During summer, Florida’s beaches come alive with our feathered inhabitants, from Snowy Plovers and American Oystercatchers, to Least Terns and Black Skimmers, are busy raising young this time of year. Unfortunately, these shorebirds (and others) are declining, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission lists them as threatened or as species of special concern. Shorebirds need undisturbed beach areas to feed and raise their nestlings, and with so many competing users for beaches these days, good nesting areas are increasingly hard to come by. So, how do we provide enough protected beach areas for these sensitive species?

This is where the Florida Shorebird Alliance (FSA) comes in. The FSA is a statewide partnership composed of governmental agencies and non-governmental organizations. Together they work to develop and implement conservation strategies for Florida’s shorebirds and seabirds, through research, education and management. Public awareness is a key goal for the FSA. By promoting shorebird protection through outreach and education, the FSA plays a crucial role in helping communities understand shorebirds’ need for disturbance-free areas on beaches.

When visiting the beach, you may see roped-off areas and signs that ask you to keep back from nesting colonies. Some areas are not well marked, so make sure to not step on eggs or nestlings, which blend in with the sand. If you notice terns or skimmers defensively “bombing” you, you are too close to their nests and need to back away.

You can also help shorebirds by participating in various citizen-science projects conducted by the FSA and its partners. There is a Winter Shorebird Survey, as well as a Florida Snowy Plover Survey during the spring. For more information about Florida’s shorebirds, and how you can help them, please visit the FSA website at www.flshorebirdalliance.org. There are outreach materials you can download, as well as information on how to participate in surveys and report banded shorebirds.