Seabirds and shorebirds face many obstacles when it comes to nesting on Florida’s beaches. While these species face a variety of threats from natural factors such as storms and predation, human disturbances have introduced a whole new genre of danger. During the 2024 nesting season, I had the pleasure of working with nesting Black Skimmers at two sites in Pinellas County. My first site was located on they very busy St. Pete Beach, while my second was centered on Redington Shores Beach behind a residential building. At both of these sites, the natural disturbances have been minimal. We had no large storm events during the peak season and predation has been manageable. However, we have seen human activities causing frequent disturbances to birds in the nesting colonies.

Additionally, we did not anticipate a brand-new type of disturbance this year: electronic vehicles (e-vehicles) on the beach. These new e-vehicles, whether it be scooters, bikes, etc., are quiet and fast-moving, making them a great tool for getting around without using a car. However, riding these can be disastrous for nesting birds.  

Black Skimmers, as well as other nesting birds such as Royal Terns and Sandwich Terns, need access to the shoreline to cool off during the hot Florida summer days, and to teach their chicks to find food. Unfortunately, when these e-vehicles drive through or close to the flocks of resting birds, the adults fly up and the young chicks scramble, putting them at risk of predation, infanticide, or being hit by the e-vehicle.  

Sadly, a juvenile Royal Tern was hit and killed by an electric scooter at Redington Shores Beach. Although Audubon volunteers were present at the time of the incident, they were unable to prevent the fast-moving beachgoer from intentionally driving through the flock of resting birds. Over the last couple of months, I have noticed an increase in the use of e-vehicles on the beach. Once the driver has been made aware of  the dangers these vehicles present for birds, they often take extra caution driving around our nesting birds. The death of this young fledgling was absolutely heartbreaking and perhaps could have been avoided with proper education and awareness.  

To make our beaches safer for birds:

• Give nesting birds as much space as possible. Signs or people will alert you to these areas.

• Avoid walking or driving through flocks of birds. 

• If pets are permitted on beaches, keep them leashed and well away from birds.

• Remove trash and food scraps, which attract predators that will also eat birds’ eggs and/or chicks. 

• Do not drive on beach dunes or other nesting areas.