Audubon is inspired by the many people who want to help the birds and other wildlife threatened by the Gulf oil spill. Your commitment to their health and safety during this crisis is greatly appreciated – and it underscores how much you value the natural world.

Florida’s beaches and marshes are the nesting sites for many different species of birds—Plovers, Terns, Gulls, Pelicans, Herons, Egrets, Rails, and more. Beach and marsh nesting birds camouflage their nests, which are usually found above the high water line. In many cases, eggs blend in perfectly with the sand, are hard to see and are easily stepped on and can be inadvertently crushed.

If parent birds are frightened off of their nests even temporarily, eggs and chicks are exposed to extreme weather (sun or rain) as well as predators. Moving beach litter from the shoreline into dunes and areas above the high water line will lead to impacts to nesting birds and could result in damage to the dunes. Please follow Audubon of Florida’s Safe Tips for Beach Cleaning.

Audubon is working with the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology to recruit citizen scientists to help document bird distribution at Gulf coast sites, and the effects of the oil spill. Lean more about this effort here.

Audubon of Florida's Corkscrew Sanctuary, home of the largest stand of old-growth Bald Cypress trees in North America, officially received certification as a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance from Ramsar Secretary General Anada Tiega, who traveled from Switzerland for the February 18 event. On the left is Eric Draper, executive director of Audubon of Florida, with the Secretary General (wearing an Audubon cap) and other VIPs.

More at Audubon of Florida's News Blog.

Photo courtesy of Nancy DeNike.

For the latest in conservation news

Stay current on Florida’s conservation and wildlife issues. Learn about upcoming volunteer opportunities. Hear personal accounts of natural Florida. Interact with fellow conservation-minded individuals. Be a part of the Audubon online community. Audubon of Florida’s News Blog offers all this and more. It is updated daily and is a great way to stay abreast of all late-breaking conservation news in the state.

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