AS SEEN IN THE NOV/DEC 2007 ISSUE

Since the very origins of angling, Florida’s many bird species have been helping anglers locate their quarry. It’s time we do our part to insure our feathered friends fish happily ever after.  

Due to its diverse habitat, temperate and subtropical climates and prime location on migration patterns, Florida is a bird haven. There are approximately 500 documented species in the state including the majestic bald eagle, endangered wood stork, protected snail kite and clumsy brown pelican. And although it may seem like Florida's bird populations are strong, without proper conservation, education and protection, they may soon be in jeopardy.

Any angler will tell you that it is impossible to venture out – inshore or offshore - and not have some level of interaction with wading birds, sea birds or birds of prey. They are everywhere in nearly every coastal environment. And just like the best fishermen are able to identify aquatic species and relate to what is taking place below the surface, to maximize our time on the water, it would also help to be familiar with what is occurring in the skies above. The first step to getting fully acquainted with our surroundings is being able to identify the most commonly encountered high flyers and getting to know a little bit more about each.   

Wading Birds: Florida's wading birds begin breeding as water levels drop, fattening up as drying marshes concentrate fish and other small prey. In previous years, Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Wilma wiped out some nesting areas, but didn't create a mass abandonment. Since wading birds nesting dynamics are so closely related to water levels, rain producing weather systems can drown out fledglings and flood important foraging habitat. Although natural conditions have hurt bird populations in the past, they are not the main cause of the decline. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, several wading bird species were almost wiped out by plume hunters supplying a craze for feathered hats. After a crackdown on these hunters, in the 1930s and 40s, bird populations rebounded to exceptional levels. Wading bird stocks were headed in the right direction until the early 80s when poor watershed management caused the populations to once again decline. Although Florida's wading bird populations are once again on the rise, they are not out of the woods yet, as nesting totals for the roseate spoonbill and other vital wading birds remain below average.

The roseate spoonbill is the only species of spoonbill found in the Western Hemisphere, and these remarkable birds are closely related to the ibis. Unmistakable, they are deep pink and have a long spatula like bill which they swing side to side, catching small fish, shrimp, frogs, insects and crustaceans. Roseate spoonbills are very social birds and often live in large colonies with other spoonbills, ibises, storks, herons and egrets, and from March to October, spoonbills are most prevalent along the bays, marshes, and estuaries along Florida’s Gulf coast. During breeding season, which generally takes place from fall-spring, males use gifts of nesting material to attract wary females. Once mated, the pair takes turns sitting on the eggs and feeding the young. Like other wading bird species with beautiful plumage, roseate spoonbills were once almost hunted to extinction. Today, the only threat to these extraordinary birds comes as a result of habitat loss.

Most commonly seen probing with their long, down-curved beaks, white ibis feed primarily on aquatic prey, including crayfish, crab, insects, snakes, small fish and various amphibians. Easily identified by their reddish bill and legs, white ibis have all white plumage, except for their black wingtips which can only be seen during flight. Breeding colonies are most numerous in South and Central Florida, while the largest populations have historically been in the Florida Everglades. These birds nest in huge colonies, and researchers have counted approximately 70,000 individual members in only one colony in Everglades National Park. Although it may seem that the white ibis has no immediate threats, proper conservation of the wetland habitats where they breed and feed is crucial to the future of these incredible birds.

The great blue heron is a familiar sight to most Floridians. While it has a white crown and face, the blue heron is most notable for is dark plumage and long yellow bill. With a wingspan up to 70 inches, the great blue heron is hard to miss. It is a permanent resident to Florida's wetlands, and can be found throughout the entire state, although less common in the Panhandle. Often seen foraging around lakes, ponds, canals, piers and docks, blue heron are often the lucky recipients of handouts from friendly anglers, although this practice is frowned upon. When searching for food, heron utilize all types of wetlands, and can even be found in some inland habitats.

Snowy egrets forage in both salt and fresh water habitats, and are masters at stalking small fish, crustaceans and insects. Adult's have small black bills, with long black legs and yellow feet, although during breeding season, their appearance changes, as the yellow area on their upper bill turns slightly red and they regain the beautiful plumes on their backs. Snowy egrets usually nest with large numbers of other wading birds in thick swamps and mangrove covered spoil islands. Breeding only once a year, females lay three to five greenish-blue eggs which hatch after only four weeks. Although once close to extinction, now protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, the snowy egret has bounced back and can now be found throughout the state.

Sea Birds: With thousands of miles of coastal and offshore marine habitats, Florida offers a perfect destination for numerous sea birds. Florida is the saltwater fishing capital of the world, and not only for anglers. Florida's sea birds feed almost exclusively on small fish and other aquatic animals. Although these birds may seem to have healthy populations, fishing line/hooks, pollution, natural phenomenon and destruction of habitat all play a key role in the continued survival of these important species. Fishing injuries are the most common and most often devastating to these sea birds, as monofilament fishing line creates deep cuts and tangles around birds legs, often causing severe damage. Pollution continues to be a problem, however since the ban on DDT (a harmful pesticide), many of these bird species have rebounded. Since Florida's sea birds most often prey on small baitfish, years when the fish populations have not been prevalent have led to many starvation deaths. Also, in the past years, El Nino conditions have driven baitfish to deeper waters, further than these seabirds can dive.

