Breeding colonies of wading birds (orders Ciconiiformes, Pelecaniformes) and seabirds (orders Suliformes, Pelecaniformes) serve as important indicators of aquatic ecosystem health, as they respond to changes in food abundance and quality, contaminants, invasive species, and disturbance. The Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan, Restoration Coordination & Verification program (CERP-RECOVER) has identified wading-bird colonies as an important ecosystem restoration indicator. The National Park Service South Florida/Caribbean Inventory & Monitoring Network (SFCN) ranked colonial nesting birds eighth out of 44 vital signs of park natural resource conditions for ecological significance and feasibility. However, while large-scale monitoring efforts are occurring in the rest of the Greater Everglades Ecosystem, only minimal historic data collection and no extensive ongoing monitoring of wading bird and seabird nesting have occurred in Biscayne National Park. Consequently, due to their high importance as biological indicators and because they are a gap occurring in regional monitoring efforts, the network has initiated a monitoring program of colonial nesting birds in Biscayne National Park. This protocol provides the rationale, approach, and detailed Standard Operating Procedures for annual colonial bird monitoring within and close to Biscayne National Park and conforms to the Oakley et al. (2003) guidelines for National Park Service long-term monitoring protocols. The specific objectives of this monitoring program are to determine status and long-term trends in: Numbers and locations of active colonies of colonial nesting birds with a special focus on Double-crested Cormorants, Great Egrets, Great White Herons, Great Blue Herons, White Ibises, and Roseate Spoonbills. Annual peak active nest counts of colonial nesting birds in Biscayne National Park with a special focus on the species mentioned above. An annual nesting index (i.e., sum of monthly nest counts) with a special focus on the species mentioned above. Timing of peak nest counts for the focal species.
The habitats within Biscayne National Park consist of rocky coast lines, Biscayne Bay (a shallow water bay), over 40 mangrove islands, and coral reefs. This ecosystem lies near the large metropolitan area of Miami, suburban development, a nuclear power plant, and has several canals that drain from the mainland into the park or close to park boundaries. The proximity to a large population also results in the park's heavy usage. The park is a popular destination for fishers and boaters. These are all stressors on the park ecosystem. The South Florida / Caribbean Network has developed a long-term monitoring program that focuses on the colonial nesting birds that use park resources for foraging, roosting, and nesting. The South Florida / Caribbean Network uses monthly helicopter flights to survey nine nesting colonies in or near the park. The nine colonies monitored are: Kings Road, Mangrove Key, West Arsenicker Key, Arsenicker Key, Jones Lagoon, Ragged Key 5, Ragged Key 4, Soldier Key, and Kings Bay. We focus on six species of birds: double-crested cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus), great egrets (Ardea alba), great white herons (Ardea herodias occidentalis), great blue herons (Ardea herodias), white ibises (Eudocimus albus), and roseate spoonbills (Platalea ajaja).
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