Audubon Urges Caution for Beach Goers
May 22nd, 2015 by Mike Vasilinda
Florida Audubon is urging beach goers to stay out of areas posted as bird nesting areas. Unlike many species sea birds lay their eggs directly on the sand and are often invisible to the untrained eye. Julie Waithmell of Audubon Florida says disturbing the birds could be catastrophic.
“Most people don’t even realize that birds nest on beaches.They expect a nest to be in a tree or bush, but these birds lay their eggs directly on the sand.Park biologists post protected areas, for them, but people will look into the posted area and not see anything and think…it’s okay for me to cross the twine line. When they do that, it flushes the parents from the eggs and chicks. It leaves them exposed to the sun or to predators or even to crushing under foot” says Waithmell.
Most beach nesting birds are on the state threatened species list of rare and declining birds.
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