DOCSLIB.ORG

Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge BIRD LIST

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text

Load more

Merrritt Island National Wildlife Refuge U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service P.O. Box 2683 Titusville, FL 32781 http://www.fws.gov/refuge/Merritt_Island 321/861 0669 Visitor Center Merritt Island U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service 1 800/344 WILD National Wildlife Refuge March 2019 Bird List photo: James Lyon Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, located just Seasonal Occurrences east of Titusville, shares a common boundary with the SP - Spring - March, April, May John F. Kennedy Space Center. Its coastal location, SU - Summer - June, July, August tropic-like climate, and wide variety of habitat types FA - Fall - September, October, November contribute to Merritt Island’s diverse bird population. WN - Winter - December, January, February The Florida Ornithological Society Records Committee lists 521 species of birds statewide. To date, 359 You may see some species outside the seasons indicated species have been identified on the refuge. on this checklist. This phenomenon is quite common for many birds. However, the checklist is designed to Of special interest are breeding populations of Bald indicate the general trend of migration and seasonal Eagles, Brown Pelicans, Roseate Spoonbills, Reddish abundance for each species and, therefore, does not Egrets, and Mottled Ducks. Spectacular migrations account for unusual occurrences. of passerine birds, especially warblers, occur during spring and fall. In winter tens of thousands of Abundance Designation waterfowl may be seen. Eight species of herons and C – Common - These birds are present in large egrets are commonly observed year-round. numbers, are widespread, and should be seen if you look in the correct habitat. Tips on Birding A good field guide and binoculars provide the basic U – Uncommon - These birds are present, but because tools useful in the observation and identification of of their low numbers, behavior, habitat, or distribution, birds. While marshes and shallow impoundments are they are not usually seen. However, an experienced the most productive birding areas, in order to find bird watcher should be able to find them by looking in the widest variety of bird species, you should also the right places at the right times. visit mangrove-rimmed shorelines, cabbage palm and hardwood hammocks, palmetto and pine uplands, oak O – Occasional - These birds are present in low scrub and the beach. The refuge has provided trails numbers and are not expected to be seen without a and roads into each of these habitat types in order to special effort to find them. At least a few are seen each enhance bird watching opportunities. The cool weather year. months (October-April) are generally the best time of R – Rare - These birds are not expected to be seen year for birding. The best times of the day are early every year. They occur in low numbers, may also be morning and late afternoon. secretive or hard to identify, and may be unreported for Using This List several years. This checklist is arranged taxonomically by order (solid DATE - A date indicates the most recent sighting of an line) and family. Representatives from 18 orders and accidental species, extremely Rare species, or a species 60 families have been identified on the refuge. The that has not been seen on the Refuge recently due to word family is a classification term that places birds of changes in habitat conditions. Their occurrence here is similar appearance and habits into one group. Closely considered so unusual as to not be expected. related families make up an order. All birds in the same order have some common characteristics. Learning to *-- Breeds on the Refuge. recognize families and orders can help in identifying new birds you may encounter at Merritt Island Status National Wildlife Refuge. Listed by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (E) – Federal endangered species This list is in accordance with the “Checklist of Florida (T) – Federal threatened species Birds” as updated by the Florida Ornithological Society’s Records Committee through December 31, Listed by the Florida Wildlife Commission 2015. (FL-E) – FL endangered species (FL-T) – FL threatened species (FL-SSC) – FL species of special concern (FL-NNS) – FL non-native species SP SU FA WN Status SP SU FA WN Status Ducks, Geese, and Swans Grebes Black-bellied Whistling Duck R R R R Pied-billed Grebe* C R C C Fulvous Whistling Duck R R R Horned Grebe U U U Greater White-fronted Goose 2005 Red-necked Grebe 1994 Snow Goose O O Eared Grebe 1978 Ross’s Goose 2009 Western Grebe 1979 Brant R R R Canada Goose R Flamingos Mute Swan 2009 (FL-NNS) Greater Flamingo 1992 Tundra Swan 2010 Muscovy Duck 2007 (FL-NNS) Shearwaters and Petrels Wood Duck * O O O Northern Fulmar 2008 Gadwall U U U Cory’s Shearwater