Together with her binoculars and guidelines in hand, Madison Lutes was excited to go birding with colleagues within the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary backcountry. As a first-time participant within the Audubon Christmas Chicken Rely, the conservation assistant delighted on this alternative to see and study new birds whereas tallying the numbers for science. She didn’t anticipate to see a federally endangered Snail Kite that day, however upon viewing her photographs, she was much more excited to see that the hen wore a leg band. Lately, Snail Kites have turn into extra seen in backcountry areas of the Sanctuary, however their presence right here is tenuous.
Florida is the one state with Snail Kites, and their inhabitants has confronted quite a few threats for the reason that mid-20th century. These birds traditionally bred primarily in wetlands from the Kissimmee Valley via the Everglades, however their inhabitants declined considerably via the early 2000s. The irregular water degree patterns introduced on by flood management efforts wreaked havoc on wetland crops and the kites’ namesake meals, apple snails and severely restricted their vary.
Whereas Everglades restoration improves circumstances for Snail Kites, they’re on the transfer. Following the arrival of nonnative apple snails, which may tolerate extra excessive water circumstances than the native species, the birds have begun breeding in new areas. Since 2018, Snail Kites are once more efficiently nesting all through peninsular Florida, together with at Paynes Prairie Protect State Park.
Since December, Audubon employees have seen Snail Kites within the Sanctuary a number of occasions. In March, photographs from a sighting revealed a hen that was not solely banded however was sporting a tiny transmitter!
Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary’s Director of Conservation Shawn Clem, PhD, reached out to researchers with the College of Florida and Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Fee (FWC) to search out out extra concerning the hen. They confirmed it was a part of a research to grasp motion and survival.
“I tagged the hen as a fledgling at Moonshine Bay/Lake Okeechobee on April 30, 2024. It is nonetheless transmitting and has spent loads of time within the Corkscrew Swamp space and in some swamps subsequent to city areas alongside Corkscrew Street,” says FWC’s Caroline Poli, PhD. “The plumage is beginning to counsel it is a feminine, but it surely’s nonetheless a bit too younger to say for positive,” she added.
Judging by the tracks from the transmitter, this hen appears to be discovering loads of meals within the space. Nevertheless, considerations stay {that a} return of kite nesting to a few of their historic vary isn’t occurring, regardless of continued restoration efforts in South Florida.
Water ranges proceed to have an effect on the supply of each meals and nesting habitat for these majestic birds. Whereas extreme water degree fluctuations will likely be improved by new water storage areas throughout the Everglades, elevated temperatures related to our altering local weather, mixed with water loss or evapotranspiration, are inflicting extra frequent and extreme low-water occasions throughout Snail Kites’ historic vary. Whereas the nonnative apple snails have been sustaining kites, native snail inhabitants ranges stay low for unknown causes.
Audubon is restoring 1000’s of acres of wetlands, together with these proper right here at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary. Whereas the way forward for Snail Kites in South Florida is unsure, the birds are resilient. By way of their actions and conduct, these birds are telling us that they will adapt to new areas. With luck and extra wetland restoration initiatives in retailer for our space, we’re hopeful these sleek raptors will proceed to make their properties in Southwest Florida.
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