DOCSLIB.ORG

4. Please Provide Reasonable Assurances That the Proposed

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
4. Please Provide Reasonable Assurances That the Proposed 4. Please provide reasonable assurances that the proposed project will not jeopardize the abundance and diversity of wetland-dependent wildlife and listed species and their habitats pursuant to the Environmental Criteria in Section 10.2.2, Vol. I. Please provide any correspondence received from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and any management plans, as appropriate. During the permitting efforts for all Federal, State and Local agencies, the environmental consultant has received no comments from FWC or USFWS regarding wetland dependent species. Lee County has requested information and that response is attached. Wading Bird Biology Influencing Dry Detention Area - Alico Lakeside Biological Information Description The herons, egrets, ibises, spoonbills, and storks comprise the wading birds of Florida (GFC 1991). Although never accurately estimated, the total population of wading birds in Florida is believed to have fluctuated greatly over the years. Historically, many wading birds were hunted for their plumage, resulting in a drastic population decline in the early 1900s. Since that time, the populations rebounded, but a second drastic decline occurred, as estimated in 1970. The second population decline has been attributed to wetland alteration and destruction. Most recently, the population decline of wading birds in south Florida has been "attributed to degradation and loss of feeding habitat rather than loss of rookery habitat, hunting, or harassment" (GFC 1991). Wood storks are discussed in a separate section of this report (federally listed species). The snowy egret (Egretta thula), the white ibis (Eudocimus albus), the roseate spoonbill (Ajaia ajaja), and two herons (Egretta caerulea and E. tricolor) are known to occur in the general areas that the proposed Phase IV project corridor traverses. These five species are listed as "species of special concern" by the GFC, the FWS does not list any of these birds. Snowy egret (Egretta thula) This bird is a medium-small, all white wading bird, often described as "dainty" in stature (Ogden in Rodgers. Kale and Smith 1996). The snowy egret is approximately 60 cm (24 inches) in length with a wingspan of 1 m (39 inches). The bill and legs are black, while the iris, lores, and feet are yellow. Skin color on the lores and feet changes to orange-red or red on adults during courtship. Breeding adults exhibit prominent white plumes on the head, neck, and scapulars, which are recurved and extend across the back to the tail. Plumes on non-breeding adults and immature birds are much less conspicuous or totally lacking. White ibis (Eudocimus albus) The white ibis is a medium-sized wading bird of approximately 56-cm total length with a 96-cm wingspan (Frederick in Rodgers, Kale and Smith 1996). The most distinct feature is the long down-curved bill. Plumage of adults is white except for the black extremities of the four longest primaries. (1n some lighting conditions the coloration of these extremities appears iridescent dark green.) The soft parts of adults are fleshy pink and become bright red before and during the short courtship period. White ibises are considerably sexually dimorphic with males up to 30% larger than females. The bill length is the most obvious difference in size between the two sexes. Post-fledgling birds have dark brown wings, neck, head, tail, and irides, white backs (evident when flying), and gray legs during their first year. Near the end of their first year, juveniles begin to acquire white plumage with sparse brown feathers remaining on their head and neck at the end of their second year. By the end of the third year, all brown has molted out. Roseate spoonbill (Ajaiaaiaja) The roseate spoonbill is a long-legged wading bird with a spatulate bill. It is the only spoonbill native to the Western Hemisphere (Bjork and Powell in Rodgers, Kale and Smith 1996). They stand about 80 cm (31 inches) high and have a wingspan of 1.3 m (51 inches) with a weight of 1,225 -1,800 grams. Adult plumage of birds greater than three years of age is quite variable: rose-pink on the back, wings, and lower breast; carminecolored lesser wing and upper and under tail coverts; a white neck and upper breast with a patch of stiff, curly carmine feathers at the base of the neck; yellowish wash on the breast adjacent to the bend-of-wing; an unfeathered head of pale green to golden-buff, with a line of black skin around the ears and back of head that sometimes extends as a "V" down the back of the neck; grayish-green to grayish-tan bill; and orange-buff tail. Birds that are one to 12 months of age are uniformly pale pink with fully feathered, white heads and necks and dark-tipped outer primaries. At one to three years of age, birds are intermediate in color, become bareheaded, and acquire the black line on the head at year two. Sexes are morphologically similar. Roseate spoonbills extend their necks straight forward with the legs trailing behind during flight. Flying patterns consist of wing flapping alternating with short glides, in contrast to the white ibis that has a more rapid wing beat. Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea) The little blue heron is a medium-sized ardeid approximately 64-74 cm (25-29 inches) in length with a wingspan of about 1 m (40 inches) (Rodgers in Rodgers, Kale and Smith 1996). Body measurements and plumage are similar for both sexes. The adult plumage consists of purplish-maroon head and neck with a small whitish region on the throat and upper neck. The remainder of the plumage is slate-blue with the distal third of the bill being black and the balance of the bill being pale yellow to grayish-green. The legs are grayish-green during the non-breeding season and black during the breeding season. During the breeding season, the plumes of the crest, lower neck, and the back become long lanceolate. The immature little blue heron is mostly white with pale slate-gray tips on the primaries (Rodgers in Rodgers, Kale and Smith 1996). This feature is unique among the dark plumaged ardeids. The immature little blue heron has yellow-green legs and begins to acquire the dark plumage during their first spring, becoming "pied" or "calico." The areas of the crest, lower neck, and back are slowly replaced with dark plumage while the secondaries and primaries are replaced in symmetry. Breeding subadults attain the cobalt-blue soft-part colors on the bill and orbital skin, but the legs typically remain yellow-green. The full adult plumage is reached by the second year. Tricolored heron (Egretta tricolor) The tricolored heron is a medium-sized heron at 65 cm (25 inches) in length with a long, slim neck, and two-toned color pattern (Ogden in Rodgers, Kale and Smith 1996). Adults have dark slate-colored heads, necks, and bodies except for a white rump, belly, and undertail coverts. The front of the neck has a white and rufous streak. Head plumes and elongated feathers on the lower neck and chest are purplish in color. The legs, feet, base of the bill, and bare facial skin are all yellow, with the bill darkening to dusky at the tip. During breeding, the adults have long, whitish head plumes and rufous to whitish mantle plumes. Soft parts also change color, with the bill and facial skin turning aquablue, the iris turning magenta, and the legs becoming orange-red. Immature tricolored herons, up to about one year in age, are extensively reddish-brown on the head and neck, brownish on the mantle, and white in the same areas as adults. Typically, young birds lack plumes. Distribution and Habitat Snowy egret (EQretta thula) Snowy egrets were extensively hunted for their plumes in the late 19`h and early 20`h centuries throughout North, Central, and South America (Ogden in Rodgers, Kale and Smith 1996). They became quite rare or were even locally extirpated in much of their range. Although no population data exists for snowy egrets outside the United States, they are believed to have recovered from the plume-hunting days and are considered to be fairly common to common in many regions of Central and South America. The snowy egret was a common nesting species along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico, throughout Florida, and on the Atlantic coast as far north as New Jersey (Ogden in Rodgers, Kale and Smith 1996). Following the post-plume hunting days, the snowy egret rapidly recovered in most regions, even though they were extirpated or became rare in some locations during the plume-hunting era. Within Florida, the number of nesting snowy egrets has been declining since the 1950s. Snowy egrets in Florida nest in both coastal and inland wetlands, commonly in mangroves or willows (Ogden in Rodgers, Kale and Smith 1996). Nesting also occurs in many woody species of shrubs and small trees, including Australian pine, cypress, pond apple, Brazilian pepper, buttonbush, and elderberry. Nearly all nesting occurs over shallow expanses of open water. Foraging takes place in a wide variety of permanently and seasonally flooded marshes, swamps, lake and stream shorelines, and water impoundments, even in temporarily flooded ditches and agricultural fields. Typically, the water is relatively shallow and calm. Snowy egrets also feed in upland grasslands and at the edges of the surf along beaches. White ibis (Eudocimus albus) White ibises are common breeding species in the coastal plain of the southeastern United States from North Carolina through Texas (Frederick in Rodgers, Kale and Smith 1996). Their range extends throughout wetland habitats of Central America and northern South America to the northern coast of Brazil.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Snowy Egret Egretta Thula
