Observing Florida Shorebirds in the Spring

Their behaviors are entertaining while providing essential needs.

Mar 7, 2009

Bird behaviors are adaptations that enable them to feed, reproduce, and avoid predators. These, in concert with plumage characteristics provide the essentials to survive.

A casual walk along the shoreline of Florida's islands and parks often provides the opportunity to observe many common and some uncommon birds found in few other habitats. Some so-called shorebirds are rarely found near the shore, however. These birds are shorebirds in name and physical characters only.

As with the larger maritime birds, walking the beach, paddling a canoe or kayak, hiding behind blinds, or strolling boardwalks are activities that provide access to many of these smaller birds. Additionally, trips to nature preserves, sewage treatment impoundments, and swamps provide glimpses into the life of these interesting birds. The most successful viewing is provided when the observer moves slowly.

While many shorebirds are relatively unaffected by close proximity to humans, binoculars and spotting scopes are sometimes necessary equipment to obtain the best opportunities for observation some of the smaller or more elusive species - especially when they are foraging on broad mud flats or large, shallow ponds.

Behaviors of Florida Shorebirds in the Spring

The resident shorebird species mate throughout late spring, but most migrants do not mate while in Florida. Exceptions to this are the larger stilts and avocets which mate both before they fly north and during the migration to their breeding locations. When it occurs, mating is preceded by a ritualized courtship and over almost before it begins.

Feathers require a lot of work to keep them clean and in good aerodynamic condition. Thus, preening is a common activity of birds that are not actively feeding. Birds do this using their bills and feet to comb and brush soil and grit from their feathers and condition their flight and insulating qualities.

Some birds exhibit distinctive behavior that by itself can help an observer identify its species identity. Solitary sandpipers bob their entire body up and down as they stand and walk along the edge of the shoreline. Individual phalaropes often swim in tight circles forming eddies that raise prey to surface. Avocets and stilts wade in moderately deep water, dipping their bills below the water's surface. Turnstones and oystercatchers turn stones and shells and can sometimes be seen inserting their bills into shells to cut the muscles of the animal inside and allow the shell to relax enough for the bird to eat the clam or mussel. The two species are easily distinguished by plumage characteristics, but the turnstone's behavior readily separates it from other similar sized and colored species.

The broken wing display of nesting killdeer is distinctive, but not restricted to this species. Any of the sandpipers will also demonstrate this behavior when nesting. They just do not nest in Florida. Thus, a brightly patterned bird hobbling over the ground with a wing held out to the side is most likely a killdeer.

Whereas most male birds are more colorful than their mates, female phalaropes are more brightly colored than males. These bright colors begin to develop as these late migrating species move into Florida. Thus, an observer can sometimes see winter and breeding plumages on birds in the same flocks.

Most sandpipers and their relatives have distinctive white and black bars on their wings. These are good field marks to look for when the birds are flying, but they serve another purpose as well. If a predator is chasing a bird with bold, distinct markings in flight, when the bird lands these bold markings may be hidden. A rapidly flying hawk or falcon might overlook the prey once it stops moving, folds its wings, and takes on the coloration of its background.

The black-bellied plover resides in Florida through the winter, moving north as spring progresses. This species always displays dark feathers under its wings, but only develops the dark belly feathers that give it its name shortly before migrating north.

The copyright of the article Observing Florida Shorebirds in the Spring in Bird Watching is owned by Albert Burchsted. Permission to republish Observing Florida Shorebirds in the Spring in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.