With the Fourth of July only a couple of weeks away, people are starting to think about how they will celebrate. For many, that means with fireworks, but Audubon Florida is reminding people how they can impact birds, especially on beaches during the nesting season.
Audubon Florida has been protecting birds and the places they need for 120 years. In the summers, when coastal birds are nesting on the beaches, they set up string fences to create a barrier around the colonies. They also create signs to hang up on the beaches with information about the birds and the local and state regulations that protect them.
Audrey DeRose-Wilson, Audubon Florida’s bird conservation director, said staff and volunteers monitor the birds at their colonies, especially on holidays like the Fourth of July.
“Fireworks are really enjoyable for many of us to look at, but between the bursts of color and the noise, they really wreak havoc on coastal birds, especially this time of year when they’re nesting,” said DeRose-Wilson.
Fireworks also leave debris on the beaches, which chicks and other sea animals may try to eat. An alternative to setting off your fireworks is attending a municipal fireworks display that is a safe distance from the beach.
DeRose-Wilson said that after each firework explosion, the birds panic and will fly away from their nests, leaving their chicks all alone.
“This scatters the chicks, and so the chicks can get lost, and when they’re lost, they’re exposed to heat and predation, and they also get separated from their parents and their nest area,” said DeRose-Wilson. “And then they’re vulnerable to other birds in the colony who will see them as an intruder.”
American oystercatchers, black skimmers, snowy plovers, and least terns are some of the birds that are currently nesting on the beach.
Audubon Florida recommends everyone stay alert and cautious while on the beach to avoid disturbing the birds and their colonies.
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