Imagine the “perfect” bird nest.
What comes to mind? Maybe leaves and fluff stuffed into a cozy little birdhouse or a tightly woven basket made of twigs and dried grass? Chances are that image in your mind’s eye wasn’t a small scrape in a vast expanse of open sand.
This is, in fact, prime beach-front real estate to some of our avian friends that prefer a more minimalist, eco-modern design style. Their ideal summer home comes with an open floor plan, plenty of natural light, and unobstructed views. A nest constructed by excavating the sand with a few kicks of the feet is really all they need!
Jokes aside, why do some birds like Least Terns and Black Skimmers choose to nest in such an unforgiving environment?
At first glance, building a nest without the protection of trees or dense vegetation may seem like a poor strategy. However, the openness of these habitats provides some important advantages:
– Adults have an unobstructed view of their surroundings, allowing members of the colony to easily detect any approaching threats.
– The sand, shells, and debris also provide an incredible backdrop to camouflage the light-colored, speckled shells of tern and skimmer eggs. When nestled in their scrape, the eggs can be surprisingly difficult to spot, even when you know what you are looking for.
Unfortunately, the same preference for open sand increasingly puts these birds in competition with us. The beaches we value for recreation and development are also places these birds depend on to reproduce. Because these nests are so simple, they are also very vulnerable. With nothing more than camouflage for protection, eggs and newly hatched chicks can easily go unnoticed by people sharing the beach.
At Audubon, we temporarily mark off these scrapes with signage during the nesting season. The marked areas offer a temporary refuge where nesting birds can raise their young on a shared shoreline. Respecting posted nesting areas at the beach by giving the colonies plenty of space and keeping your pets leashed or off the beach, is how beachgoers can do their part in ensuring these imperiled birds have the best chance at a successful nesting season.
A few feet may not seem like much to us, but it can mean the world of difference to these protected species. So, the next time you are by the Gulf, remember that you’re standinge than an empty beach. It is a nursery full of new and expecting parents.