U O U R Eurasian Wigeon R R R Great Shearwater O O O American Wigeon O C C Sooty Shearwater 2009 American Black Duck R R R Manx Shearwater 2004 Mallard O O O Audubon’s Shearwater O O O Mottled Duck * C C C C Blue-winged Teal C O C C Storm-Petrels Cinnamon Teal 2019 Wilson’s Storm-Petrel O O O Northern Shoveler C R C C Leach’s Storm-Petrel O O O White-cheeked Pintail 1996 (FL-NNS) Band-rumped Storm-Petrel R R Northern Pintail U C C Green-winged Teal U C C Tropicbirds Canvasback O O U White-tailed Tropicbird 1981 Redhead U U U Ring-necked Duck O C C Storks Greater Scaup U U U Wood Stork C C C C (E)(FL-E) Lesser Scaup C U C C Common Eider 2018 Frigatebirds Harlequin Duck 1960 Magnificent Frigatebird O O O R Surf Scoter O O O White-winged Scoter O O O Boobies and Gannets Black Scoter U U U Masked Booby R R R Long-tailed Duck R R Brown Booby O O O Bufflehead O U C Northern Gannet C C C Common Goldeneye R R Hooded Merganser U C C Cormorants Common Merganser 1995 Double-crested Cormorant* C C C C Red-breasted Merganser U R U U Great Cormorant 2001 Ruddy Duck O O C Darters Upland Game Birds Anhinga* C C C C Northern Bobwhite* U U U U Wild Turkey* C C C C Pelicans American White Pelican C R U C Loons Brown Pelican* C C C C (FL-SSC) Red-throated Loon R R Pacific Loon 2008 Herons, Bitterns, and Allies Common Loon U O O American Bittern O O U Least Bittern* U U U R Great Blue Heron* C C C C SP SU FA WN Status SP SU FA WN Status Great Egret* C C C C Common Gallinule* C C C C Snowy Egret* C C C C (FL-SSC) American Coot C O C C Little Blue Heron* C C C C (FL-SSC) Tricolored Heron* C C C C (FL-SSC) Limpkins Reddish Egret* C C C C (FL-SSC) Limpkin R R R R (FL-SSC) Cattle Egret* C C C C Green Heron* C C C C Cranes Black-crowned Sandhill Crane* O O O O (FL-T) Night-Heron* U U U U Yellow-crowned Lapwings and Plovers Night-Heron* O O O O Black-bellied Plover C O C C American Golden-Plover R R R Ibises and Spoonbills Wilson’s Plover* O O O O White Ibis* C C C C (FL-SSC) Semipalmated Plover C R O C Glossy Ibis* C C C C Piping Plover R R (T)(FL-T) White-faced Ibis 2009 Killdeer* C C C Roseate Spoonbill* C C C C (FL-SSC) Oystercatchers New World Vultures American Oystercatcher R R R R (FL-SSC) Black Vulture* C C C C Turkey Vulture C C C C Stilts and Avocets Black-necked Stilt* C C U R Hawks, Kites, Eagles, and Allies American Avocet C R C C Osprey* C C C C Swallow-tailed Kite O O O Sandpipers, Phalaropes, and Allies White-tailed Kite 1992 Spotted Sandpiper U U U Snail Kite 2004 (E)(FL-E) Solitary Sandpiper U O R Mississippi Kite 2007 Greater Yellowlegs C U C C Bald Eagle* C O C C Willet* C C C C Northern Harrier U R C C Lesser Yellowlegs C U C C Sharp-shinned Hawk O U U Upland Sandpiper R R Cooper’s Hawk* U U U U Whimbrel O O O Red-shouldered Hawk* C C C C Long-billed Curlew 2005 Broad-winged Hawk R O R Black-tailed Godwit 1996 Short-tailed Hawk O O O Hudsonian Godwit 1999 Swainson’s Hawk R R Bar-tailed Godwit 1995 Red-tailed Hawk* U U U U Marbled Godwit U U U Ruddy Turnstone C C C C Caracaras and Falcons Red Knot U O U Crested Caracara 2017 T)(FL-T) Sanderling C C C C American Kestrel U C C Semipalmated Sandpiper C R C Merlin O U O Western Sandpiper C O C C Peregrine Falcon U U O Least Sandpiper C U C C White-rumped Sandpiper O O Rails, Gallinules, and Coots Baird’s Sandpiper R R Yellow Rail 2010 Pectoral Sandpiper U U R Black Rail* R R R R Purple Sandpiper 2003 Clapper Rail* U U U U Dunlin C R C C King Rail* U O O U Curlew Sandpiper 1991 Virginia Rail R R R Stilt Sandpiper U R U O Sora R U U Buff-breasted Sandpiper R Purple Gallinule 2007 Ruff R R SP SU FA WN Status SP SU FA WN Status Short-billed Dowitcher C C C Cuckoos and Anis Long-billed Dowitcher U C C Yellow-billed Cuckoo* U O U Wilson’s Snipe O U U Black-billed Cuckoo R R American Woodcock R R Smooth-billed Ani 1991 Wilson’s Phalarope R R Red-necked Phalarope R R Barn Owls Red Phalarope R Barn Owl R R R R Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers Typical Owls Black-legged Kittiwake R R Eastern Screech-Owl* C U C C Sabine’s Gull 2009 Great Horned Owl* U U U C Bonaparte’s Gull O U U Burrowing Owl 1976 (FL-SSC) Black-headed Gull 2008 Barred Owl* U U U U Laughing Gull* C C C C Short-eared Owl R R Franklin’s Gull 2003 Ring-billed Gull C R C C Nightjars (Goatsuckers) Herring Gull U R U U Common Nighthawk* C C U Lesser Black-backed Gull U U U Chuck-will’s-widow* C C O Glaucous Gull 1991 Eastern Whip-poor-will R R Great Black-backed Gull U O U U Brown Noddy R R Swifts Sooty Tern R R R Chimney Swift U U U Bridled Tern R R R Least Tern* C C O (FL-T) Hummingbirds Gull-billed Tern O O O O Ruby-throated Hummingbird U U U R Caspian Tern C C C Black Tern O U U Kingfishers Roseate Tern R R (T)(FL-T) Belted Kingfisher C R C C Common Tern O U U R Forster’s Tern C O C C Woodpeckers and Allies Royal Tern* C C C C Red-headed Woodpecker R R Sandwich Tern O O O O Red-bellied
Recommended publications
  • Kansas Ornithological Society BULLETIN PUBLISHED QUARTERLY