    Wyoming Species Account Snowy Egret Egretta thula REGULATORY STATUS USFWS: Migratory Bird USFS R2: No special status USFS R4: No special status Wyoming BLM: No special status State of Wyoming: Protected Bird CONSERVATION RANKS USFWS: No special status WGFD: NSS3 (Bb), Tier II WYNDD: G5, S1S2 Wyoming Contribution: LOW IUCN: Least Concern PIF Continental Concern Score: Not ranked STATUS AND RANK COMMENTS The Wyoming Natural Diversity Database has assigned Snowy Egret (Egretta thula) a state conservation rank ranging from S1 (Critically Imperiled) to S2 (Imperiled) because of uncertainty about population trends for this species in Wyoming. NATURAL HISTORY Taxonomy: There are currently two recognized subspecies of Snowy Egret, which are weakly distinguished by minor size differences: E. t. thula breeds in eastern North America, the Greater Antilles, and throughout South America, while E. t. brewsteri breeds in western North America west of the Rocky Mountains 1, 2. Both subspecies are likely found in Wyoming 3, but this has not been confirmed. Description: Identification of Snowy Egret is possible in the field. It is a medium heron; adults weigh approximately 370 g, range in length from 56–66 cm, and have wingspans of approximately 100 cm 1. Males are slightly larger, but the sexes are otherwise similar in appearance 1. Breeding adults have uniform white plumage with long plumes of delicate feathers on the nape, breast, and lower back that are used in courtship displays; a long S-curved neck; yellow eyes; bright lores that range from dark yellow to red; a long black bill; long black legs; and dark yellow or orange feet 1, 4.
    [Show full text]
  • SNOWY EGRET Egretta Thula Non-Breeding Visitor, Vagrant Monotypic
    SNOWY EGRET Egretta thula non-breeding visitor, vagrant monotypic Snowy Egrets breed in most of the contiguous United States and throughout Central and South America (AOU 1998). In the post-breeding season some wander irregularly north to S Canada and SE Alaska, and then withdraw to winter in the s. U.S. and southward. In the Pacific, vagrants have reached Clipperton, the Galapagos, and the Revilligedos Is (Howell et al. 1993, AOU 1998) as well as the Hawaiian Islands (Scott et al. 1983, Pratt et al.1987), where there are four confirmed records. Snowy Egrets and other small white herons and egrets were virtually unknown in the Hawaiian Islands prior to 1950, likely related to decreased source populations resulting from plume hunting during the first third of the century. Several small egrets observed during the mid-1970s through the early 1980s were reported as Snowy Egrets, but Scott et al. (1983) described the similarity in soft-part colors between Snowy Egret and Little Egret of Eurasia, and emphasized the difficulty in separating these in the field (see also AB 36:221). They concluded that an individual reported from Mohouli Pond , Hilo, Hawai'i 15-20 Jan 1975 (E 37:151, 43:79) and 1-2 at Kanaha Pond 5 Dec 1980-7 Apr 1981 were only identifiable as Snowy/Little egrets (cf. Pyle 1977), but that one on O'ahu in 1980 with nuptial plumes (see below) could be confirmed as a Snowy Egret. They also concluded Snowy Egret was more likely than Little Egret to reach Hawaii, since most migrants and vagrants to the Southeastern Islands are North American in origin; however, several observations in 1982-1990 were thought possibly to be Little Egrets.
    [Show full text]
  • IUCN-SSC Stork, Ibis and Spoonbill Specialist Group Special Publication 2
    IUCN-SSC Stork, Ibis and Spoonbill Specialist Group Special Publication 2 Proceedings of the IX Workshop of the AEWA Eurasian Spoonbill International Expert Group Djerba Island, Tunisia, 14th - 18th November 2018 Editors: Jocelyn Champagnon, Jelena Kralj, Luis Santiago Cano Alonso and K. S. Gopi Sundar Editors-in-Chief, Special Publications, IUCN-SSC Stork, Ibis and Spoonbill Specialist Group K.S. Gopi Sundar, Co-chair IUCN Stork, Ibis and Spoonbill Specialist Group Luis Santiago Cano Alonso, Co-chair IUCN Stork, Ibis and Spoonbill Specialist Group Invited Editors for this issue Jocelyn Champagnon, Tour du Valat, Research Institute for the Conservation of Mediterranean Wetlands, Arles, France Jelena Kralj, Institute of Ornithology, Zagreb, Croatia Expert Review Board Hichem Azafzaf, Association “les Amis des Oiseaux » (AAO/BirdLife Tunisia), Tunisia Petra de Goeij, Royal NIOZ, the Netherlands Csaba Pigniczki, Kiskunság National Park Directorate, Hungary Suggested citation of this publication: Champagnon J., Kralj J., Cano Alonso, L. S. & Sundar, K. S. G. (ed.) 2019. Proceedings of the IX Workshop of the AEWA Eurasian Spoonbill International Expert Group. IUCN-SSC Stork, Ibis and Spoonbill Specialist Group Special Publication 2. Arles, France. ISBN 978-2-491451-00-4. Recommended Citation of a chapter: Marion L. 2019. Recent trends of the breeding population of Spoonbill in France 2012- 2018. Pp 19- 23. In: Champagnon J., Kralj J., Cano Alonso, L. S. & Sundar, K. S. G. (ed.) Proceedings of the IX Workshop of the AEWA Eurasian Spoonbill International Expert Group. IUCN-SSC Stork, Ibis and Spoonbill Specialist Group Special Publication 2. Arles, France. INFORMATION AND WRITING DISCLAIMER The information and opinions expressed in this publication belong to the authors.
