The Important Bird Areas of Florida - National Audubon Society

The Important Bird Areas of Florida: 2000–2002 – Pranty – 2-Jul-02 119BRIGHT HOUR WATERSHEDDe Soto County47,235 acres (18,894 ha), of which 31,989 acres (12,795 ha) are under perpetual conservation easementLOCATION: in southeastern De Soto County, south of State Road 70 and east of State Road 31. A citrusgrove that reportedly is the largest in the world occupies a huge area north of the IBA.DESCRIPTION: two ranches partly or fully under perpetual conservation easement. Several thousandadditional acres (and ha) of non-native pasture within one of the ranches are not part of the SORProject but have been included within the IBA boundary because pastures are an important landscapefeature for Crested Caracaras.OWNERSHIP: private (perpetual conservation easements monitored by the Southwest Florida WaterManagement District)HABITATS: *dry prairie, *freshwater marsh, *temperate hammock, *non-native pastures, riverine, bayswamp, xeric oak scrub, longleaf pine scrubby flatwoods, cutthroatgrass seep, citrus grovesLAND USES: *conservation, *grazing, and crop productionIBA CATEGORIES: significant populations of Threatened species; significant diversity of dry prairiespecies; and significant natural habitatsAVIAN DATA: this IBA supports or previously supported nearly all species of dry prairies. It also supportsa “substantial and apparently viable” (Stith 1999) population of Florida Scrub-Jays. The Bright Hourscrub-jays have vocalizations distinct from those on the Lake Wales Ridge, about 20 miles (32 km) tothe east, and appear to represent a “highly isolated” population (Stith 1999). “High concentrations” ofwading birds, “great flocks” of Wild Turkeys, and “presumably excellent populations” of “Florida”Sandhill Cranes, Crested Caracaras, and possibly Mottled Ducks were found in May and June 1996,but no numerical data were given due to the brevity of the surveys +(TNC 1996). Parts of theWatershed are proposed Strategic Habitat Conservation Areas for wading birds, the Mottled Duck,Swallow-tailed Kite, Crested Caracara, “Florida” Sandhill Crane, and “Florida” Grasshopper Sparrow(Cox et al. 1994).SPECIES DATES NUMBERS COMMENTSCrested Caracara 1994–1995 2 pairs1% (B)May–Jun 1996?“Florida” Sandhill Crane May–Jun 1996 ? ?Florida Scrub-Jay 1993? 21 groups