At the beginning of each season, we’ve briefly discussed birds arriving for that season. Many of our favorite birds are here all year. In fact, there are so many, let’s focus today on those we often seen in our backyard. The link in each description is a link to a “Bird of the Week” article previously published.
Carolina Wrens are the state bird of South Carolina. They nest in planters, wreaths or many other interesting places. Their cheerful song isn’t always appreciated early in the morning outside our windows.
House Finch will nest in deciduous trees and shrubs but will also nest in planters, ledges or even lamp posts. The males have the red head and upper chest while the female is a mottled brown.
Eastern Bluebirds are seen year-round all around the island. Seabrook Island Birders monitor 76 Eastern Bluebird Boxes on the golf courses and around the Lakehouse.
Northern Cardinals are often considered a fitting red bird for Christmas cards but are actually here year-round. They are frequent visitors to feeders.
Downy Woodpecker – Dean MorrRed-bellied Woodpecker – Dean MorrPileated Woodpecker – C MooreRed-headed Woodpecker at Donnelly – Bob Mercer
Downy Woodpeckers and Red-bellied Woodpeckers are frequently seen at suet feeders and in our trees in our yards. Less frequently seen are the larger Pileated Woodpecker that many say remind them of Woody Woodpecker. Red-headed Woodpeckers are frequently seen at Donnelly or Caw-Caw Interpretive Center. It’s head is totally red compared to the red crest seen on the Red-bellied Woodpecker.
Carolina Chickadees are frequent visitors to feeders. They eat seeds of all types. In the spring, they often claim a Bluebird box before the Eastern Bluebirds have a chance. When submitting an eBird list, the next bird on the checklist is Tufted Titmouse which makes it for easy entry of these frequent birds.
Tufted Titmouse have a nice tuft on its head while wearing what reminds me of a nice grey suit. Frequent visitors at feeders, their “Peter-Peter” call is one of first many beginner birders recognize.
White-breasted Nuthatches are birds similar in size to the Tufted Titmouse but their white face and pointed beak set them apart. So does their common approach to the world…they often are on the feeders or climbing down a tree, head first.
Mourning Doves frequently clean up the mess on the ground that other species drop from feeders. They are seen all around Seabrook Island. The less common Eurasian Collared-Dove is occasionally seen at the Lakehouse and often seen at Bohicket Marina.
Other birds often seen in numerous locations around the island are shown below.
Pine Warbler – Dean MorrTree Swallows – Ed KonradBlue-gray GnatcatcherBarn Swallow – Michael Audette
Submitted By: Judy Morr Photos: White-breasted Nuthatch – Kathy Woosley House Finch: Charley Moore Remainder by Dean Morr unless otherwise noted.
L: 35″ WS: 45″ Wt: 43.3 oz L: 33″ WS: 52″ WT: 59.2 oz
Who am I?
Who am I?
When walking the Palmetto Lake trail, you often see a large, black bird perched on the Osprey platform or the alligator ramp with it’s wings spread. Most times, it is a Double-crested Cormorant, which are very common birds for Seabrook Island. But sometimes, you are lucky enough to see an Anhinga.
Male Anhinga drying wings – E Konrad
Anhingas roost in trees over water or on platforms, and on Seabrook, they are often solitary. They are about 35″ long and have a 45″ wing span. They are sometimes called the “snake bird” since they swim completely submerged with only their head exposed. They spear fish with their very pointed, long, thin and straight bill. They have a long, fan-shaped tail when perched, long pointed wings and a long neck. The most striking part about them is the whitish-silvery upperwing pattern which makes them look like they are wearing a snazzy jacket! If you see this pattern on the back of a large dark bird, it’s an Anhinga. The females have a velvety-buff upper body, as do the juveniles (until the 3rd year). The Anhinga has a striking blue-green eye ring in breeding plumage. Anhingas nest in small colonies, often with herons or egrets. They eat fish, frogs and often newly hatched alligators.
Double-crested Cormorants drying their wings – E Konrad
Double-crested Cormorant are nearly the same size, 33″ long with a 52″ wing span. They are very common birds on Seabrook, often perched on the lake platforms or in large groups swimming in the inlet at North Beach. They may form large flocks and when we see them in flight, often flying in a large “V” formation. Their bills are orange, curved, hooked shaped, and thicker than an Anhinga. They use them to scoop and grasp their prey. Juveniles can also have buffy breasted color variations. Cormorants have a striking crystal like blue eye and a yellow-orange face patch. Cormorants nest in large colonies and are fish eaters.
Both birds do not have oil glands so their feathers are not water repellent. This lets them move more easily underwater for foraging. That’s also why you often see them drying their non-waterproof wings spread open, when perched. Both birds make low nasal frog-like grunts. So a quick tip is this:
Slender, long-necked with a straight, pointy bill, wearing a snazzy jacket = Anhinga.
