8 GoMAMN STRATEGIC Strategic BIRD MONITORING Bird Monitoring GUIDELINES: Guidelines for the WADING BIRDS Northern Gulf of Authors: Mexico Peter Frederick (1*) Clay Green (2) 1. Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 2. Department of Biology, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX (*) Corresponding Author: [email protected] Roseate Spoonbill (Platalea ajaja). Photo credit: Keenan Adams ian Mon Av ito co rin xi g e N M e f t SUGGESTED CITATION: o w f o l r u k Frederick, P., C. Green. 2019. GoMAMN Strategic Bird Monitoring Guidelines: Wading Birds. Pages G 203-228 in R. R. Wilson, A. M. V. Fournier, J. S. Gleason, J. E. Lyons, and M. S. Woodrey (Editors), C o n l o l i Strategic Bird Monitoring Guidelines for the Northern Gulf of Mexico. Mississippi Agricultural and a t b a o r r GoMAMN o Forestry Experiment Station Research Bulletin 1228, Mississippi State University. 324 pp. a st ti e v R e M or onitoring f GoMAMN Gulf of Mexico Avian Monitoring Network | 203 Chapter 8 GOMAMN STRATEGIC BIRD MONITORING GUIDELINES: WADING BIRDS DESCRIPTION OF SPECIES GROUPS AND isiana (Urbanek and Lewis 2015), whereas Mississippi and IMPORTANT HABITATS IN THE GULF OF Florida Sandhill Cranes (Antigone canadensis pratensis) are MEXICO REGION strictly residents of the Gulf of Mexico (Gerber et al. 2014). HE GULF OF MEXICO IS HOME TO 16 SPECIES WITHIN Wood Storks (Mycteria americana) are both year-round and this group including egrets, herons, ibises, spoon- migratory in Florida, while Wood Storks in Texas only occur Tbills, cranes, and storks. These species are most easily during post-breeding season (e.g., July–September) and are divided as cranes (Gruiformes) and the more traditionally likely from the Mexican breeding population (Coulter et al. classified long legged wading birds that includes herons, egrets, 1999). ibises and spoonbills (Pelecaniformes) and storks (Ciconii- Two of the three cranes (Whooping Crane, Mississip- formes). Across this group, these species use a variety of tidal, pi Sandhill Crane), as well as Wood Storks are classified as non-tidal, and freshwater wetlands, as well as some upland threatened/endangered under the U.S. Endangered Species habitat (storks, ibises, cranes) along the Gulf of Mexico. In Act. While none of the other long-legged wading birds are comparison to other species groups (e.g., marshbirds), the federally-listed species, Reddish Egret (Egretta rufescens) is long-legged wading birds have been well studied as a group listed as a Bird of Conservation Concern at the federal level for a variety of reasons including conservation status (e.g., (USFWS 2008). Reddish Egret, Little Blue Heron (Egretta Whooping Crane, Mississippi Sandhill Crane, Reddish Egret, caerulea), and Roseate Spoonbill (Platalea ajaja) are all listed Roseate Spoonbill) and their role as indicators of ecosystem as threatened in Florida (Kushlan et al. 2002, Wilson et al. health and restoration (White Ibis, Wood Stork; Frederick et 2014). al. 2009). While the group as a whole has been well studied, certain species within the group have been less studied and a Breeding Season better understanding of their ecology and population status All of the species in this group breed within the GoMAMN and trends is critical to the conservation of this group. boundaries (Figure 1.2) including the recently established Long-legged wading bird ecology varies greatly across breeding population of Whooping Cranes in Louisiana. Tri- this group from common species that range across the Gulf colored Heron (Egretta tricolor), Little Blue Heron, and Great of Mexico (e.g., Great Egret, Tricolored Heron) to more re- Egret nest across the entire region from south Florida to south stricted, disjunct populations (e.g., Reddish Egret) to species Texas, whereas the Reddish Egret, and Roseate Spoonbill are with very limited distribution (e.g., Whooping Crane, Florida more disjunct, primarily breeding in coastal Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi Sandhill Cranes). Most species within this and coastal Florida (Dumas 2000, Koczur et al. 2019, Mc- group are permanent residents along the Gulf of Mexico Crimmon et al. 2011, Rodgers et al. 2012, Frederick 2013). with some having migratory and resident populations (e.g., White Ibis (Eudocimus albus) breeding colonies are usual- Reddish Egret, Little Blue Heron, Great Egret, Tricolored ly concentrated within a specific region of the GoMAMN Heron, Wood Stork, White Ibis) (refer to Appendix 1). The boundaries, but have a wide range and shift their centroid of northern Gulf states (Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and breeding in response to concentrations of food (Frederick et portions of Florida and Texas) often have migratory popula- al. 1996). The Little Blue