Brittany Piersma, Audubon Western Everglades (AWE) on Shorebirds in SW Florida
1.24.24 MAG Speaker Presentation Summary
Tom S. shared the following brief bio on Brittany as an introduction to her presentation.
Brittany Piersma has a BS in Environmental Science and worked as a zoo keeper at the Naples Zoo for 4 years. She has a wide range of experience with Southwest Florida’s wildlife from volunteering with FWC, Rookery Bay, Panther Refuge, and Audubon. Brittany worked as FWC’s Critical Wildlife Area Shorebird Biologist for three summers on Marco Island, where she monitored nesting shorebirds out on Sand Dollar. Seasonally she worked for three winters as a Shorebird Steward for Audubon Western Everglades surveying the migratory flocks, training volunteers, and doing outreach with the public.
Now as AWE's Field Biologist, Brittany manages our shorebird stewardship, burrowing owl, and gopher tortoise programs.
Brittany opened her presentation by elaborating on her work with the shorebird program. She explained that the AWS has over 90 volunteers who assist with surveying and monitoring the nesting shorebird species in Collier and Lee County, and that those volunteers are instrumental in helping to educate beach-goers in order to safeguard our nesting grounds and vulnerable wildlife from many threats.
Brittany Identified the main species of nesting colonies and shared whether they are solitary or colonial (in big #’s) in nesting:
• Black Skimmers (colonial but in a territorial way)
• Wilson Plovers (solitary)
• Least Terns (very territorial in a colonial way, are only here in the summer and then in September migrate to South America)
• Killdeer (parking lot birds - they like to nest in the gravel but occasionally are seen on the beach, are super territorial.. .solitary and independent nesters)
There are numerous threats to our coastal shorebirds:
• Storms/natural disaster
• Predators/Outdoor house cats
• Monofilament/Trash
• Climate change: loss of habitat, food sources
• Disturbance by humans, dogs, vehicles, boats, planes, etc.
With regards to threats, Brittany named Clam Pass. She described it is a sizable roosting spot and, as a result, human disturbance is a big issue. When people get too close to the resting birds, they become agitated or uncomfortable and are forced to flee to protect themselves. To reduce avoidable threats, there are nesting signs clearly posted to educate beachgoers on the signs of getting too close and offer suggestive ways to help protect/save our nesting /roosting spots while enjoying the beach.
Brittany described what many birds will commonly do in these instances is called ‘broken-winging’ (when they pretend to be injured to get you to follow them and move you away from their nesting spot).
Birds are losing beach spots and some have resorted to rooftop (gravel) nesting instead, however, those spots are further inland. They are losing habitat and there’s nothing protecting them from falling off the buildings.
Shorebird Migration – Why do they migrate?
• Change in resources
• Driven by food & nesting locations
• Nesting benefits in seasonal abundance of food & day length
• Shorter distance for foodDo all birds migrate? No
• Residents year round
• Some not of breeding age yet
• Saving energy
• Defending territories
• Change in temperature
• Human Interactions
Longest Migrants to our area:
• Artic Tern (Artic to Antarctica)
• Red Knot (Artic to S. America)
• Bar-tailed Godwit (Alaska to New Zealand)
• Sanderling (Artic to S. America)Molting & Migration
• Feather condition determines flight performance
• Potential risk of predator
• Molting before, during, at stopovers or at wintering grounds varies w/species
• Health conditions
Red Tide & Water Quality
Florida is a run off state – everything put on the ground runs off and into our water, not just in rainy season but all year.
Nesting Order
• Plovers
• Skimmers
• Least Terns
Critical Habitats
• Title Pools, oyster bars, mud flats… more than just the beach
• Clam Pass – Birds have evolved to where they can be protected & nest
• Marco – Residents’, Tigertail & Sand Dollar Beaches
• Caxambas & Ten Thousand Islands because of the pooling areas
• Marsh Trail , Immokalee - early morning & sunset you can see birds landing & taking off (great roosting spot)
Banding the Shorebirds
• Until recently, little information was known about the age, survival, and seasonal whereabouts of the skimmers nesting in SW Florida. In 2015, Audubon Florida in partnership began to band skimmer chicks in an ongoing effort to unravel the mysteries of the shorebirds annual movements. In 2017, the complementary banding program started on Marco Island.
• Each band is stamped with a unique letter-number code. All skimmers banded in Florida get green bands. As a result of these banding efforts, it is now known that skimmer pairs sometimes return in spring to the same beach, and sometimes to the same mate, to breed after spending winter apart.
