No nests for endangered birds
"The official 2007 wood stork score for Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary is in: no nests, no eggs, no fledglings. In fact, this is a dismal nesting season everywhere for the wood stork, which has been listed as endangered species since 1984. 'It's looking bad throughout the state,' said Gary Morse, spokesman for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. 'There may be 10 nests in one place near Jacksonville and a few others elsewhere, but they're not doing well anywhere. We've gotten reports from Georgia, and it looks bleak there as well. It's bleak everywhere.'"
Link: Full article from The News Press
Wood Stork image © 2007 Mike McDowell
posted by Mike McDowell @ 4:18 AM
2 comments
2 Comments:
Mike, thanks for sharing this news. It breaks my heart - the wood stork is "the bird" that really inspired my own birding once upon a time on a trip to Georgia. It's a wonderful bird whose ancient and wise look suggests that therein lies a deep and enduring knowing. I'd hate to think that we humans are on the verge of snuffing out their existence. ~Meghan
Although habitat is decreasing (there is no doubt). This year's lack of breeding is more due to drought than anything else. They will simply abandon nesting if water levels drop too much in their rookeries. The ones in Georgia with managed water levels (Harris Neck NWR for example) are doing great.
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