Birds

America’s grassland birds are deeply in trouble 50 years after adoption of the Endangered Species Act, with numbers plunging as habitat loss, land degradation and climate change threaten what remains of a once-vast ecosystem.

Audubon Florida’s Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary is an attraction in western Everglades by Naples. upcoming months feature some of the best bird-watching and wildlife experiences

Bird breeding season has begun, and it’s time for Southwest Florida to protect the birds who nest on beaches. Birds that lay their eggs along the shoreline perceive people and dogs as threats. This can cause them to abandon their colonies. Collier County has limited access to some beaches and boating areas like Big Marco CWA, Morgan Beach, and Dickman’s Point. They have temporarily closed Second Chance Wildlife Area. Audubon Florida, a member of the Florida Shorebird Alliance, advises residents and beachgoers to respect posted areas, pick up trash to avoid bird predators, and keep dogs on a leash and away from restricted areas. In the event of dive-bombing from the birds they suggest moving away carefully because it likely means there is a nest nearby.

Nearly 102,000 egret, spoonbill, ibis, and heron nests were discovered during the 2021 season. The stunning total is 2.5 times more nests than in recent decades

Shorebird and seabird nesting season has begun all over the state of Florida. Look out for eggs.

The death of five black skimmers on a Marco Island beach has prompted an investigation by the Florida Fish & Wildlife Commission and Marco Island police.

A roseate spoonbill Audubon Florida tagged as a chick in the early 2000s was rediscovered alive and feeding chicks of her own earlier this year, and now at more than 18 years old is the oldest known bird of that species. The bird has made Florida Bay at the southern tip of the Florida peninsula its home the whole time. That a spoonbill has grown so old is a milestone of sorts. The bright pink birds with long legs and an unusually-shaped bill were in jeopardy in the early 1900s. Back then they were heavily hunted for their striking plumes, which were highly prized back then when women’s fashion included hats adorned with feathers -- and even entire birds.

When author, art therapist, and environmental educator Holly Merker learned she had cancer she turned to her lifelong passion for birdwatching as a sort of therapy. Preview the lecture she’s giving at “Ding” Darling Wildlife Society called, “Ornitherapy: How a Deeper Experience with Nature Can Enrich Your Mind, Body, and Soul.”

Learn about ospreys and the place they hold in Southwest Florida’s ecosystem.

Wildlife biologist Dr. Jerry Jackson explains why the Ivory-Billed Woodpecker is now extinct.