    [Show full text]
  • Roseate Spoonbill Breeding in Camden County: a First State Nesting Record for Georgia
    vol. 76 • 3 – 4 THE ORIOLE 65 ROSEATE SPOONBILL BREEDING IN CAMDEN COUNTY: A FIRST STATE NESTING RECORD FOR GEORGIA Timothy Keyes One Conservation Way Brunswick, GA 31520 [email protected] Chris Depkin One Conservation Way Brunswick, GA 31520 [email protected] Jessica Aldridge 6222 Charlie Smith Sr. Hwy St. Marys, GA 31558 [email protected] Introduction We report the northernmost breeding record of Roseate Spoonbill (Platalea ajaja) on the Atlantic Coast of the U.S. Nesting activity has been suspected in Georgia for at least 5 years, but was first confirmed in June 2011 at a large wading bird colony in St. Marys, Camden County, Georgia. Prior to this record, the furthest northern breeding record for Roseate Spoonbill was in St. Augustine, St. John’s County, Florida, approximately 100 km to the south. This record for Georgia continues a trend of northward expansion of Roseate Spoonbill post-breeding dispersal and breeding ranges. Prior to the plume-hunting era of the mid to late 1800s, the eastern population of Roseate Spoonbill was more abundant and widespread than it is today (Dumas 2000), breeding across much of south Florida. Direct persecution and collateral disturbance by egret plume hunters led to a significant range contraction between 1850 and the 1890s (Allen 1942), limiting the eastern population of Roseate Spoonbills to a few sites in Florida Bay by the 1940s. A low of 15 nesting pairs were documented in 1936 (Powell et al. 1989). By the late 1960s, Roseate Spoonbills began to expand out of Florida Bay, slowly reclaiming some of the territory they had lost.
    [Show full text]
  • Snowy Egret Egretta Thula One of California's Most Elegant Birds, The
    Herons and Bitterns — Family Ardeidae 133 Snowy Egret Egretta thula One of California’s most elegant birds, the Snowy Egret frequents both coastal and inland wetlands. Since the 1930s, when it recovered from persecution for its plumes, it has been common in fall and winter. Since 1979, it has also established an increasing num- ber of breeding colonies. Yet, in contrast to the Great Egret, the increase in Snowy Egret colonies has not been accompanied by a clear increase in the Snowy’s numbers. Though dependent on wetlands for forag- ing, the Snowy Egret takes advantage of humanity, from nesting in landscaping to following on the heels of clam diggers at the San Diego River mouth, snap- ping up any organisms they suck out of the mud. Breeding distribution: The first recorded Snowy Egret colonies in San Diego County were established at Buena Vista Lagoon in 1979 (J. P. Rieger, AB 33:896, 1979) and Photo by Anthony Mercieca in the Tijuana River valley in 1980 (AB 34:929, 1980). By 1997 these were no longer active, but during the atlas Two of the largest colonies lie near San Diego and period we confirmed nesting at eight other sites. Because Mission bays. The colony on the grounds of Sea World, Snowy Egrets often hide their nests in denser vegetation behind the Forbidden Reef exhibit (R8), was founded than do the Great Egret and Great Blue Heron, assessing in 1991 and contained 42 nests and fledged 44 young in the size of a Snowy Egret colony is more difficult than for 1997 (Black et al.
