Released by the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission …
It’s that time of the year again! Wading bird nesting season is a time when we are lucky enough to observe wading birds displaying courtship behaviors and fluffy chicks frantically begging for food. Since December 2018, volunteers have assisted FWC staff with monthly wading bird surveys at active breeding sites, sites with courtship behavior, nest-building activities, eggs or young.
Armed with binoculars and data sheets, volunteers record the number of adults, nests, chicks and juvenile wading bird species they observe. These surveys primarily focus on species listed as State Threatened on Florida’s Endangered and Threatened Species List. In addition, volunteers also collect data for wood storks, great egrets, great blue herons and any other herons they observe.
If you enjoy observing wading birds, please remember to keep your distance to avoid flushing birds from active nests and to never enter prohibited areas.