Copy of edited

MRK QUick Kit

Bird, Bird, Bird

Bird is the word!

[burd iz th uh wurd]

Advocate - Educate - engage

Mantanzasriverkeeper.org

Matanzas Riverkeeper environmental education kits are supported by a grant from the Delores Barr Weaver Legacy Fund.

Did you know?

Over 3 billion birds have disappeared since 1970. That's one out of every 4 birds!

Domestic cats are the #1 human-caused threat to birds. In the United States alone, outdoor cats kill approximately 2.4 billion birds every year.

A single seed coated with a neonic pesticide can kill a songbird.

It is projected that by 2050, 99% of seabird species will be ingesting plastic.

Of 52 shorebird species that regularly breed in North America, 90% are predicted to experience an increase in risk of extinction (WSHRN.org).

Studies show that birds evolved from Theropod dinosaurs approximately 150 million years ago.

Saint Johns County is well-known for it's amazing birding opportunities with many hot-spots and Important Bird Areas (StJohnsAudubon.com).

MRK Quick Kits

protect what you love!

MRK Quick Kits give you what you need to:

Make a positive impact on your community

Win cash and/or prizes

Log service hours

Bright Futures Service Credit Form

https://tinyurl.com/y826wnk3

IB CAS Credit

Enter hours in Managebac

SJCSD Service Hours

Log and submit hours to stakimhall@outlook.com for sign-off

Explore

Get to know the amazing world of birds, and

the threats that harm them.

Act

Collect bird data and do a project based on your interests to protect birds of the Matanzas Watershed.

advocate

Reach out, speak up, and

PROTECT WHAT YOU LOVE!

win prizes from these great sponsors

More local sponsors being added weekly!

HELP THE PLANET = WIN PRIZES

COMPLETE A KIT

These kits will provide you with the information and tools that you need to learn about an issue, take action to solve it, and enter to win prizes. You can submit an entry for each kit you complete (up to three).

CLICK HERE to see all the kits

DO A PROJECT

Projects can be whatever you want them to be - art, science, history - as long as they relate to the kit.

CLICK HERE for project ideas

ENTER TO WIN

Fill out this Entry Ticket BEFORE November 1, 2022 to win raffle prizes. A grand prize of $500 will be awarded to a student, team, class, or club who makes the biggest community impact.

CLICK HERE for an entry ticket

BONUS

Don't forget to list the teacher who helped you with this kit. The top TEACHER to be listed on the Entry Ticket will win $500 to use as they please.

CLICK HERE for contest details

Contents

Part

Explore birds

Overview of birds including common threats and issues

Part

Get Birding

Tools and apps, local hotspots, and tips on bird identification. Get outside and have fun!

Part

Step up, Speak Out

Share your opinions and ideas with local and state legislators

Part

Contacts and resources

State and local leader contact information, media contacts, and resource library

Part

The Matanzas Riverkeeper

Overview of the Matanzas Riverkeeper mission and Crew.

Explore

"Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not."

- The Lorax

Part

Bird is the word

Cool Birds

Turn up the volume!

Bird is the word characterizes something as good, cool, or new and revolutionary.

Dictionary.com

Bird is the Word

FLAPPY BIRDS, ANGRY BIRDS, AND BIRD BIRDS

Birds are cool. They come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. They have specific calls and songs, with crazy mating rituals and complex social structures.

Flappy Bird!

Birds have adapted to all terrains and live on every continent. They connect us to nature and have been shown to create calm and happiness. In fact, listening to birds is proving more effective than meditation apps.

relax and be happy with Birdsong

Birds are in our everyday life for good reason. They are funky, fabulous, and ecologically vital. Sadly, they are also in trouble - and we need to PROTECT WHAT WE LOVE.

It's time to get to know our feathered friends!

weird and wonderful birds of the Matanzas

North American osprey

Ospreys have a third eyelid, like a

contact lens, that protects their

eyes underwater.

Male ospreys will sometimes bring

so many sticks to the nest that their mate ends up buried!

Courting males perform an aerial display known as the “sky-dance.”
Check out an osprey nest at the Winn-Dixie on A1A on Anastasia Island! It's too cool.

Great Blue heron

Great blue herons have specialized feathers on their chest that will grow continuously and fray into a powder. This powder can be used to help clean off fish slime.

Despite their impressive size with a wingspan of up to 6 ft, Great Blue Herons weigh only 5 to 6 pounds.

Great Blue Herons fly with their neck into a tight "S" shape.

American oystercatcher

American Oystercatchers are the only birds in their environment with the ability to open large molluscs such as clams and oysters (except for large gulls that drop clams onto pavement).

A group of oystercatchers are

collectively known as a "parcel"

of oystercatchers.

Young nestlings can run within

24 hours of birth but their beaks

are not strong enough to open

bivalve shells until they are about

2 months old.

A group of waxwings are collectively known as an "ear-full" and a "museum" of waxwings.