    [Show full text]
  • Indiana Division of Fish & Wildlife's Animal Information Series: Paddlefish
    Indiana Division of Fish & Wildlife’s Animal Information Series Paddlefish (Polyodon spathula) Do they have any other names? Paddlefish are also called spoonbill, spoonbill cat, shovelnose cat, and boneless cat. Why are they called paddlefish? They are called paddlefish because of their paddle-like nose. Polyodon is Greek for “many tooth” in reference to the numerous long gill rakers and spathula is Latin for “spatula” or “blade.” What do they look like? Paddlefish are shark-like fish with long, paddle-shaped snouts. They have large mouths, without teeth, that are located far back on the underside of the head. Paddlefish have many gill rakers (filaments used to filter food from the water) that are long and slender. The eyes are small and just above the front edge of the mouth. The rear margin of the gill cover is long and pointed into a fleshy flap. The tail is deeply lobed with the upper lobe longer than the lower lobe. The skin is without scales and the skeleton is made of cartilage. Paddlefish are bluish-gray to black on the upper parts and light gray to white on the belly. Photo Credit: Duane Raver, USFWS Where do they live in Indiana? Paddlefish are rare to occasional in Indiana and they live in large rivers. What kind of habitat do they need? A paddlefish needs very specific habitat conditions to meet its needs. During most of its life it lives in quiet or slow-flowing waters rich in the microscopic life (zooplankton) on which it feeds. However, it must have access to a large, free-flowing river with gravel bars that flood frequently during its spawning season.
    [Show full text]
  • Developing a Research Network on Glossy Ibis, a Neglected Cosmopolitan Species
    Developing a research network on Glossy ibis, a neglected cosmopolitan species Álvaro Arenas Patiño © 2014 The Project in a nutshell The Glossy ibis (Plegadis falcinellus) is the only cosmopolitan species of the Threskiornithidae family (ibis and spoonbills) and among the most widely distributed bird species in the world ([1] see map at the bottom of the document). Nonetheless, no knowledge exists on the intraspecific phylogeny and very little is known about the (meta)populations dynamics. We aim to fill this gap by setting up a research network and by implementing modern analytical tools (e.g. molecular and statistical) we nowadays dispose of. Some puzzling aspects of Glossy ibis abundance and distribution Little is known about the movement ecology of this species especially when focusing on a large spatial scale. In most ornithology books the Glossy ibis is described as migratory with nomadic elements [2] with populations at tropics being more sedentary than others. However, references are rarely provided and, to the best of our knowledge, only a few data have been ever collected on the Glossy ibis dispersal behavior. According to historical records, breeding was very rare in W Europe while common in North Africa and S Spain before the 20th century when it became almost absent in all these regions [3–5]. In 1996 seven pairs settled at Doñana, a wetland area in SW Spain, from where the species begun an astonishing population increase reaching about 8,000 pairs in current times [6,7]. Since then, the Glossy ibis has started to colonize other areas in W Europe and the Mediterranean Basin from where it had been absent for decades or even had never been recorded as a breeder species.
    [Show full text]
  • Snowy Egret Egretta Thula Kingdom: Animalia FEATURES Phylum: Chordata an Adult Snowy Egret Is 20 to 27 Inches Long
    snowy egret Egretta thula Kingdom: Animalia FEATURES Phylum: Chordata An adult snowy egret is 20 to 27 inches long. It is a Class: Aves white-feathered, small, thin egret. It has a yellow Order: Pelecaniformes patch between its eye and black bill, but during the breeding season the patch is red. The legs are black, Family: Ardeidae and the feet are yellow. ILLINOIS STATUS endangered, native BEHAVIORS The snowy egret is a rare migrant through Illinois The endangered status is due to the massive number and a summer resident in southwestern Illinois of snowy egrets that were killed in the late 1800s for along the Mississippi River. It winters from the their feathers (plume hunting). The snowy egret was southern coastal United States to South America. never very common in Illinois before this period of The snowy egret lives near marshes, lakes, ponds, plume hunting and has not recovered well since. sloughs, flooded fields and lowland thickets or forests. This bird feeds mainly on crayfish, fishes, frogs and insects. It is active in seeking prey and may be seen fluttering over the water or running through the water to catch food. This bird spends much time wading along the water's edge. Like the other herons, its neck is held in an "S" formation during flight with its legs trailing straight out behind its body. It nests with other snowy egrets in a tree colony, called a rookery. Nests contain three to four blue-green eggs. The call of the snowy egret is "wulla-wulla-wulla." ILLINOIS RANGE © Illinois Department of Natural Resources.