Heron breeds along much of the tions that winter south of the U.S., whereas Texas and Florida Gulf coastline, but a large portion of the population breeds have more permanent (non-migratory) populations. However, at inland freshwater locations (Rodgers et al. 2012). Wood what proportion of the population is resident versus migratory Stork occurrence in Texas is during the post-breeding season is not well understood for most species. Whooping Cranes and the Wood Stork breeding population within the Gulf of (Grus americana) winter along the Gulf of Mexico and breed Mexico is restricted to Florida (Coulter et al. 1999). well north of the Gulf coast with the exception of the recently The long-legged wading birds are all colonial nesting established experimental, non-essential population in Lou- birds, generally nesting in mixed-species colonies on islands 204 MAFES Mississippi Agricultural & Forestry Experiment Station Table 8.1. Wading bird species to be considered for monitoring programs at multiple geographic scales across the northern Gulf of Mexico. Table includes species residency status, landcover association, and the North American continental trend and conservation concern scores (Partners in Flight 2017). Continental Trend Common Name Latin Name Breeding Wintering Migratory Landcover Association(s)a Concern Score Score Palustrine Emergent Wetland, Antigone Lacustrine/Riverine, Grassland, Florida Sandhill canadensis x x Upland Evergreen Forest 3 17 Crane pratensis (Wet Longleaf and Slash Pine Flatwoods & Savannas) Palustrine Emergent Wetland, Antigone Lacustrine/Riverine, Grassland, Mississippi canadensis x x Upland Evergreen 1 15 Sandhill Crane pulla Forest (Wet Longleaf and Slash Pine Flatwoods & Savannas) Palustrine Emergent Wetland, Estuarine Emergent Wetland, Estuarine-Coastal Whooping Crane Grus americana x x (saltmarshes, shallow bays, 1 16 and exposed tidal flats; also harvested cropfields & pasturelands) Palustrine Forested Wetland (bottomland hardwods), Palustrine Emergent Wetland, Mycteria Wood Stork x x Estuarine Forested Wetland, 3 12 americana Estuarine Emergent Wetland; utilizes aquaculture ponds (catfish, crawfish) Palustrine Forested Wetland (bottomland hardwods), Palustrine Emergent Wetland, Estuarine Forested Wetland, Estuarine Emergent Wetland; Great Egret Ardea alba x x 1 7 utilizes aquaculture ponds (catfish, crawfish) Estuarine Scrub/Shrub Wetland, Estuarine-Tidal Riverine Coastal Palustrine Forested Wetland, Estuarine Forested Wetland, Egretta Little Blue Heron x x Estuarine Emergent Wetland, 4 11 caerulea Estuarine Coastal, Estuarine Scrub Shrub Estuarine Emergent Wetland, Estuarine Forested Wetland, Tricolored Heron Egretta tricolor x x Estuarine Scrub/Shrub 2 11 Wetland, Estuarine-Tidal Riverine Coastal, Estuarine Coastal Wading Birds Wading Palustrine Emergent Wetland, Estuarine Emergent Wetland Egretta Reddish Egret x x (brackish to saltwater 3 15 rufescens marshes), Estuarine Scrub/ Shrub, Estuarine-Coastal Palustrine Forested Wetland (bottomland hardwods), Palustrine Emergent Wetland, Estuarine Forested Wetland, Eudocimus Estuarine Emergent Wetland; White Ibis x x 3 12 albus utilizes aquaculture ponds (catfish, crawfish) Estuarine Scrub/Shrub Wetland, Estuarine-Tidal Riverine Coastal GoMAMN Gulf of Mexico Avian Monitoring Network | 205 Chapter 8: GoMAMN Strategic Bird Monitoring Guidelines: Wading birds Table 8.1 (continued). Continental Trend Common Name Latin Name Breeding Wintering Migratory Landcover Association(s)a Concern Score Score Palustrine Emergent Wetland, Estuarine Emergent Wetland Roseate Spoonbill Platalea ajaja x x (brackish to saltwater 2 10 marshes), Estuarine Scrub/ Shrub, Estuarine-Coastal a See Chapter 1 and Appendix 2 for full description of landcover associations. (e.g., barrier, spoil, or natural inland islands) or forested wet- can occur at any time of year, and appear to be in response lands using a variety of tree, shrub, and other woody vege- to local food and hydrological conditions (e.g., Bates et al. tation as nesting substrate. Colonies are typically over water 2016, Frederick et al. 1996). Most of the wading bird species (e.g., cypress-tupelo swamp, willow head, mangrove) or islands exhibit some post-breeding dispersal that typically occurs June surrounded by water in a variety of marine, estuarine, and into October. Coastal Texas and south Florida likely contain freshwater systems. Within these systems, Great Egrets, Wood resident populations of Tricolored Heron, Little Blue Heron, Storks, and Roseate Spoonbill typically nest higher in trees Great Egret (Ardea alba), Roseate Spoonbill, White Ibis, and (e.g., cypress, mangrove), whereas Little Blue Herons, White Reddish Egret, as individuals from each of these species are Ibises, and Tricolored Herons usually