    Kansas Ornithological Society BULLETIN PUBLISHED QUARTERLY

    Kansas Ornithological Society BULLETIN PUBLISHED QUARTERLY Vol. 60 December, 2009 No. 4 FISH CROW (Corvus ossifragus) RANGE EXPANSION IN KANSAS Tyler L. Hicks1 1Washington State University Vancouver, Science Program, 14024 NE Salmon Creek Ave., Vancouver, WA 98686 ([email protected]) ABSTRACT The Fish Crow (Corvus ossifragus) has been expanding its range across North America. In the last quarter century the species has made significant advances into Kansas. Utilizing a wide variety of professional and amateur ornithologist’s records I constructed a database of Fish Crow sightings in Kansas during the past 25 years. Utilizing this database and ArcGIS mapping systems I determined the phenology and mapped the current range of Fish Crow in Kansas. In addition, I calculated temporal and spatial rates of expansion for the Fish Crow across the state. I found over 480 individual Fish Crows have been recorded in 20 counties in the south-central and eastern regions of the state. Expansion across the state varied temporally and spatially with the majority of Fish Crow expansion taking place between 1999 and 2009. Expansion rates statewide averaged ~ 18 km/year. However, patterns and rates of expansion along river systems varied drastically. INTRODUCTION The Fish Crow (Corvus ossifragus) is a medium-sized, all-black corvid that can be found in forested riparian areas in eastern and south-central Kansas. Until recently their distribution was restricted to the far southeastern corner of the state, primarily along the Spring River drainage in Cherokee County (Thompson and Ely 1992). The species has been expanding its range for the past 50 years in Missouri and Oklahoma, where it was first documented in 1954 and 1955 respectfully and had spread to counties bordering Kansas by the mid-1980’s (Wilhelm 1960, Baumgartner and Baumgartner 1992, Robbins and Easterla 1992).
  • Crows and Ravens Wildlife Notes

