Audubon Tracks Wading Bird Nesting in Florida Bay

Audubon Florida's Everglades Research Station team has finished its summer field season monitoring wading bird nests in Florida Bay. The annual survey tracks nesting success as a key indicator of the overall health of the Everglades ecosystem.

Wading birds are vital environmental sentinels. Their nesting success directly reflects water conditions and the availability of fish and other prey needed to raise chicks. Annual surveys reveal how the ecosystem responds to yearly weather and management, while long-term trends show restoration progress and climate change impacts.

Monitoring Efforts Across the Bay

Over the nesting season, the bird team traveled by boat to two mainland sites and 73 different mangrove islands in Florida Bay. This year, they recorded bird nesting activity at 55 of those locations. The team carefully documented all Roseate Spoonbill and Reddish Egret nest locations, returning frequently to track their progress. They also counted nests of other water birds observed, including Double-crested Cormorants, Ospreys, Bald Eagles, and Brown Pelicans.

"Each summer, we focus our monitoring efforts on nest counts for these birds as part of a multi-year grant to examine nesting trends in Florida Bay," says Shauna Sayers, a wading bird research specialist. Establishing a baseline average enables scientists to identify and analyze population changes for species in specific areas.

2024 Nest Count Results

The team's primary focus was on four priority wading bird species in the Egretta genus native to Florida, plus the Roseate Spoonbill. Between May and July, they monitored a total of 1,819 nests. The counts for the priority species are shown below.

In total, the team observed nests from 18 different bird species. The work required accessing difficult mangrove islands and was conducted by a dedicated crew including Research Associate Kaycee Doherty, Ecologist Suzy Roebling, Hydrologist Allie Mallouk, and Research Associate Michelle Carranza, with support from Senior Biologist Kaliegh Schlender and AERS Director Bryant Dossman.

A Long-Term Commitment to Data

For nearly three decades, Audubon Florida, in partnership with the South Florida Water Management District, has conducted these surveys across South Florida and produced annual reports. The nest counts provide critical data that allows scientists to see how local findings align with regional patterns. This data is essential for calling attention to any aberrant trends in wading bird populations. The research shows a fundamental belief held by the organization: what is good for birds is ultimately good for the planet.