birdinginflorida

Killdeer

Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) is a shorebird that is about the size of a robin measuring 7.9-11.0 inches with a wingspan of 18.1-18.9 inches; they weigh about 2.6-4.5 oz. The Killdeer has a round head with large eyes and a short bill. Their plumage is brownish-tan on top and white on the bottom; two black bands are on the white chest. Their brown face I marked with black and white patches. The Killdeer get their name from the shrill, wailing kill-deer call they give. These birds have an extremely wide range from Canada to the United States and Pacific Coast. Some of the northern populations do migrate to Mexico in the winter. The populations in the southern United States and Pacific Coast are year-round residents.
Killdeer spend most of their time walking along the ground or running ahead a few steps before stopping to look around and then running on again. They will quickly take flight when disturbed, circling overhead and calling repeatedly. These birds can be found on open ground with low vegetation such as lawns, driveways, gravel-covered roofs, pastures, fields, sandbars, and mudflats. Compared to other shorebirds they do not only stay close to the water as they are also common in dry areas.
They will search for insects and earthworms by running and stopping to look around. Invertebrates are what primarily make up their diet. Invertebrates include earthworms, snails, crayfish, grasshoppers, beetles, and aquatic insect larvae, they will also eat seeds left in agricultural lands. As an opportunistic forager, Killdeer has been seen hunting frogs and eating dead minnows.
Their nest is a shallow depression on the ground, After egg-laying begins, Killdeer will often add rocks, bits of shell, sticks, and trash to the nest. The clutch size will typically be 3-6 eggs, though the number of broods will be 1-3, and the incubation period is at 22-28 days. Eggs are buff-colored and heavily marked with blackish brown. Chicks have a full coat of buffy down feathers and a single black breast band, they can walk out of the nest as soon as their feathers dry. To protect the nest, the parents will distract predators by calling loudly, bobbing, and running away. Another method that is used to lure predators away is the broken-wing display by feigning injury.
The Killdeer is a species that is of relatively low conservation concern. They are among the most successful of all shorebirds because of their fondness for human-modified habitats and willingness to nest close to people. However, because they live close to people, Killdeer are vulnerable to pesticide positioning and collisions with cars and buildings.
Photo Credit: Dan Kon
Author: Destiny Alvarez – Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences, University of Oregon
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Lake Istokpoga Park

Lake Istokpoga Park
At nearly 28,000 acres, Lake Istokpoga is the 5th largest lake in Florida. Located in Sebring, Lake Istokpoga Park is an outdoor delight. Saunter along the nature trails, pier, and boardwalk. There’s plenty of parking for your vehicle with a trailer and a double boat ramp to launch into the lake that averages four to six feet deep. Enjoy your lunch at one of the picnic tables under Spanish-moss-draped trees or in a pavilion.
Lake Istokpoga Park can be found on the north shore of Lake Istokpoga. Look for wading birds, songbirds, waterbirds, raptors, and more along this Florida Birding Trail.
Fun Fact: Ospreys build more nests in this little county park than they build in most other places in the US.
Photo Credit: Ileana Rodriguez
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Fulvous Whistling-Duck

Fulvous Whistling-Ducks, Dendrocygna bicolor, are found year-round in rice fields in central Florida. Look for them in flooded pastures, irrigated lands, ponds, lakes, freshwater marshes, slow-moving rivers, and freshwater wetlands. Once known as the Fulvous Tree Duck, these birds roost in the trees of forested areas next to their water source. They may flock with Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks. As winter approaches, watch for them to appear in greater numbers in freshwater marshes and wetlands.
These striking caramel and black ducks with their oversized bluish-gray legs forage in water that is less than 20 inches deep. Dinner consists of mostly seeds from aquatic plants and some invertebrates. Fulvous Whistling-Ducks can be seen wading or swimming while foraging by diving, tipping up, or dabbling to find food with their bills. Their thick bills are made to filter the food from the mud. You may also find them plucking an insect from vegetation for a tasty snack.
In mid-April, Fulvous Whistling-Ducks leave their flocks to begin the mating season. Mated pairs are bonded for years and sometimes for life, although the males may sometimes mate with more than one female. Together, the male and female choose the nest site in a dense marsh above the water or on the ground near the water. They build the nest by weaving stalks and grasses into a 14-inch bowl shape that is 4.3 inches deep. Most include a ramp to the water. The clutch size is 2 – 14 eggs and the female and male share the task of incubation for 24 – 25 days. Although the young leave the nest soon after hatching, instinctually know how to swim and dive as well as forage., both parents look after them until they fledge two months later.
Photo Credit: Dan Kon
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Rock Pigeon

Rock pigeons, Columba livia, are one of the most recognizable birds in Florida. They can be seen walking on the ground foraging for seeds and grains in wild areas. You may even find them eating a berry or an insect. In residential areas, including cities, these pigeons will dine on human food that has been abandoned. They will often visit birdfeeders.

Colors vary immensely in these birds found year-round in Florida. Their nests made of sticks are most often found in sheltered human-made structures such as barns, bridges, warehouses, and attics. Rock pigeons lay 1 or 2 eggs up to six times each year. However, the North American Breeding Bird Survey found their population declined by 46% between 1966 and 2015.

Rock pigeons can carry bird mites which will bite humans, wildlife, and livestock. When preparing food outside and pigeons are present, take extra care to avoid Salmonella bacteria.

Fun Facts:

Charles Darwin compared wild pigeons to the pigeons he kept. His observations helped him develop the theory of evolution.

Pigeons use magnetic fields, the sun’s position, and smell to find their way home. The U.S. Army Signal Corps used these talented navigators to carry strategic and life-saving messages during World War I and II.

Photo Credit: Dan Kon

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