    Crows and Ravens Wildlife Notes

    12. Crows & Ravens Crows and ravens belong to the large family Corvidae, along with more than 200 other species including jays, nutcrackers and magpies. These less-than-melodious birds, you may be surprised to learn, are classified as songbirds. raven American Crow insects, grain, fruit, the eggs and young of other birds, Crows are some of the most conspicuous and best known organic garbage and just about anything that they can find of all birds. They are intelligent, wary and adapt well to or overpower. Crows also feed on the carcasses of winter – human activity. As with most other wildlife species, crows and road-killed animals. are considered to have “good” points and “bad” ones— value judgements made strictly by humans. They are found Crows have extremely keen senses of sight and hearing. in all 50 states and parts of Canada and Mexico. They are wary and usually post sentries while they feed. Sentry birds watch for danger, ready to alert the feeding birds with a sharp alarm caw. Once aloft, crows fly at 25 Biology to 30 mph. If a strong tail wind is present, they can hit 60 Also known as the common crow, an adult American mph. These skillful fliers have a large repertoire of moves crow weighs about 20 ounces. Its body length is 15 to 18 designed to throw off airborne predators. inches and its wings span up to three feet. Both males Crows are relatively gregarious. Throughout most of the and females are black from their beaks to the tips of their year, they flock in groups ranging from family units to tails.
  • A Snail Kite's Delight

    A Snail Kite's Delight

    Marsh Trail - Photo by Arthur Jacoby A Snail Kite’s Delight Naturalist Observations of The Marsh Trail Impoundments By Bradley Rosendorf, Education and Outreach Associate A hike around the Marsh Trail impoundments provides opportunities for Refuge guests to observe a stunning array of unique Everglades wildlife. The Refuge is an ecological gem and one of the precious jewels of the National Wildlife Refuge System. On the Marsh Trail, visitors regularly observe species such as the American alligator, white- Bradley tailed deer, Everglade Snail Kite, Sandhill Crane, Wood Stork, Glossy Ibis, Limpkin, Purple Gallinule, Pileated Woodpecker, Great Egret, Great Blue Heron, Red- shouldered Hawk and Roseate Spoonbill. There seems to be a big increase in Roseate Spoonbill activity in the area this year! In the fall and winter months, Northern Harriers can be seen, and in the spring and summer, Swallow-tailed Sandhill Cranes - David Kendall Kites are observed. Bald Eagles can also be seen, but they are very elusive. Florida bobcats are sometimes seen stalking the water’s edge for a bird to catch for dinner. The Roseate Spoonbill - Bradley sunsets are a magical sight to behold – in the Real Everglades of Palm Beach County. Every hike on the Marsh Trail offers the possibility of a surprise. At the Refuge, people from all throughout the community unite to support wildlife conservation and be inspired in nature. The Marsh Trail impoundments include 7.6 miles of hiking trail as well as the LILA area – Loxahatchee Impoundment Research Assessment – where you can learn about tree islands and Everglades restoration collaborative research. While hiking through the Marsh Trail impoundments, you can experience an Everglades landscape and habitat that reflects the greater River of Grass ecosystem.
  • A Guide to the Birds of Barrow Island

    A Guide to the Birds of Barrow Island

    A Guide to the Birds of Barrow Island Operated by Chevron Australia This document has been printed by a Sustainable Green Printer on stock that is certified carbon in joint venture with neutral and is Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC) mix certified, ensuring fibres are sourced from certified and well managed forests. The stock 55% recycled (30% pre consumer, 25% post- Cert no. L2/0011.2010 consumer) and has an ISO 14001 Environmental Certification. ISBN 978-0-9871120-1-9 Gorgon Project Osaka Gas | Tokyo Gas | Chubu Electric Power Chevron’s Policy on Working in Sensitive Areas Protecting the safety and health of people and the environment is a Chevron core value. About the Authors Therefore, we: • Strive to design our facilities and conduct our operations to avoid adverse impacts to human health and to operate in an environmentally sound, reliable and Dr Dorian Moro efficient manner. • Conduct our operations responsibly in all areas, including environments with sensitive Dorian Moro works for Chevron Australia as the Terrestrial Ecologist biological characteristics. in the Australasia Strategic Business Unit. His Bachelor of Science Chevron strives to avoid or reduce significant risks and impacts our projects and (Hons) studies at La Trobe University (Victoria), focused on small operations may pose to sensitive species, habitats and ecosystems. This means that we: mammal communities in coastal areas of Victoria. His PhD (University • Integrate biodiversity into our business decision-making and management through our of Western Australia)
  • Houde2009chap64.Pdf

