State of the Birds Report Highlights the Need for Focused Research and Fast Action

Florida is known for its birdlife—Its rich diversity of habitats accommodates hundreds of species year-round and seasonally rolls out the welcome mat to many more migratory birds. However, about a third of all American bird species are experiencing declining population trends due to a myriad of threats, including warming temperatures and sea level rise.

According to the 2025 State of the Birds report, 42 species nationwide have been identified as Tipping Point species—birds with perilously low populations and an uncertain future. Which ones are we watching in Florida?

Wilson’s Plover

Over the past few decades, shorebird species have experienced accelerated population loss rates—almost three-quarters are suffering continued drops in their numbers despite recent conservation efforts. With an estimated population of fewer than 1,000 Florida birds, Wilson’s Plovers and their habitats are at risk.

Dependent upon natural coastal habitats for food and nest sites, Wilson's Plovers lay their eggs right on the sand and raise their families amidst the dunes and surf. Throughout the summer, they navigate a dynamic coastal environment shaped by storms, which have become larger and more intense as ocean temperatures rise. While these storms can be destructive, they also play a vital role in resetting the vegetation, creating the open sandy habitat that many coastal species, including Wilson’s Plovers, have evolved to use. However, increasing coastal development and human disturbance continue to threaten these habitats. Rising sea levels will further squeeze the space between the surf and the built environment, limiting the birds' options for safe nesting and foraging.

Wilson's Plovers are listed as threatened or endangered in other states. To stop their Florida numbers from declining further, in 2023, Audubon requested the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to designate them as a state-threatened species, a move that would extend additional protections to this species and its habitats.

What can you do? At beach-nesting sites, Audubon staff and volunteer stewards educate visitors and ensure that beachgoers do not disturb Wilson’s plovers where they are breeding.

Learn more about volunteering as a bird steward.

Florida Scrub-Jay

The Florida Scrub-Jay is Florida’s only endemic bird species. These birds have already lost so much of their habitat—high, dry scrub where acorns are numerous—to developers. In fact, scrub-jay habitat has been reduced by roughly 90% since European settlement. Now, they are also being affected by climate change.

According to a study of Florida Scrub-Jays at Archbold Biological Station, some birds are nesting earlier in response to warmer temperatures. The study showed that first-nesting dates have advanced by roughly a week over the study period. Even though the number of nests built by each jay pair increased by 33%, the overall number of successful fledges declined by 25%. The Archbold team suspects that warmer winters mean predators, especially snakes, are also becoming more active earlier in the breeding season. Because jays nest only a few meters off the ground, they are particularly vulnerable to these reptilian predators.

To better assess their long-term population health and design conservation solutions, consistent and long-term monitoring of nesting efforts and the number and distribution of active colonies is needed. Community scientists with Audubon’s Jay Watch program are helping us understand how jay populations are doing at a statewide scale, providing information we can use to keep them safe now and into the future. 

Get involved in Jay Watch.