Helping Florida’s threatened shorebird population during nesting season

Southwest Florida locals can help protect shorebirds thanks to a new and innovative method.

The birds typically nest on the beach, although beaches in Southwest Florida are constantly busy.

The method’s idea is to provide shorebirds with the space necessary to thrive. As shorelines get busier, different species of birds are more commonly using gravel rooftops to nest, raise their chicks, and avoid threats.

According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, shorebird nesting season begins in Southwest Florida in mid-February.

Shorebirds are on Florida’s threatened list, and FWC recommends keeping at least 300 feet from nesting birds because getting too close to the birds can lead them to abandon the breeding site.

That means the defenseless eggs lay exposed to the elements and predators in the nest.

Building rooftops provides an important alternative nesting habitat for shorebirds and seabirds, as most species nesting on rooftops are imperiled. FWC says close to half of the state’s Least Tern population depends on rooftops.

Contact FWC if you see a shorebird that has taken a liking to your roof.

“In all of Flordia, there are nearly 3,630 rooftop sites that have been reported from 2011 to 2022, so that’s quite a lot of sites and rooftops are being fazed out,” said Cameron Pressey, a rooftop nesting biologist for FWC.

The Florida Wildlife Conservation Commission has been discovering more rooftop spaces each year. Officials hope the threatened species’ population continues growing so they can eventually be removed from the list.

Click here to learn more about shorebirds and how you can help.