    Houde2009chap64.Pdf

    Cranes, rails, and allies (Gruiformes) Peter Houde of these features are subject to allometric scaling. Cranes Department of Biology, New Mexico State University, Box 30001 are exceptional migrators. While most rails are generally MSC 3AF, Las Cruces, NM 88003-8001, USA ([email protected]) more sedentary, they are nevertheless good dispersers. Many have secondarily evolved P ightlessness aJ er col- onizing remote oceanic islands. Other members of the Abstract Grues are nonmigratory. 7 ey include the A nfoots and The cranes, rails, and allies (Order Gruiformes) form a mor- sungrebe (Heliornithidae), with three species in as many phologically eclectic group of bird families typifi ed by poor genera that are distributed pantropically and disjunctly. species diversity and disjunct distributions. Molecular data Finfoots are foot-propelled swimmers of rivers and lakes. indicate that Gruiformes is not a natural group, but that it 7 eir toes, like those of coots, are lobate rather than pal- includes a evolutionary clade of six “core gruiform” fam- mate. Adzebills (Aptornithidae) include two recently ilies (Suborder Grues) and a separate pair of closely related extinct species of P ightless, turkey-sized, rail-like birds families (Suborder Eurypygae). The basal split of Grues into from New Zealand. Other extant Grues resemble small rail-like and crane-like lineages (Ralloidea and Gruoidea, cranes or are morphologically intermediate between respectively) occurred sometime near the Mesozoic– cranes and rails, and are exclusively neotropical. 7 ey Cenozoic boundary (66 million years ago, Ma), possibly on include three species in one genus of forest-dwelling the southern continents. Interfamilial diversifi cation within trumpeters (Psophiidae) and the monotypic Limpkin each of the ralloids, gruoids, and Eurypygae occurred within (Aramidae) of both forested and open wetlands.
  • Securing the Survival of Snail Kites

    Securing the Survival of Snail Kites

    Securing the Survival of Snail Kites Reversing Current Trends Difficult aquatic plant management choices and tradeoffs are necessary to provide Kites with some minimal habitat and food source. Generally, Audubon supports efforts to suppress exotics and restore native plant and animal communities. However, no methods presently exist to eradicate exotic hydrilla or the snails it supports, nor to restore native plant communities and native apple snails to sustain Kites. Thus, the usual tactic of eliminating these exotic communities using herbicides— specifically in lakes such as Lake Tohopekaliga— now could undermine the Kite’s most important Snail Kite by Mike Tracy remaining habitat, food, and nesting areas. Until restoration efforts can successfully restore The endangered Snail Kite is in serious trouble. native habitat and improve water management in The species, formerly known as the Everglades Lake Okeechobee and the southern Everglades, Kite and whose entire U.S. population is found in managing the few areas in its northern range to Florida, has lost most of its habitat and its sustain enough hydrilla to meet Kite needs can act as traditional food, native apple snails. As a result, its an important bridge to secure the species’ survival. range and numbers are dropping dramatically. Therefore, Audubon believes that aquatic plant Known for its aerial grace and dramatic plumage, management, for now, should sustain enough the Kite is on course to be extirpated from Florida hydrilla to meet Kite needs, while maintaining other if current trends continue. essential functions of the lake, including navigation, fishing, and flood control to the extent practicable . Two broad problems appear to be plaguing the Kite.
  • Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge

    Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge

    Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Region August 2008 COMPREHENSIVE CONSERVATION PLAN MERRITT ISLAND NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE Brevard and Volusia Counties, Florida U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Region Atlanta, Georgia August 2008 TABLE OF CONTENTS COMPREHENSIVE CONSERVATION PLAN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ....................................................................................................................... 1 I. BACKGROUND ................................................................................................................................. 3 Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 3 Purpose and Need for the Plan .................................................................................................... 3 U.S. Fish And Wildlife Service ...................................................................................................... 4 National Wildlife Refuge System .................................................................................................. 4 Legal Policy Context ..................................................................................................................... 5 National Conservation Plans and Initiatives .................................................................................6 Relationship to State Partners .....................................................................................................
  • Bird Checklist for St. Johns County Florida (As of January 2019)