• Black Skimmers typically winter in Collier County, making it the largest mid-winter flock of Black Skimmers in the southeastern United States. Through a partnership with the local chapter in Collier County, Audubon of the Western Everglades, a winter anchor steward is tasked with monitoring birds during winter migration.
Goals for Shorebirds
• Limit disturbance – human interaction, pets drones, etc.
• Educate the public on the impact of rat traps - high levels of rat poison (blood thinner) observed in vultures, bobcats & burrowing owls
• Educate the public on alternative pesticides and chemicals like ContraPest (fertility control whereby they will be unable to reproduce).
Brittany Identified the main species of nesting colonies and shared whether they are solitary or colonial (in big #’s) in nesting:
• Black Skimmers (colonial but in a territorial way)
• Wilson Plovers (solitary)
• Least Terns (very territorial in a colonial way, are only here in the summer and then in September migrate to South America)
• Killdeer (parking lot birds - they like to nest in the gravel but occasionally are seen on the beach, are super territorial.. .solitary and independent nesters)
There are numerous threats to our coastal shorebirds:
• Storms/natural disaster
• Predators/Outdoor house cats
• Monofilament/Trash
• Climate change: loss of habitat, food sources
• Disturbance by humans, dogs, vehicles, boats, planes, etc.
With regards to threats, Brittany named Clam Pass. She described it is a sizable roosting spot and, as a result, human disturbance is a big issue. When people get too close to the resting birds, they become agitated or uncomfortable and are forced to flee to protect themselves. To reduce avoidable threats, there are nesting signs clearly posted to educate beachgoers on the signs of getting too close and offer suggestive ways to help protect/save our nesting /roosting spots while enjoying the beach.
Brittany described what many birds will commonly do in these instances is called ‘broken-winging’ (when they pretend to be injured to get you to follow them and move you away from their nesting spot).
Birds are losing beach spots and some have resorted to rooftop (gravel) nesting instead, however, those spots are further inland. They are losing habitat and there’s nothing protecting them from falling off the buildings.
Shorebird Migration – Why do they migrate?
• Change in resources
• Driven by food & nesting locations
• Nesting benefits in seasonal abundance of food & day length
• Shorter distance for foodDo all birds migrate? No
• Residents year round
• Some not of breeding age yet
• Saving energy
• Defending territories
• Change in temperature
• Human Interactions
Longest Migrants to our area:
• Artic Tern (Artic to Antarctica)
• Red Knot (Artic to S. America)
• Bar-tailed Godwit (Alaska to New Zealand)
• Sanderling (Artic to S. America)Molting & Migration
• Feather condition determines flight performance
• Potential risk of predator
• Molting before, during, at stopovers or at wintering grounds varies w/species
• Health conditions
Red Tide & Water Quality
Florida is a run off state – everything put on the ground runs off and into our water, not just in rainy season but all year.
Nesting Order
• Plovers
• Skimmers
• Least Terns
Critical Habitats
• Title Pools, oyster bars, mud flats… more than just the beach
• Clam Pass – Birds have evolved to where they can be protected & nest
• Marco – Residents’, Tigertail & Sand Dollar Beaches
• Caxambas & Ten Thousand Islands because of the pooling areas
• Marsh Trail , Immokalee - early morning & sunset you can see birds landing & taking off (great roosting spot)
Banding the Shorebirds
• Until recently, little information was known about the age, survival, and seasonal whereabouts of the skimmers nesting in SW Florida. In 2015, Audubon Florida in partnership began to band skimmer chicks in an ongoing effort to unravel the mysteries of the shorebirds annual movements. In 2017, the complementary banding program started on Marco Island.
• Each band is stamped with a unique letter-number code. All skimmers banded in Florida get green bands. As a result of these banding efforts, it is now known that skimmer pairs sometimes return in spring to the same beach, and sometimes to the same mate, to breed after spending winter apart.
• Black Skimmers typically winter in Collier County, making it the largest mid-winter flock of Black Skimmers in the southeastern United States. Through a partnership with the local chapter in Collier County, Audubon of the Western Everglades, a winter anchor steward is tasked with monitoring birds during winter migration.
Goals for Shorebirds
• Limit disturbance – human interaction, pets drones, etc.
• Educate the public on the impact of rat traps - high levels of rat poison (blood thinner) observed in vultures, bobcats & burrowing owls
• Educate the public on alternative pesticides and chemicals like ContraPest (fertility control whereby they will be unable to reproduce).