The Important Bird Areas of Florida - National Audubon Society

The Important Bird Areas of Florida: 2000–2002 – Pranty – 2-Jul-02 230FISHEATING CREEK WATERSHEDFisheating Creek FF Project, with acquired acreage known as Fisheating Creek WildlifeManagement AreaGlades and Highlands counties176,760 acres (67,344 ha), including 18,272 acres (7308 ha) acquired, and perpetual conservationeasements obtained on an additional 41,606 acres (16,642 ha)LOCATION: much of northern Glades County and a portion of southeastern Highlands County, generallyfrom the Glades/Highlands county line south to State Road 74 extending east along Fisheating Creekto Lake Okeechobee. The Fisheating Creek IBA is adjacent to the Babcock–Webb IBA to the west,and to the Lake Okeechobee IBA to the east. It is nearly contiguous with parts of the Lake WalesRidge IBA to the north.DESCRIPTION: a vast area west of Lake Okeechobee until recently mostly under a single ownership,roughly 26 miles (43 km) east to west. The State purchased the entire creek drainage in 1999 andintends to acquire perpetual conservation easements on >116,000 acres (>46,400 ha) of adjacentuplands. In 2000, an adjacent ranch in Highlands County was added to the Fisheating Creek FFProject. The Wildlife Management Area receives ____ recreationists and ____ hunters annually.OWNERSHIP: Florida Division of Wildlife (Fisheating Creek Wildlife Management Area) and privateowners (unacquired acreage of the Fisheating Creek FF Project, and conservation easements;monitored by the Florida Division of Wildlife)HABITATS: *longleaf pine flatwoods, *temperate hammock, *dry prairie, *cypress swamp, *riverine,pine plantation, xeric oak scrub, non-native pasture, hardwood swamp, bayhead, freshwater marsh,cattail marsh, lacustrine, artificial, ♦eucalyptus (Eucalyptus spp.) plantationLAND USE: *conservation, *cattle grazing, recreation, hunting, timber productionIBA CATEGORIES: significant populations of Threatened and FCREPA species; significant numbers ofraptors; and significant natural habitatsAVIAN DATA: The site is a Strategic Habitat Conservation Area for the Swallow-tailed Kite and CrestedCaracara (+Cox et al. 1994), and contains a significant population of Florida Scrub-Jays. The largestSwallow-tailed Kite roost in North America is within the publicly owned area. “Florida” GrasshopperSparrows previously occurred (and still may be present), and some areas are suitable for relocationefforts. [Is a bird list available?].Excepting the Swallow-tailed Kite roost, all these data refer only to the 41,606 acres (16,642 ha) that comprise the“Phase 1 conservation easement lands;” totals for the entire property undoubtedly are higher for most, if not all,species.SPECIES DATES NUMBERS COMMENTSSwallow-tailed Kiteused annually sincediscovery in 1986;up to 2200 birds at once(1840 was peak inup to 60% of the U.S.population (N)highest numbers inthe early 1990s2000); total useestimated at >3000birds annuallySwallow-tailed Kite 22 Apr–22 May 2000 77 birds; 25–30 nests likely 4–5% (B)Short-tailed Hawk 22 Apr–22 May 2000 4 birds; 2 probable nest sites 1% (B)Crested Caracara 1–4 May 2000 7 pairs 3% (R)“Florida” Sandhill Crane 26–27 Apr 2000 16 nests 1% (B)Red-cockaded Woodpecker 14–20 Apr 2000 3 active clusters