Cedar waxwings are very social and will work together as a team to pass berries from beak to beak down a line.

Although usually bright yellow, their tail feathers may be bright orange due to a new introduced berry they like to eat!

The term "waxwing" comes from a small amount of red wax-like substance on their secondary wings. It's believed this helps attract females, or to signal age and social status.

Cedar waxwing

The design of the Japanese Bullet Train

is based on the kingfisher's beak,

making it 30% more efficient and

quiet. Click here to learn more.

Very cool!

The Belted Kingfisher is one of the few bird species in which the female is more brightly colored than the male.

A group of Belted kingfishers is called a "crown" or a "rattle" of kingfishers.

Belted kingfisher

Great Egret

Aggression among nestlings is common and large chicks frequently kill their smaller siblings. This behavior is known as siblicide.

During breeding season, a patch of skin on a male's face turns neon green, and long plumes grow from its back, called aigrettes.

The Great Egret is the symbol of the National Audubon Society, one of the oldest environmental organizations in North America. Audubon was founded to protect birds from being killed for their feathers.

In the early 1900s, human feather collectors devastated species such as the snowy egret. Used for fashion clothing and hats, their aigrette feathers were worth up to $30 an ounce – twice the price of gold at the turn of the century. Several laws, such as the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, which ended plume hunting in the United States, now protect them.

You NEED to watch this video. It's shocking.

Black vulture

Vultures lack a voice box; their vocalizations include rasping hisses and grunts.

Vultures are bald so that dead meat (carrion) won't stick to their heads.

Vulture fecal matter is free of bacteria, viruses, and fungi due to the strong stomach acids in the stomach.

Jen's favorite because "vultures are the underdog. Smart, misunderstood, and vital."

Roseate spoonbill

It is thought that the roseate spoonbill receives its bright coloring from the pigments of the crustaceans that it eats - which contain carotenoids that help turn their feathers pink.

Just like humans, Roseate spoonbills grow bald as they age, losing feathers from the top of their head as they get older.

The collective noun for spoonbills is "bowl."

Clapper rail

The saying “thin as a rail” comes from the bird’s lean body.

Chicks less than two weeks old are carried on the adults’ backs during periods of high water or when the birds move across open water.

Clapper Rails have special salt glands that enable them to drink sea water.

Kim's favorite because they sound like "cackling old ladies in the marsh!"

Hollow bones and wish bones

the last dinosaurs

Dinosaur. It's what's for dinner!

Birds evolved from a group of meat-eating dinosaurs called Therapods approximately 150 million years ago (or even earlier!). Therapods include some of our favorite, famous dinosaurs including T-Rex and Velociraptors.

CLICK HERE to read a VERY interesting and WEIRD article. It answers the age-old question of "Which came first, the chicken or the egg?"

A major extinction-level event (ELE) occurred approximately 65 million years ago when an asteroid strike and heavy volcanic activity drastically altered Earth's environment. This ELE wiped out the dinosaurs, except a small group that would eventually evolve into modern-day

birds. Birds survived

most likely due to

their ability to fly,

adapt to new habitats,

and their small size.

Dictionary.com

An event that occurs when a large number of species die out in a relatively short period of time.

E.L.E - Extinction Level Event

Learn more about ELEs HERE!

Birds made it through the extinction-level event that wiped out most species 65 million years ago but will they survive a modern human-induced ELE?! In what some scientists call the Holocene Extinction, many bird species are rapidly declining due to habitat destruction, poor water quality, collisions, and free-roaming cats.

Click on the

pictures

to learn more

Pollution

Cats

Windows

Current studies estimate that the US and Canada have lost approximately 30% of the wild bird population since 1970. A combination of human-influenced factors have contributed to this severe decline across all terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Threats: The horrible, awful truth

Bird decline since 1970

SourcE: allaboutbirds.org

HABITAT LOSS

Birds rely on specific places to live, find food, breed, rest, and raise their young. Often, these areas change based on a bird's life cycle and migration patterns.

Habitat loss is the number one threat to birds. The US Fish and Wildlife Service states that millions of acres of bird habitat are lost or degraded each year due to development, agriculture, and forestry practices - and climate change will increase this loss.

FREE-ROAMING CATS

Cats can make great pets - but KEEP THEM INSIDE! After habitat loss, cats are the next biggest threat to birds worldwide. Cats kill an estimated 2.4 million birds per year in North America alone. Feral (unowned) cats are responsible for 69% of the total cat-bird mortality in the US.

All cats have a fine-tuned predatory instinct that has contributed to the extinction of more than 63 species of birds, mammals, and reptiles. Even well-fed cats will seek prey in the wild. They are listed as one of the world's worst non-native invasive species.

TIP: Drink bird-friendly, shade-grown coffee to save bird habitat

Look for bird-friendly labels! This coffee saves vital bird habitat, reduces erosion, improves water quality, reduces pesticide use, saves rainforests, and it TASTES GREAT!