Shorter necked , hooked, curved and orange bill, wearing basic black = Cormorant!
If you would like to learn more about these birds visit:
Double-crested Cormorants and American Oystercatchers – E Konrad
Double-crested Cormorant – E Konrad
Double-crested Cormorant – E Konrad
Double-crested Cormorant – E Konrad
Anhinga – C Moore
Female Anhinga – E Konrad
Female Anhinga – E Konrad
Female Anhinga with young – E Konrad
Male Anhinga drying wings – E Konrad
Male Anhinga – E Konrad
Double-crested Cormorant Range Map
Anhinga Range Map
Article submitted by:
Photographs provided by:
This blog post is part of a series SIB will publish on a regular basis to feature birds seen in the area, both migratory and permanent residents. When possible we will use photographs taken by our members. Please let us know if you have any special requests of birds you would like to learn more about.
This year seems to be the one where multiple SIBlings headed to the state of Texas to bird this spring. Eileen and I set out on Easter, March 31, 2024, for Texas at the same time that Judy Morr and Jennifer Jerome where birding in Texas. They started in San Antonio but were soon at the coast and worked their way down the coast and up the Rio Grande and around to the Edwards Plateau near San Antonio. We started our trip in Rio Frio, TX within the Edwards Plateau and worked our way around to the coast. Since we drove and had to pass through several states, of course, as one drives from state to state, one must stop and look for birds.
Our first stop was in Florida where we heard that a rare South American Gray Gull was being seen. We gave it a couple hours, but the bird pulled a no-show.
Our next stop was along the Gulf Coast of Louisiana. We did find some nice birds, mostly shorebirds like this very cooperative Least Sandpiper. While the yellow legs clinch this id, note the length and shape of the bill. There was nothing that we would not see later on the trip.
While in Port Aurther, TX for the night, we decided we had some time to spare, so we made a short side trip (4 hours) to Corpus Christi, TX to see the Cattle Tyrant reported feeding off flies at a dumpster enclosed within a walled off area behind a downtown restaurant. Is showed up briefly and we got a good look, but I did not have my camera. After retrieving my camera, we stood around for more than a half hour hoping the bird would show up again.
While we stood in the parking lot, an employee came out, and dumped some trash in the dumpster. Coming out, he said, “That yellow bird is inside of the enclosure. About 10 people trapsed into the cramped quarters, peeked around the dumpster, and sure enough the Cattle Tyrant happily ignored the slicking cameras as it snapped flies out of the sky with lightning speed.
After a couple of non-birding days, enjoying San Antonio, we set off for our primary destination, the town of Leakey and cabins on the Rio Frio River.
The first bird we heard upon our arrival at the Rio Frio Cabins, Merlin identified as a Tropical Parula, a potential life bird for me. The entire time we were at Rio Frio the bird sang and sang, but never showed itself. Merlin, as trustworthy as it is, alternated the identification between Northern Parula and Tropical Parula. In Texas, Tropical Parulas are considered a rare nester and Northern Parula is a migrant. The entire time we were in Rio Frio, this singing parula moved from tree to tree in a small area as if it were defending a territory, not acting like a migrant at all. No lifer for me unless I can confirm the id with a visual.
We did spend a day in Los Maples and did find both the Golden-cheeked Warbler and Black-capped Vireo, both species endemic to the Edwards Plateau of Texas. There was also a confirmed Tropical Parula at Los Maples, but we could not find it.
Over a year earlier, we chose Rio Frio, TX as our primary destination as there was 70% chance of clear skies for the eclipse on April 8, 2024, and Rio Frio was located almost dead center of the path, ensuring the maximum time to enjoy the eclipse. When we got there, the forecast was for primarily cloudy.
The day of the eclipse, the sky was mostly cloudy with occasional breaks. As the eclipse nibbled away at the sun, we would get short breaks where we could see the crescent of the sun growing smaller. A minute before totality, a dark cloud crept over the face of the sun, totally obliterating our view. We were low on hope that the heavy cloud would break within the 4 minutes and 30 seconds of totality.
We all considered ourselves blessed as twice during the 4.5 minutes of totality, the clouds thinned and gave us maybe 30 seconds to enjoy the total blockage of the sun by the moon’s shadow. Far better than being completely wiped out!
The next day, we headed for the Rio Grande Valley, essentially doing in reverse what Judy and Jennifer did, ticking off a similar list of birds including some of the exact same birds like the Elf Owl (a lifer) and Morelet’s Seedeaters (a lifer for my North American list).
