Miami, FL (February 24, 2016) - Today the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) released the annual South Florida Wading Bird Report (http://bit.ly/1QeUp3S), which showed another year of poor nesting efforts for key indicator species. Compared to the 10-year average, nesting by Wood Storks was down 36%, Snowy Egrets down 51%, and Little Blue Herons down 70%.

“This year’s lackluster nesting efforts and continued population declines of birds like Snowy Egrets and Wood Storks show the urgent need for Everglades restoration,” said Dr. Tabitha Cale, Audubon Florida Everglades Policy Associate. "Their survival depends on how fast we can build and operate projects to restore the historic flow of freshwater."

Destruction of wetlands and the diversion of water in the Everglades for flood control and water supply have reduced the amount of quality foraging habitat available to wading birds. Restoration efforts are underway that restore degraded habitat and expand the acreage of wetlands to improve conditions for wading birds and other Everglades wildlife. But these projects are not being constructed fast enough to stem the decline of key indicator species. It is necessary to accelerate construction of these projects before declines in wading bird populations become irreversible.

“The continuing decline of wading birds tells us there is a problem in the Everglades ecosystem,” said Eric Draper, Audubon Florida Executive Director. “Restoration should be an urgent priority.”

For more information on what this report means for the Everglades, please see Audubon Florida’s latest fact sheet: http://bit.ly/1QeUrZF.

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