von Ark Wildlife Hospital

A brown pelican that had fishing line wrapped around a wing being treated at the von Arx Wildlife Hospital at the Conservancy of Southwest Florida. The facility has treated several similar situations involving pelicans over the years.

Hurricane Ian offered silver lining involving pelicans and shorebirds

Tom Bayles

The number of pelicans and other shorebirds with hooks in their pouches or stomachs, or fishing line wrapped tight around their legs or beaks dropped by 58 percent across the region after Hurricane Ian in 2022.

These two screech owlets fell from their nest and were found by their mother days later after a stay at the von Ark Wildlife Hospital

Environment

Screech owlets lost and found in Naples

Tom Bayles

a pair of eastern screech owlets recently fell from their nest in a tree in Naples. They landed softly in the thick grass. Their eyes were not yet open. Then the female adult found them

A black skimmer protects its chick in a nest in the sand, which is usually a mere depression

Environment

Sunbathers, shorebirds must share the beach Memorial Day weekend

Tom Bayles

Two groups will occupy the sandy real estate in Southwest Florida this Memorial Day weekend: people and shorebirds. Beneath many of the people will be towels or blankets; underneath many shorebirds will be their next generation. That’s why holiday beachgoers will have a good chance of seeing an Audubon Florida volunteer shooing people away from nesting areas