TIP: Keep your cats happy indoors!

Make an cool catio or an indoor playground to keep them entertained. Walk your cat on a leash or use a backpack to take it around town.

WINDOW COLLISIONS

Birds behave as if windows are invisible. Studies estimate that bird-window collisions kill up to a billion birds each year in the US alone. The worldwide annual estimate is in the multiple billions. Even if the bird is able to fly away, it will often die from traumatic blunt-force injury due to impact.

Window imprint from bird collision. Photo by David Fancher

Photo by Susan Spear/Cornell Lab.

We can help birds by creating bird-safe windows. Screens, decals, paint, film, tape, ribbons, and cording can be used to prevent birds from hitting glass. Below are a few examples but you can get creative!

Bird-friendly window ideas.

CLICK HERE to learn more from our friends at Flap.org!

PESTICIDES and POISONS

Globally, more than 5 billion pounds of pesticides are used each year for residential, agricultural, golf course, disease, and forest/rangeland management. One study estimates that approximately 67 million birds die each year in the US due to pesticide use. This number is considered extremely conservative.

The US uses approximately 50 chemicals that are lethal to birds including Neonicontinoids. "Neonics" are found in many common products including bug sprays, seed treatments, and veterinary applications.

TIP: Reduce pesticide use by planting native!

Native plants have natural defense systems against local predators that reduce the need for chemicals. Plus, native plants attract butterflies, insects, and BIRDS in our area. It's a win-win!

SourcE: Smithsonian

Going, Going - but hopefully not- Gone.

Our birds are in trouble!

There are more than 35 native birds in Florida that need your protection because they are endangered, threatened, or of special concern. Federal and State lists may be different, however the following definitions apply to all imperiled species.

Endangered: Threat of extinction in all or most of the species range.
Threatened: The species is likely to be endangered in the near future.
Special Concern: We need to pay special attention to these species because their numbers are threatened if conditions surrounding the species deteriorate.

Click on the to learn more including songs, habitat, and threats.

CLICK HERE for more information about SJC imperiled species.

Least Tern

Tri-colored Heron

Little Blue Heron

American Kestrel

Wood stork

State-Listed Birds of St Johns County

Shorebirds and stewardship

Saint Johns County is recognized as one of the most important areas for migratory nesting shorebirds on the eastern shoreline. Shorebirds rely on sensitive coastal habitats, and their numbers are plummeting. Since 1970, the US and Canada have lost about 1/3 of their shorebird populations.

help our coastal friends

Respect posted areas. Stay off dune habitat and out of nesting areas.

Keep your dog at home - but if Fido goes to the beach, make sure your dog remains on a leash at all times.

Remove all trash that you take to the beach, and make sure it gets into a trashcan. Also, make sure to dispose of fishing line properly!

Fireworks scare birds and can make them abandon nests. It's best to attend official events only.

Don't feed wildlife.

Leave sand in it's natural state. Don't leave holes or disturb dunes.

7 simple actions to make a difference

Make your windows bird safe.
Keep cats indoors and educate your neighbors about the threats of free-roaming cats.
Reduce your lawn, plant native.
Avoid pesticides.
Drink bird-friendly "shade-grown" coffee.
Reduce and refuse single-use plastics.
Watch birds, and share what you see with others.

#BRINGBIRDSBACK

CLICK HERE for more IMPORTANT info from 3billionbirds.org

ACT

"Many of us ask what can I, as one person, do, but history shows us that everything good and bad starts because somebody does something or does not do something."

- Sylvia Earle

Part

1. download the Merlin app

The Merlin app makes it easy to indentify birds by sight and SOUND. Answer a few quick questions, or click "record," and it will ID birds for you.

Merlin Bird ID by cornell lab

Merlin features the best of community contributed photos, songs, and calls, tips from experts around the world to help you ID the birds you see. CLICK HERE to download.

2. Find a location to look for birds

Birding doesn't have to be complicated. Simply walk outside your house and observe the world around you. If you are feeling adventurous, check out some great birding spots in our area. The Matanzas watershed is part of the Great Florida Birding Trail and has been designated an Important Birding Area by the National Audubon Society. Start exploring!

Check out any of these spots on the Great FL Birding Trail!

3. Enter your data

Log at least 10 different birds to help gather data about what birds are in our area at different times of the year.

1.Click

Sound ID

2. Push

Record

3. Listen and ID. Click on a bird to learn more!

4. Add birds to your Life List and/or send to Ebird

Get birding

Help birds by collecting data

birding hotspots

Great birding in St Johns county

Saint Johns County is considered a prime destination for birdwatching and has multiple "hotspots" where you are pretty much guaranteed a fun day in the field. Here are a few local spots to get started.

* Click on the photos for info on walks, talks, and events. Remember - you can get CAS credit for event participation!

Anastasia State Park