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Help Protect Beach-nesting Birds Over Memorial Day Weekend!

The Memorial Day holiday is a great time to enjoy Florida’s fabulous beaches with family and friends. Beach-nesting bird families also rely on the beach at this time of year and need your help now more than ever. 
 

Blue-green algae and red tide along Florida’s shores last summer made visiting the beach unpleasant for people, and also had a significant impact on shorebirds, seabirds and wading birds that were sickened or killed by brevetoxin exposure. Many nests failed because birds weren’t able to find enough baitfish to feed their young while countless others were washed away by extreme weather.

Because it is difficult to protect birds from toxic algae and warming seas, we must do everything we can to protect them from their next biggest threat: human disturbance.

These tiny birds lay their eggs right on the sand. They perceive an approaching human as a threat and will take flight whenever people, or their dogs, approach too closely. Repeated human disturbance often results in birds abandoning the colony. If they can’t find a better location, their nesting season is wasted. 

Over the Memorial Day weekend, Audubon Florida’s bird stewards will be out in full force in locations across the state where people and beach-nesting birds comingle. These important ambassadors for nature help coastal visitors learn about the birds to better understand what is happening inside posted areas. 

You can help beach-nesting birds raise their next generation of chicks to adulthood:
Respect posted areas, even if you don’t see any birds inside
If birds dive-bomb you, carefully move away as there may be a nest nearby
Ensure no trash or food remnants are left behind
Keep dogs on a leash, on board your boat or at home
 
Audubon Florida protects birds and the places they need, today and tomorrow. If you are interested in becoming a Bird Steward or participating in any coastal conservation volunteer activity, please send an email with your name, telephone number, and general location to flconservation@audubon.org.
 

How you can help, right now