The summer evening begins to fall across Pinellas County, shadows growing long on the beaches facing the Gulf of Mexico. On the sand, hundreds of seabirds and shorebirds rest, preen, and feed their tiny chicks. Unfortunately, feathers and personal fireworks don’t mix.
While municipal fireworks are set off offshore and often in coordination with Audubon bird stewards – who monitor these colonies of native birds – personal fireworks are often set off dangerously close to sensitive nesting birds. In addition to being illegal on most beaches, the loud noises and bright colors of the personal fireworks frighten the parents from their nests, leaving the downy-feathered chicks vulnerable and unprotected. While fireworks were once associated with the Independence Day holiday, their use now extends across the summer months.
“Panicked chicks are known to run outside of the colonies,” says Dr. Marianne Korosy, Director of Bird Conservation at Audubon Florida, “Once outside of the safety barriers they can be accidentally stepped on or injured by people who don’t see them.”
In 2017, an Audubon Florida trail camera showed parent birds at a Black Skimmer colony in Pinellas County scattering off their nests after fireworks were deployed nearby. Those birds returned, but such was not the case for another colony that, years earlier, was completely abandoned after fireworks were deployed inside the colony. After this sad event, Audubon Florida launched a novel program to heighten protection during the evening of July Fourth, including fencing off the colonies for twilight hours so the chicks do not scatter outside of the colony when disturbed by fireworks. All netting is taken down before midnight—in time for the nesting sea turtles to safely access the beach areas.
The most common nesting birds in Southwest Florida are Black Skimmers, Least Terns, Wilson’s and Snowy Plovers, and American Oystercatchers. Black Skimmers have black and white bodies and bright orange bills, giving them a comical, Disney-esque appearance. Least Terns are mostly white with black caps and yellow bills, appearing to some like graceful, tiny gulls. Snowy and Wilson’s Plovers are the most difficult to see, but their gray and white forms can be spotted running along the beach as they search for food. Finally, oystercatchers sport orange bills, black heads, brown backs, and white stomachs. All nest in scoops within the sand itself, unprotected except by the presence of the raucous colony, Audubon Florida staff, and volunteers.
Do you have more questions? Audubon Florida wants to answer them!
“Audubon Bird Stewards welcome your visits to active nesting sites to see nests and fluffy chicks up close with our binoculars and spotting scopes,” Dr. Korosy continues.
To protect the birds throughout the summer, beach-goers should:
- Pay attention to signs and barriers and walk safely outside the roped off sections of beach.
- Keep pups on a leash, or better yet, take them to dog-friendly designated beaches.
- Notify bird stewards if eggs or nests are outside the roped-off area.
- Dispose of trash in designated receptacles to keep the beaches clean.
- If visitors see a bird steward, feel free to ask questions! Stewards love talking about Florida’s native bird species.
If you are interested in becoming a bird steward or participating in coastal conservation volunteer activities for the rest of the 2019 season or the 2020 season, please send an email with your name, telephone number, and general location to flconservation@audubon.org. Learn more about what you can do to help coastal species at flaudubon.org