The Vulnerable Nests of Seabirds and Shorebirds

Have you ever ever questioned how coastal birds nest in areas with out timber? Most individuals image chicken nests as intricate twig bowls nestled in branches, and I did too — till I had the pleasure of working as a seasonal shorebird steward with Audubon Florida. It seems that in the identical areas the place beachgoers lay out towels and arrange umbrellas, birds are deciding on nesting spots straight within the sand, the place they assemble scrapes — shallow depressions within the sand designed to carry eggs. Heading into my second summer season because the Navarre Seashore seabird steward, I’ve had the distinctive alternative to watch beach-nesting birds and observe the variety of their nesting strategies. Whereas all these birds nest on the bottom, their nest websites and buildings fluctuate between species and even people.

Black Skimmers

Of all of the birds I monitored, Black Skimmers had been essentially the most recognizable to beachgoers and constructed the only scrapes. Black Skimmers nest in colonies and like open seaside areas with hardly any vegetation, very similar to the spots folks select for a day on the seaside. Their scrapes are deep, naked depressions made straight within the sand by a breeding pair, who take turns kicking up sand whereas elevating their heads and tails in a comical place. The depth of the scrape gives important shade to the eggs and nestlings all through the day, stopping the nest from overheating when the mother and father are away for brief durations of time. To guard their eggs, Black Skimmers make the most of group mobbing methods and infrequently nest in teams with different colonial nesters, such because the Least Tern.

Least Terns

Least Terns nest everywhere in the Florida Panhandle, and like Black Skimmers, they like open, sparsely vegetated, sandy areas. After discovering a mate, the feminine selects what she believes is the best nesting spot, and the pair defend it fiercely. They then start kicking up sand to create a shallow scrape, generally embellished with shells and pebbles. Whereas the depth and decor of the scrapes fluctuate, the eggs all the time mix into their sandy surroundings, which retains the nests hidden from predators — but in addition leaves them susceptible to being crushed by folks strolling alongside the seaside. To defend in opposition to predators, Least Terns dive bomb and defecate on intruders, warning that eggs are close by and other people ought to exit the world. These little terns are extremely persistent, relentlessly diving at threats till they’re an appropriate distance from the colony. Whereas colonial nesting in open areas works for seabirds, different beach-nesting birds, similar to shorebirds, make the most of completely different methods to guard their eggs.

Wilson’s Plovers

For Wilson’s Plovers, scraping is greater than merely making a spot for his or her eggs, it is usually a part of their mating ritual. Male Wilson’s Plovers create and embellish a number of scrapes for females to select from, and as soon as the feminine selects her favourite scrape, nesting begins. These scrapes are made on sandy floor close to a chunk of vegetation and adorned with shells and different seaside particles to assist conceal their eggs from predators. Not like Snowy Plovers, a carefully associated species that masses up their scrapes with shells and prefers sparse vegetation, Wilson’s Plovers nest in additional vegetated areas of the dunes. Not like colony nesters, Wilson’s Plovers are extremely territorial, making them solitary nesters. To defend their nests, they lead intruders away by operating and performing a damaged wing show, or generally group up with different Wilson’s Plovers to additional confuse intruders. Their protection is so efficient that even biologists sometimes wrestle to find their nests, particularly when the jarring alarm name of a close-by Willet alerts the plovers of an intruder’s presence.

Willets

Willets had been by far the loudest birds I encountered this season, however their nests had been the toughest to search out. These birds prefer to nest in grassy areas close to salt marshes, the place their eggs are utterly hidden and shielded from predators. To make their scrapes, a male Willet digs somewhat indent within the sand and the feminine traces it with grass from the encompassing space to disguise their eggs. These territorial shorebirds are illiberal of anybody close to their nests, revealing that “too shut” is a really subjective idea: Willets dive bomb and scream at intruders even when they’re a substantial distance away, making their nests virtually not possible to find.

Although all these birds nest on the bottom, their nesting strategies are numerous, showcasing the distinctive traits of every species and adaptive methods used to guard their younger. Being alert on the seaside and giving birds area to nest is essential for conserving these iconic species and guaranteeing they proceed to thrive on our shores for years to come back.