    Bird Checklist for St. Johns County Florida (As of January 2019)

    Bird Checklist for St. Johns County Florida (as of January 2019) DUCKS, GEESE, AND SWANS Mourning Dove Black-bellied Whistling-Duck CUCKOOS Snow Goose Yellow-billed Cuckoo Ross's Goose Black-billed Cuckoo Brant NIGHTJARS Canada Goose Common Nighthawk Mute Swan Chuck-will's-widow Tundra Swan Eastern Whip-poor-will Muscovy Duck SWIFTS Wood Duck Chimney Swift Blue-winged Teal HUMMINGBIRDS Cinnamon Teal Ruby-throated Hummingbird Northern Shoveler Rufous Hummingbird Gadwall RAILS, CRANES, and ALLIES American Wigeon King Rail Mallard Virginia Rail Mottled Duck Clapper Rail Northern Pintail Sora Green-winged Teal Common Gallinule Canvasback American Coot Redhead Purple Gallinule Ring-necked Duck Limpkin Greater Scaup Sandhill Crane Lesser Scaup Whooping Crane (2000) Common Eider SHOREBIRDS Surf Scoter Black-necked Stilt White-winged Scoter American Avocet Black Scoter American Oystercatcher Long-tailed Duck Black-bellied Plover Bufflehead American Golden-Plover Common Goldeneye Wilson's Plover Hooded Merganser Semipalmated Plover Red-breasted Merganser Piping Plover Ruddy Duck Killdeer GROUSE, QUAIL, and ALLIES Upland Sandpiper Northern Bobwhite Whimbrel Wild Turkey Long-billed Curlew GREBES Hudsonian Godwit Pied-billed Grebe Marbled Godwit Horned Grebe Ruddy Turnstone FLAMINGOS Red Knot American Flamingo (2004) Ruff PIGEONS and DOVES Stilt Sandpiper Rock Pigeon Sanderling Eurasian Collared-Dove Dunlin Common Ground-Dove Purple Sandpiper White-winged Dove Baird's Sandpiper St. Johns County is a special place for birds – celebrate it! Bird Checklist
  • Florida Field Naturalist

    Florida Field Naturalist

    FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST QUARTERLYPUBLICATION OF THE FLORIDA~RNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY VOL.10, NO. 3 AUGUST1982 PAGES45-64 OBSERVATIONS ON LIMPKIN NESTING Little has been published on the nesting of the Limpkin (Aramus guarauna) (Bent 1926), although additional unpublished studies have recently been completed by Ingalls (1972) and Bryan (pers. comm.). I have long been interested in Limpkins, from the time I first heard one in 1938. In this paper I present observations on nesting that I have made since 1966, especially on Lake Pierce, Polk County, Florida. Limpkins are common in shallow water along the lake shore and along the edges of man-made lagoons and waterways nearby. The number of Limpkins has varied with water levels and food conditions. At times nearly all birds leave the lake. On 12-15 December 1969, for example, practically all Limpkins disappeared from Lake Pierce, and 23 showed up at the same time at Nalcrest, 14.4 km east of Lake Wales and 19.2 km south of Lake Pierce, an area where previously none had been present. In spring the birds reappeared along the shores of Lake Pierce. The Limpkin in the United States is primarily a Florida bird. It has been found north to South Carolina, in the Okefenokee Swamp, southern Georgia, and over much of peninsular Florida, west in the Florida panhandle rarely to Holmes, Jackson and Bay counties (Fig. 1).The region of greatest abundance is the central portion of the state (Sprunt 1954), north of the southern border of Lake Okeechobee. At Lake Pierce, where I made my observations, the Limpkin is fairly abundant.
  • Snail Kite Use of the Freshwater Marshes of South Florida

