State of the Birds Report Highlights the Need for Focused Research and Fast Action

Florida is understood for its birdlife—Its wealthy range of habitats accommodates lots of of species year-round and seasonally rolls out the welcome mat to many extra migratory birds. Nevertheless, a couple of third of all American chook species are experiencing declining inhabitants traits attributable to a myriad of threats, together with warming temperatures and sea degree rise.

Based on the 2025 State of the Birds report, 42 species nationwide have been recognized as Tipping Level species—birds with perilously low populations and steep declining traits. Which of them are we watching in Florida?

Wilson’s Plover

Over the previous few many years, shorebird species have skilled accelerated inhabitants loss charges—virtually three-quarters are struggling continued drops of their numbers regardless of latest conservation efforts. With an estimated inhabitants of fewer than 1,000 Florida birds, Wilson’s Plovers and their habitats are in danger.

Dependent upon pure coastal habitats for meals and nest websites, Wilson’s Plovers lay their eggs proper on the sand and lift their households amidst the dunes and surf. All through the summer time, they navigate a dynamic coastal surroundings formed by storms, which have grow to be bigger and extra intense as ocean temperatures rise. Whereas these storms might be damaging, additionally they play an important position in resetting the vegetation, creating the open sandy habitat that many coastal species, together with Wilson’s Plovers, have advanced to make use of. Nevertheless, rising coastal improvement and human disturbance proceed to threaten these habitats. Rising sea ranges will additional squeeze the house between the surf and the constructed surroundings, limiting the birds’ choices for secure nesting and foraging.

Wilson’s Plovers are listed as threatened or endangered in different states. To cease their Florida numbers from declining additional, in 2023, Audubon requested the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Fee to designate them as a state-threatened species, a transfer that may lengthen further protections to this species and its habitats.

What are you able to do? At beach-nesting websites, Audubon employees and volunteer stewards educate guests and make sure that beachgoers don’t disturb Wilson’s plovers the place they’re breeding.

Learn more about volunteering as a bird steward.

Florida Scrub-Jay

The Florida Scrub-Jay is Florida’s solely endemic chook species. These birds have already misplaced a lot of their habitat—excessive, dry scrub the place acorns are quite a few—to builders. The truth is, scrub-jay habitat has been lowered by roughly 90% since European settlement. Now, they’re additionally being affected by local weather change.

Based on a research of Florida Scrub-Jays at Archbold Organic Station, some birds are nesting earlier in response to hotter temperatures. The research confirmed that first-nesting dates have superior by roughly per week over the research interval. Despite the fact that the variety of nests constructed by every jay pair elevated by 33%, the general variety of profitable fledges declined by 25%. The Archbold staff suspects that hotter winters imply predators, particularly snakes, are additionally changing into extra lively earlier within the breeding season. As a result of jays nest only some meters off the bottom, they’re notably susceptible to those reptilian predators.

To higher assess their long-term inhabitants well being and design conservation options, constant and long-term monitoring of nesting efforts and the quantity and distribution of lively colonies is required. Group scientists with Audubon’s Jay Watch program are serving to us perceive how jay populations are doing at a statewide scale, offering info we will use to maintain them secure now and into the long run. 

Get involved in Jay Watch.