    [Show full text]
  • SHOREBIRDS (Charadriiformes*) CARE MANUAL *Does Not Include Alcidae
    SHOREBIRDS (Charadriiformes*) CARE MANUAL *Does not include Alcidae CREATED BY AZA CHARADRIIFORMES TAXON ADVISORY GROUP IN ASSOCIATION WITH AZA ANIMAL WELFARE COMMITTEE Shorebirds (Charadriiformes) Care Manual Shorebirds (Charadriiformes) Care Manual Published by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums in association with the AZA Animal Welfare Committee Formal Citation: AZA Charadriiformes Taxon Advisory Group. (2014). Shorebirds (Charadriiformes) Care Manual. Silver Spring, MD: Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Original Completion Date: October 2013 Authors and Significant Contributors: Aimee Greenebaum: AZA Charadriiformes TAG Vice Chair, Monterey Bay Aquarium, USA Alex Waier: Milwaukee County Zoo, USA Carol Hendrickson: Birmingham Zoo, USA Cindy Pinger: AZA Charadriiformes TAG Chair, Birmingham Zoo, USA CJ McCarty: Oregon Coast Aquarium, USA Heidi Cline: Alaska SeaLife Center, USA Jamie Ries: Central Park Zoo, USA Joe Barkowski: Sedgwick County Zoo, USA Kim Wanders: Monterey Bay Aquarium, USA Mary Carlson: Charadriiformes Program Advisor, Seattle Aquarium, USA Sara Perry: Seattle Aquarium, USA Sara Crook-Martin: Buttonwood Park Zoo, USA Shana R. Lavin, Ph.D.,Wildlife Nutrition Fellow University of Florida, Dept. of Animal Sciences , Walt Disney World Animal Programs Dr. Stephanie McCain: AZA Charadriiformes TAG Veterinarian Advisor, DVM, Birmingham Zoo, USA Phil King: Assiniboine Park Zoo, Canada Reviewers: Dr. Mike Murray (Monterey Bay Aquarium, USA) John C. Anderson (Seattle Aquarium volunteer) Kristina Neuman (Point Blue Conservation Science) Sarah Saunders (Conservation Biology Graduate Program,University of Minnesota) AZA Staff Editors: Maya Seaman, MS, Animal Care Manual Editing Consultant Candice Dorsey, PhD, Director of Animal Programs Debborah Luke, PhD, Vice President, Conservation & Science Cover Photo Credits: Jeff Pribble Disclaimer: This manual presents a compilation of knowledge provided by recognized animal experts based on the current science, practice, and technology of animal management.
    [Show full text]
  • Snowy Egreat-Egretta Thula Tricolored Heron-Egretta Tricolor
    Pictures Photo Photo g g ra ra p p h h y y b b y y Chuck Ta Chuck Ta Chuck g g ue ue , , Halifax River Audubon Societ River Halifax Audubon Societ River Halifax y y Double-crested Cormorant- Great Blue Heron-Ardea herodias Phalacrocorax auritus Photo Photo g ra p g h ra y p b h y y Chuck Ta Chuck b y Chuck Ta Chuck g ue g , Halifax River Audubon Societ River Halifax ue , Halifax River Audubon Societ River Halifax y y Snowy Egreat-Egretta thula Tricolored Heron-Egretta tricolor 1 Descriptions Scientific Name: Ardea Herodias Scientific Name: Phalacrocorax auritus Common Name: Great Blue Heron Common Name: Double-crested Cormorant Description: 39-52" (99-132 cm). W. 5'10" (1.8 Description: 30-35 (76-89 cm). A solidly built m). A common large, mainly grayish heron with a black cormorant with orange throat pouch and long pale or yellowish bill. Often mistaken for a Sandhill neck. Long hooked bill tilted upward when bird Crane, but flies with its neck folded, not extended swims. Adults have short tuft of feathers over each like that of a crane. In southern Florida an all-white eye during breeding season. Young birds are form, "Great White Heron," differs from Great browner, whitish or buffy on breast, upper belly, Egret in being larger, with greenish-yellow rather and neck. In flight, the neck shows a slight crook, than black legs. not seen in the similar Brandt's Cormorant, the larger Great Cormorant, or the smaller Neotropic. Voice: A harsh squawk Voice: Deep guttural grunts Habitat: Lakes, ponds, rivers, and marshes Habitat: Lakes, rivers, swamps, and coasts Range: Breeds locally from coastal Alaska, south- central Canada, and Nova Scotia south to Mexico Range: Breeds locally in interior from Alaska, and West Indies.
