Birders and eco tourists visit South West Florida

published on November 28, 2015

At Good Time Charters, we are passionate about giving our guests the best adventures that will make memories for a lifetime. We also inspire to educate about the fragile Everglades ecosystem and the endangered or threatened animals and plants that live here, which is why we formed our sister company Everglades Adventure. One such special critter we may catch sight of during a trek into the Glades is the Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow.

 

Everglades National Park is home to one of eight remaining subspecies of Seaside Sparrow, the Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow, which is named for the southernmost point of land in the continental United States. Once upon a time this nonmigratory bird lived just about everywhere in South Florida, but the current known habitat of this endangered sparrow is restricted to five separate subpopulations.  Due to habitat sensitivity, this precious bird is the only bird limited specifically to the Everglades ecosystem.

Listed as endangered since 1967 and nicknamed the ‘Goldilocks bird” due to it’s very specific habitat needs, this tiny bird has depopulated because of the many habitat-changing events that have occurred, including water distribution alterations and hurricanes. Changes continue to threaten the Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow with extinction. In an ongoing attempt to grow their numbers, their habitat is maintained by prescribed fires, and water levels are regulated to benefit the sparrow. Water management in the Everglades has been controversial because of possible negative impacts on other endangered species and human land uses.

The sparrows build cup-shaped nests about six inches off the ground, thereby making their nests vulnerable to even moderately high floodwaters and to predation by snakes and rats. Cape Sable seaside sparrows are not diet specific.  They are found taking advantage of any food available as they forage low in the grass and on the ground. They feed on grasshoppers, caterpillars, beetles, spiders, and grass and sedge seeds. Adults remove the legs and wings from insects before feeding them to their young.

 

Let Everglades Adventure be part of your next ‘once in a lifetime’ Everglades fun and fact filled adventure experience!

At Good Time Charters, our tours are led by certified Master Naturalist guides, ensuring you get an expert-led, immersive experience unlike any other—because when it comes to exploring nature, knowledge makes all the difference.

Sea What's Going On!

More from the blog

Fort Myers Beach- 2017 Review

Fort Myers Beach New Year

Things to do fort Myers Beach

What to do for the holidays on Fort Myers Beach

ort Myers Beach things to do

Fort myers Beach cruising

Good Times Charters Blog #2 October 2017

Strange sealife on Fort Myers Beach

Good Time Charter August 2017 Blog #2

Snakes in Southwest Florida

Good Time Charters Fort myers Beach

Caloosahatchee River:

Fishing Fort myers Beach

Fresh Fish on Fort Myers Beach

family friendly activities fort myers beach

What are some fun family activities to do in Fort Myers Beach