The Important Bird Areas of Florida - National Audubon Society

The Important Bird Areas of Florida: 2000–2002 – Pranty – 2-Jul-02 203UPPER ST. JOHNS RIVER BASINBlue Cypress Conservation Area (49,573 acres; 19,829 ha), Canaveral Marshes Conservation Area(6395 acres; 2558 ha), Fort Drum Marsh Conservation Area (20,592 acres; 8236 ha), River LakesConservation Area (34,429 acres; 13,771 ha), Seminole Ranch Conservation Area (36,448 acres;14,579 ha), and Three Forks Marsh Conservation Area (54,630 acres; 21,852 ha)Brevard, Indian River, Orange, Osceola, Seminole, and Volusia counties202,067 acres (80,826 ha) [plus lands sought for acquisition]LOCATION: along the St. Johns River from southwestern Indian River County northward throughBrevard, eastern Orange, southeastern Seminole, and southern Volusia counties, with a very smallportion in northeastern Osceola County. The river basin lies generally west of Interstate 95 and isbounded on the south by Florida's Turnpike and on the north by State Road 46. Contiguous with theWilliam Beardall Tosohatchee State Reserve IBA to the west, and near the Brevard Scrub Ecosystemand St. Johns National Wildlife Refuge IBAs to the east.DESCRIPTION: this vast area protects over 80 miles (128 km) of river, floodplain marshes, and adjacentuplands along the upper St. Johns River, which flows north 320 miles (512 km) and empties into theAtlantic Ocean at Jacksonville. All sites are conservation areas owned and managed by the St. JohnsRiver Water Management District, and, from south to north are: Fort Drum Marsh, Blue Cypress,Three Forks Marsh, River Lakes, Canaveral Marshes, and Seminole Ranch. Combined, theconservation areas receive ____ recreationists and ____ hunters annually.OWNERSHIP: St. Johns River Water Management DistrictHABITATS: *cypress swamp, *hardwood swamp, *freshwater marsh, *sawgrass marsh, *riverine,*lacustrine, pine flatwoods, temperate hammock, dry prairie, fields, non-native pasture, bayhead,cattail marsh, artificial (“borrow” pits, levees, and ditches)LAND USE: *conservation, *recreation, *hunting, timber production, cattle grazingIBA CATEGORIES: significant populations of Endangered, Threatened, Special Concern, FCREPA, andWatch List species; significant numbers of aquatic birds, wading birds, and raptors; and significantnatural habitatsAVIAN DATA: this IBA supports large numbers of breeding wading birds, and huge numbers of foragingindividuals. It also attracts large numbers of wintering waterfowl, and also is important to raptorssuch as Snail Kites and Swallow-tailed Kites.SPECIES DATES NUMBERS COMMENTSGreat Blue Heron Aug 1999 547 birds (N)Great Egret 1998Aug 19991410 pairs12,007 birds7% (B)30% (N)Snowy Egret 1998Aug 19992790 pairs1940 birds(B)(N)Little Blue Heron Aug 1999 487 birds 2% (N)Wood Stork 1998Aug 1999760 pairs4133 birds13% (B)>33%? (N)“Small dark herons“ 1998Aug 19991860 pairs1813 birds(B)(N)Wading birds Jun 1998Aug 19996256 pairs44,313 birds(B)(N)Blue-winged Teal 29 Nov 1999 >1000 birds SW of Palm Bay (W)Green-winged Teal 29 Nov 1999 3000 birds SW of Palm Bay (W)Osprey 1999–2000 16 nests 1% (B); underestimateSwallow-tailed Kite Jul–Aug 1999Jul–Aug 2000200 birds200 birds13% (N)13% (N)White-tailed Kite summer 1999 3 birds (R)