More than 50 Black Skimmer Chicks Banded in Southwest Florida

In July, Audubon Florida staff teamed up with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), the Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, Audubon of the Western Everglades, and the Larid Research and Conservation Group to band 53 Black Skimmer chicks at the Second Chance Critical Wildlife Area nesting site. The banded birds will provide researchers critical information about movement, breeding success, and behavior that we can use to protect this vulnerable seabird species.

All banding activities are done under special federal and state permits by trained professionals. The team worked together to efficiently locate, band, and return the chicks back to their parents.

“These birds are amazing,” says Southwest Florida Shorebird Manager Megan Hatten, “They nest right on the sand, and our stewards spend all summer protecting their nesting area and teaching locals and visitors alike about the ways we can share our beaches with these special families.”

Most avid birders come across a banded bird sooner or later, but might not know how important it is to report what they see. Banded bird sighting reports are vitally important to the conservation and long-term survival of many of our most imperiled bird species, and amateur bird watchers play a critical role!

If you see a banded bird:

• Note the date, time, and location (with GPS if possible).
• Note the species.
• Note which legs or legs have bands.
• Note the color and order of bands –upper or lower and left or right leg. If the band or flag has an alphanumeric code, try to note the code.
• Take a picture (ideal, although not mandatory). Digital cameras work great through scopes and sometimes even binoculars.
• Report your band to the North American Bird Banding Laboratory. They will tell you where and when the bird was banded, add the data to their database, and send the data to the bander.  
• Feel free to share your sightings on the Florida Banded Birds Resightings Facebook page.
• Find more information about reporting banded birds in Florida here.