    Snail Kite Use of the Freshwater Marshes of South Florida

    SNAIL KITE USE OF THE FRESHWATER MARSHES OF SOUTH FLORIDA U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Delray Beach Station, P.O. Box 2077, Delray Beach, Florida 33444.1 Although the Snail Kite (Rostrhamus socinbilis plumbeus) once ranged widely throughout the freshwater marshes of Florida (Horn-ell 1932), in recent years habitat loss and modification have greatly reduced the species' range (Sprunt 1945, 1947, 1950, Stieg- litz and Thompson 1967, Sykes 1978, 1979). Kites in Florida were restricted principally to the headwaters of the St. Johns River, the Savannas, Lake Okeechobee, Loxaliatchee Slough, and the Ever- glades from 1967 through 1980, although other areas were used for short periods. In this paper I describe the area, and habitats'tlsed by kites bet~s-een1967 and 1980 and discuss their importance to maintenance of the kite population. Freshwater marshes of southern Florida (south of 28" N Latitude) were visited and the presence of Snail Kites observed each year from 1967 through 1980, and standardized censuses were conducted annually in November and December 19G9 through 1980, by methods explained elsewhere (Sykes 1979, 1982). I also used observations of contributors. I did not include in this report sightings of transient birds outside their principal use areas. Small marshes in the northern half of the Florida peninsula and in the Big Cypress Region of Collier County have not been included because of incomplete data. I deter- mined the extent of marsh habitat, past and present, from published sources and field investigations. I plotted former and extant marshes on Florida De- partment of Transportation general highway maps for the counties (scale 1:126720) and on U.S.
  • Recent Occurrences of Unusually Plumaged Kingbirds (Tyrannus) in Florida: Hybrids Or Little-Noticed Natural Variants?

    Recent Occurrences of Unusually Plumaged Kingbirds (Tyrannus) in Florida: Hybrids Or Little-Noticed Natural Variants?

    Florida Field Naturalist 45(3):79-86, 2017. RECENT OCCURRENCES OF UNUSUALLY PLUMAGED KINGBIRDS (Tyrannus) IN FLORIDA: HYBRIDS OR LITTLE-NOTICED NATURAL VARIANTS? STU WILSON Sarasota, Florida Email: [email protected] INTRODUCTION In the spring of 2016, two observers at two widely separated locations studied and photographed what appeared to be Gray Kingbirds (T. dominicensis) that had a highly unusual extensive yellow wash on the underparts. On 5 April 2016, experienced Florida birder Carl Goodrich (pers. comm.) noted an odd-looking kingbird on a wire in the company of two Gray Kingbirds at Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park (“Fort Zach”) at Key West, Monroe County, Florida. In his first view, without a binocular, the bird struck him as a Western Kingbird (T. verticalis) because of the yellow on the underparts. Later the same day, when he was able to photograph the bird and study it in more detail with a binocular, he realized it was not a Western Kingbird. Goodrich has seen “thousands of Gray Kingbirds in the Keys over the last 40 years and none were as yellow as this one” (Fig. 1A). He believes he saw the same bird a week earlier in a gumbo limbo (Bursera simaruba) at the same location in the company of a dozen Gray Kingbirds, but was not able to photograph it on that occasion. On 15 May 2016, Michelle Wilson (pers. comm.) was birding on Lust Road at Lake Apopka North Shore Restoration Area (LANSRA), Orange County, Florida, part of the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive. There she photographed a kingbird (Fig.
  • Broome and Is Accessed Via Crab Creek Rd (Sign-Posted at the Junction of Broome and Crab Creek Rds)

    Broome and Is Accessed Via Crab Creek Rd (Sign-Posted at the Junction of Broome and Crab Creek Rds)

    Birdwatching around Broome Broome is world famous for its spectacular birdlife, with over 325 species recorded in the region. Excellent birding can be had throughout the year. NB The wet season Birdwatching occasionally affects access to the prime birding areas. Bird Sites There are six distinct habitats in the region and all are around relatively close to the town itself. They are mangrove, salt Broome Region marsh, open plains, mudflats, pindan woodland and coastal scrub interspersed with vine thickets Broome Barred Creek 6 Bar-shouldered Manari Road 0 5 Km Dove Scale Broome-Cape Levique Road Acknowledgements Illustrations / photographs: P Agar, R Ashford, P Barrett, Willie Creek J Baas, N Davies, P Marsack, M Morcombe, F O’Connor, 6 G Steytler, C Tate, S Tingay, J Vogel. Contacts Broome Bird Observatory Phone: (08) 9193 5600 Email: [email protected] Web: www.broomebirdobservatory.com Facebook: https://facebook.com/broomebirdobs / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / Broome / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / 7/ / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / Guide No 3A / / / / / / / / / / / / Roebuck/ / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /