sebastian area-wide scrub-jay habitat conservation … · why is the county monitoring scrub jays?...
TRANSCRIPT
FLORIDA SCRUB-JAY MANAGEMENT IN INDIAN RIVER
COUNTY & THE SEBASTIAN AREA-WIDE SCRUB-JAY HABITAT
CONSERVATION PLAN
Why is the County Monitoring Scrub Jays?
Sebastian Area-Wide Florida Scrub-jay
Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) 14,000 lots within the City of Sebastian with occupied habitat
were in jeopardy of requiring individual USFWS permitting
The USFWS, County, City & School Board worked together to
create the HCP which would cover for the Incidental Take of
these lots should they be occupied now or in the future
This approach allowed for a more comprehensive management
plan that was habitat based and projected to be more effective
than singular permitting and mitigation/minimization measures
Description of the HCP
Allows for the Incidental Take of Florida scrub-jay habitat
for 30 years (finalized March 2000) within the Sebastian
Highlands Platted Subdivision (as well as certain other
parcels including the Pelican Island Elementary School &
Sebastian Airport)
The ITP is mitigated by the conservation land acquisitions &
management of 324 acres suitable for the Florida scrub-jay
North Sebastian Conservation Area
(406 acres)
Sebastian Highlands Conservation Area (10 acres)
Wabasso Scrub Conservation Area
(111 acres)
Pelican Island Elementary School Scrub Lots (+12 acres)
Sebastian Airport Scrub Area (38 acres)
HCP Guidelines & Requirements
Habitat Restoration/Enhancement
for the Florida Scrub-Jay mechanical enhancement (timbering, etc.)
prescribed burning
exotics removal
Protection of the Conservation Areas e.g. fencing, monitoring, patrolling, etc.
Monitoring of the Florida Scrub-Jays and Other “Key” Species report findings to U.S. Fish & Wildlife annually
The Florida Scrub-Jay
Blue & Gray Crestless Jay (not to be confused with the common blue-jay)
Only Bird Endemic to Peninsular Florida
Average Territory - 22 acres
Family Size Ranges from 2-8 Individuals
Naturally “Fearless”
Unique Social System
permanent monogomy
year-round territoriality
cooperative breeding
food caching
sentinel system Listed as a Threatened Species by
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service in 1987
Common Blue Jay
The Florida Scrub-Jay in Sebastian, Florida
Between 1991-1998 the population of Sebastian’s scrub-jays declined 45% - from 35 breeding pairs to only 16
Reasons for population decrease:
habitat loss (development)
habitat fragmentation
decreased nesting success
decreased dispersal success
degraded habitat quality caused by development & fire exclusion
increased predation by cats, dogs and other predators not normally found in optimal xeric oak scrub habitat
The Florida Scrub-Jay in Sebastian/North IRC -
1997
In 1997, the Sebastian/North IR County
Scrub-jay population consisted of 2 Sub-
populations (separated by at least 2.2 miles)
South population = 9-10 families (WSCA,
Units 10 & 17 of Sebastian Highlands.)
North population = 4 families (NSCA &
Sebastian Airport)
Sebastian Golf Course & Sebastian
Elementary properties = 5 families
(Carroll & Associates 1997, Toland unpublished data)
HCP Mitigation Properties
North Sebastian Conservation Area
(406 acres)
Sebastian Highlands Conservation
Area (10 acres)
Wabasso Scrub Conservation Area
(111 acres)
Pelican Island Elementary School
Scrub Lots (+12 acres)
Sebastian Airport Scrub Area (38
acres)
IRC Preserves/Parks with Scrub-Jays
Sebastian Harbor Preserve (162
acres)
Sebastian Scrub Conservation Area
(10 acres)
Schnee Preserve (10.6 acres)
South County Park
Sandridge Golf Course
IRC Managed Florida Scrub-Jay Conservation
Areas (Both HCP Required & Other Preserves)
The Florida Scrub-Jay in Sebastian/North IRC - 2015
As of July 2017, the Sebastian/North IR County Scrub-jay
population Sub-populations consist of 27 families
South population = 15 families (WSCA, Sebastian Harbor, Pelican
Island Elementary, Sandridge GC, Schnee Preserve)
North population = 12 families (NSCA & Sebastian Airport)
A GROWTH of 8 Families in 17 years!
Management
Preservation of Habitat
Optimizing Habitat
Monitoring
How Are We Growing Birds/Families???
Timbering/Pine Canopy Thinning
Fencing and Gating Access Points
Prescribed Fire/Burn
Mechanical Habitat Enhancement
Public Use Improvements
Exotics Removal (Flora & Fauna)
Monitoring
Management Activities
Prescribed Fire/Burn
80-Acre Prescribed Burn in
Scrubby Flatwoods on the
North Sebastian Conservation
Area – Photo Taken 3 Months
Post-Burn (June 2012)
Mechanical Habitat Enhancement
Mowed Sand Pine Trees at the North Sebastian
Conservation Area – at Right is the Equipment Used to
Rollerchop Small Trees & Shrubs to Open Scrub Areas &
Encourage Growth of Groundcover Species
How You Can Help
Never feed a scrub-jay. Many foods offered that are not part of their regular diet are usually of low nutritional value to the jays. Jays are used to a varied diet of insects and nuts, and disruption to their regular foraging cycles can affect the timing of their breeding and adversely impact their nestlings.
Be aware of the location of scrub-jays in our County – some of our Conservation Areas are adjacent to roadways and jays can be hit by vehicles. Please reduce your speed in areas where jays may be crossing these roads.
Keep your cats indoors. Predation by domesticated cats can pose a serious threat to scrub-jays.
Please tell us if you encounter scrub-jays! We like to keep track of where they are observed. Please visit our website to find out if there are volunteer opportunities where you can help us manage and improve the habitat in our conservation areas!
Consider becoming a scrub-jay VOLUNTEER! For more information on volunteering with scrub-jay monitoring, please call our office (772) 589-9223.
Please call our office and let us know if you see any activities that you think may be harmful to scrub-jays.
For More Information
MORE INFORMATION ON FLORIDA SCRUB-JAYS IS AVAILABLE ON THE FOLLOWING LINKS:
http://www.archbold-station.org/
http://charlottecountyfl.com/CommunityServices/NaturalResources/ScrubJays/HCP/HabitatConservationPlanning.pdf
http://ww3.brevardcounty.us/environmental_management/wildlife_scrub_jay.cfm
http://www.fws.gov/verobeach/MSRPPDFs/FLScrub.pdf
http://www.sms.si.edu/irlspec/scrub.htm
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/uw306
http://www.fnai.org/FieldGuide/pdf/Aphelocoma_coerulescens.PDF
http://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/imperiled/profiles/birds/florida-scrub-jay/
http://fl.audubon.org/birds/florida-scrub-jay