    [Show full text]
  • Snowy Egret Egretta Thula
    Snowy Egret Egretta thula Aves — Ciconiiformes — Ardeidae CONSERVATION STATUS / CLASSIFICATION Rangewide: Secure (G5) Statewide: Imperiled breeding (S2B) ESA: No status USFS: Region 1: No status; Region 4: No status BLM: No status IDFG: Protected nongame species BASIS FOR INCLUSION Low breeding population and declining population trend in Idaho. TAXONOMY Two subspecies are currently recognized in the U.S., E. t. thula and E. t. brewsteri. The separation of these 2 subspecies is based entirely on slight size differences, with brewsteri being the larger of the 2, although snowy egrets west of the Rocky Mountains are all generally considered to be of the brewsteri subspecies (Parsons and Master 2000). This species has been known to hybridize with tricolored herons, little blue herons, and cattle egrets. DISTRIBUTION AND ABUNDANCE Snowy egrets breed at inland wetlands from southeast Oregon to western Colorado, south to central Utah and east to eastern California, as well as several additional scattered locations throughout the U.S. Coastal populations breed from southern Maine to South America. The global population size of this species is unknown (Parson and Master 2000), although the North American breeding population is estimated to be 143,000 birds (Kushlan et al. 2002). In the Great Basin, there are approximately 1661 breeding pairs (Ivey and Herziger 2005). Of these, approximately 326 pairs breed in Idaho (Trost and Gerstell 1994) at 9–10 sites in the southern half of the state, including American Falls Reservoir, Duck Valley Indian Reservation, Market Lake Wildlife Management Area, and Mud Lake Wildlife Management Area. POPULATION TREND After sharp declines during the plume hunting boon, snowy egrets have increased dramatically since the early 1900s.
    [Show full text]
  • 2020 North Carolina Ornithology List
    2020 North Carolina Ornithology List Kingdom – ANIMALIA Phylum – CHORDATA Key: Sub Phylum – VERTEBRATA Regional level (62 in total) Class – AVES Addition for State level (110 in total) Family Grou p (Family Name) Addition for National level (160 in total) Common Name [Scientific name is in italics] ORDER: Anseriformes Ibises and Spoonbills ORDER: Charadriiformes Ducks, Geese, and Swans (Anatidae) (Threskiornithidae) Lapwings and Plovers (Charadriidae) Northern Shoveler Roseate Spoonbill Platalea ajaja American Golden-Plover Green-winged Teal Killdeer Charadrius vociferus Canvasback ORDER: Suliformes Oystercatchers (Haematopodidae) Hooded Merganser Cormorants (Phalacrocoracidae) American Oystercatcher Black-bellied Whistling-Duck Double-crested Cormorant Stilts and Avocets (Recurvirostridae) Snow Goose Chen caerulescens Phalacrocorax auritus Black-necked Stilt Canada Goose Branta canadensis Darters (Anhingidae) American Avocet Recurvirostra Trumpeter Swan Anhinga Anhinga anhinga americana Wood Duck Aix sponsa Frigatebirds (Fregatidae) Sandpipers, Phalaropes, and Allies Mallard Anas platyrhynchos Magnificent Frigatebird (Scolopacidae) Cinnamon Teal Anas cyanoptera American Woodcock Scolopax minor ORDER: Ciconiiformes Spotted Sandpiper ORDER: Galliformes Deep-water Waders (Ciconiidae) Ruddy Turnstone Partridges, Grouse, Turkeys, and Old Wood stork Dunlin Calidris alpina World Quail Wilson’s Snipe (Phasianidae ) ORDER: Falconiformes Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers Ring-necked Pheasant Caracaras and Falcons (Falconidae) (Laridae) Ruffed Grouse
    [Show full text]