches
Timing of bug hatchings is not as
predictable– no food for young
Conservation and Management
Complicated due to the large
variety of habitats used
Require a series of interconnected
areas of suitable habitat to
successfully complete their annual
movements
Many variables have to be right in
order to be suitable for shorebirds
at a given time
Communication by managers and
researchers throughout range of the
species
US Shorebird Conservation Plan
http://www.fws.gov/shorebirdplan
federal agencies pooled their
resources to develop a plan for
migrating shorebirds and their
habitats
quantity and quality of shorebird
habitat is maintained at the local
level and to maintain or restore
shorebird populations at the
continental and hemispheric levels
Outreach, education, research,
monitoring, and habitat
conservation programs are being
implemented,
Accomplishment of conservation
objectives for all shorebird species
will require a coordinated effort
among traditional and new partners
Research and Monitoring
FWC Shorebird Monitoring
Website
http://myfwc.com/shorebirds