The double-crested cormorant is a large, dark water bird with a long hooked bill, webbed feet, and orange throat pouch. Hardly ever found far out to sea, the double crested cormorant prefers coastal estuarine habitats where small fish and other prey are more abundant. Often seen diving for fish, anglers are routinely amazed at the length of time these remarkable birds can stay underwater. Because cormorants don’t have well developed oil glands, after searching for fish underwater, they must dry their wings, and do so by stretching out and posing in the sun. Cormorants are found along all of Florida’s coastal habitats, but are less prevalent in the Panhandle. Often known as the trash collectors of the bird world, cormorants make bulky nests out of sticks, rope, plastic debris, fishnets, deflated balloons and other trash material.

The brown pelican may very well be the most common bird in Florida. Often seen in coastal marine habitats, such as beaches and spoil islands, pelicans nest in trees on coastal islands in large colonies and are most prominent along both the Gulf and Atlantic coast of Central and South Florida. The brown pelican feeds primarily on fish, and will take advantage of the most abundant available prey, whether it is menhaden, mullet, threadfin, spot, sardine or anchovy. Although brown pelican occur year-round in Florida, migrating flocks can be seen moving west in the spring and east in the fall. Research has shown that Florida is a nursery for other states, and in South Florida, nesting generally begins in the fall, while nesting in North and Central Florida occurs during early spring. The brown pelican was classified as an endangered species for many years, but has rebounded and is now only listed as a species of special concern.

The magnificent frigate, also commonly known as the man-o’-war-bird, is a large sea bird that occurs regularly in Florida’s offshore marine environment. In proportion to their weight, these birds have the largest wingspan of any other bird species, and because they have such short legs and narrow wings, it is difficult for frigates to take off from any structure that isn’t high off the ground. These birds are typically oceanic, and spend most of their lives flying high in the sky. With help from their long, pointed wings and forked tail, frigates can glide effortlessly and routinely spend weeks soaring over open oceans, searching for food. Frigates feed mainly on prey they can pick from the oceans surface, but can also be seen pursuing other birds mid flight in an attempt to steal their catch. Male frigates have bright red throat pouches that they use to court females during mating season, and the reproductive cycle of frigates is extremely lengthy. They lay a single egg, and the incubation period is usually around 50 days. Additionally, the young fledglings are typically fed at the nest by females for up to a year. In past years, populations of frigates have been on the decline, mainly due to destruction of habitat and disturbance of colonies. Over-fishing is also a problem for this bird, as fish is its primary source of food.

Birds of Prey: Florida is home to many birds of prey including the osprey, snail kite and bald eagle. Destruction of habitat is their primary threat, because without proper conservation of their critical habitat, these birds will have nowhere to nest, feed and breed.

The osprey, also known as the sea hawk, is a medium sized, fish eating raptor. Specially adapted to be ultimate fish-hunters, osprey have short spines on the bottom of their feet to help hang onto slippery fish. As most birds have three toes and one thumb, the osprey is no different except that its third toe is specialized and can turn around to enable extra gripping power. Osprey have extremely sharp talons and strong hooked beaks for tearing into fish. Another beneficial adaptation is that opsrey have oily feathers to help keep them dry after diving into the water for fish. These large birds of prey prefer to build nests in dead trees, because there are no limbs to get in the way of their wings, also it is harder for predators to climb a dead tree without being noticed. When dead trees are scarce, nests are often seen on top of power poles and channel markers. Because they can tolerate a wide variety of habitats, and both nest and feed in any location that is near an adequate food source, osprey can be found widespread throughout the state.

The snail kite is typically found in the tropical marshes and lowland swamps that occur around South Florida. The snail kite’s beak is specifically designed to extract aquatic snails from their shells, and although they may eat crustaceans, turtles and small rodents when no snails are around, they primarily feed on freshwater apple snails. Even though apple snails occur in North Florida, parts of Georgia and Alabama, the lack of suitable forage prevents this bird form colonization outside the Sunshine State. The snail kite is listed on the endangered species list and is most commonly found in the Florida Everglades. An interesting fact about the snail kite is that during breeding season, females often desert the males and leave them to finish raising the nestlings. The females leave in search of another mate to raise a second clutch of eggs.

The bald eagle is a large raptor that can be found throughout the entire state, and 50 of the 67 counties in the state have documented at least one active territory in the last five years. The lowest number of breeding eagles are found in the Panhandle, while the highest occur in the St. Johns River and parts of Everglades National Park. Florida’s population of bald eagles make up nearly 80 percent of the entire Southeast population of bald eagles. These majestic birds of prey prefer to nest in large pine or cypress trees that offer good visibility of the surrounding areas, but in extreme cases they have been known to nest in low-lying mangrove trees. Although many of the eagles that nest in Florida head north during the warmest months, they return year after year to their established nests to repair and enlarge the structures. Bald eagle nests may remain active for up to 15 years, but are often taken over by great horned owls. Although bald eagles are no longer endangered and have surpassed initial recovery goals, loss of nesting habitat and increasing developmental pressure has put unwanted stress on these amazing birds of prey.

In conclusion, as individuals there is little we can do to stop coastal development and prime habitat destruction. However, we can, in fact, each do our part to insure the future health of all of Florida’s coastal bird species by never leaving anything behind when venturing out in search of our next big angling thrill, properly disposing all discarded fishing line in the proper receptacles, and not feeding wild birds fish carcasses. Together, with just a little bit of effort, we can make a difference! We owe it to the birds.

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