The declining trend of Roseate Spoonbill nesting success in Florida Bay, spanning years, has occurred with declines in other fish-eating bird species such as Brown Pelicans, Osprey, and Bald Eagles.

This indicates that the productivity of the estuary has been reduced from former levels. Restoring more historical volumes of freshwater flow to Florida Bay, through restoration projects such as the C-111 Spreader Canal, will help return the density of prey needed to support successful nesting for many species of fish-eating birds.

Please stay tuned to this blog in the coming weeks for additional information on the state of Florida Bay or you can learn more about this issue in an article from Keys News.