South Florida wading bird nesting dips, raising environmental concerns

South Florida's wading bird population suffered during 2012, with nesting on the decline due to the return of too much water too fast for herons, Wood Storks, ibises and egrets.

The 2012 wading bird nest total was a 39 percent decline compared to the average over the past decade, according to the South Florida Water Management District.

While the 26,395 wading bird nests found were just 57 less than last year, it was also the third year in a row of poor nesting totals.

It continued the steep drop off from 2009's spike to 77,505 nests – which was the most since the 1940s.

Back to back years of drought followed by a rainy 2012 resulted in yo-yoing water levels that caught many wading birds off guard. Also, the small prey fish that wading birds rely on to survive have yet to recover from previous droughts.

Read on:  http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/palm-beach/fl-wading-birds-decline-2012-20121223,0,2835167.story