Once in the Rio Grande Valley, we visited numerous great birding locations like Benston State Park, Santa Anna National Wildlife Refuge, and South Padre Island. Frustratingly for us, we had a knack for showing up at the location where a rare bird had been reported up until the day before we arrived. We dipped (birder slang for missing) on 3 potential life birds. Despite missing some rarities, we had some great birds we would not see in South Carolina. Images from top left to bottom right: Altamira Oriole, Couch’s Kingbird, Fulvous-whistling Duck, Great Kiskadee, Green Kingfisher, Groove-billed Ani, Harri’s Hawk, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Buff-bellied Hummingbird, Green Jay, Inca Dove, Greater Roadrunner, Least Grebe, Long-billed Thrasher, Olive Sparrow, Pyrrhuloxia, and Chachalaca.
While in McAllen, TX, we decide to spend some time at Quinta Mazatlan, a small nature center located just blocks from the house we rented. As we walked from the parking lot, a car pulled up and Jackie Brooks asked, “What are you doing here.” In that huge state, we managed to cross paths with the other SIBlings visiting Texas. For a week before our visit to Quinta Mazatlan, a Flame-colored Tanager was hanging out. It was last seen the day before we arrived. The Center still provided some great birds and an opportunity to visit with Jackie and Walter.
We also found some Clay Colored Thrush, a species normally found in Central America. At Quinta Mazatlan, they are studying this species and can tell each individual bird by the bands on their legs.
One place Eileen and I visited was the King Ranch Noria Division. The King Ranch is made of three major parcels of land totaling more acreage than the state of Rhode Island. Their nine-hour guided tour took us through a “small” portion of their ranch.
The target birds there were, Tropical Parula (above) and Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl. We were able to find both. I finally could count my Tropical Parula lifer. Note the absence of the black bib and yellow much farther down the belly.
After leaving the King Ranch, we started a slow return trip home, stopping to bird in Bolivar Flats and High Island, TX and also in the Great Smoky Mountains NP.
We finally arrived home on April 23, 24 days after leaving South Carolina. During that time, we managed 54 ebird lists scoring 242 species of which I got photos of 88 species. If you want to see more of them than posted here, you need to go to my profile in ebird and review my photos. Those of you who know me, may know that I keep different life lists. One for the small portions of the whole world I have visited, one for birds seen in North American and Hawaii (ABA lifers), and a third list of birds I have reported on ebird (birds identified since I retired in 2016). This being my third trip to the Rio Grande and the second to the Edwards Plateau, I added 1 world lifer, 3 ABA lifers, and 13 ebird lifers. The elf owl was my 700th ABA lifer, a nice benchmark bird. Great fun!
Happy Summer! Like us, many birds avoid the summer sun by limiting daytime activity. These birds will forage in the early morning, evening or throughout the night so they can conserve energy and rest during the warmest times of day. You can plan your birding activities to coincide with the birds schedules. SIB’s “Sit, Sip and See” activities scheduled for June, July and August are just one way to do that.
But even in the warm south, there are birds that are most often seen in summer. Let’s look at some of my favorites!
Nothing says “summer” quite like a Summer Tanager. They begin arriving in mid-April and remain in our area until fall. The adult males are a bright red while the females are usually a pale dull yellow to brighter orange. Immature males are dull yellow-olive with blotchy patches of red. The male Summer Tanagers do not have the black wings seen on the less frequently seen, Scarlett Tanagers. Summer Tanagers are seen at Palmetto Lake, Crooked Oaks Golf Course and Caw-Caw Interpretive center to name just a few places.
Eastern Kingbirds also arrive in the Charleston area in mid-April and remain all summer. This flycatcher can be seen perched atop a limb. It is easily distinguished by the white band at the base of it’s tail. On Seabrook Island, they are regularly seen on both golf courses and at Palmetto Lake.
Least Terns are an endangered species that nests directly on the sand. They are one of the protected species that use the “bird sanctuary” on North Beach. Their mating ritual where the hopeful male presents the female with a fish is a joy to watch. When beach goers get too close to a nesting pair, they will dive-bomb the walkers to warn them away from the nests so please be careful when on North Beach to not cause them undue stress.
Swallow-tailed KiteMississippi Kite
Mississippi Kite and Swallow-tail Kite are both beautiful raptors usually seen soaring overhead. Both are able to capture their insect prey on the wing. Both species are frequently seen at Caw-caw Interpretive Center. Mississippi Kites are seen around Seabrook at either golf course or Palmetto Lake.
Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are in our area year-around but more common in summer. It is thought that the birds that are here in summer likely spend their winters down towards Panama while our winter Ruby-throated Hummingbirds likely go north for the summer. These birds are seen not only at nectar feeders but enjoying our trees and colorful flowers.
Common NighthawkChuck-will’s-widow
Chuck-will’s-widow and Common Nighthawk are two summer birds that mean “summer nights” to me, similar to the fireflies of my youth. Both can be seen during the day but are most frequently sighted at night. Common Nighthawks soar low over the dunes and areas close to the beach, especially just after dusk. Chuck-will’s-widow are usually heard rather than seen as their nighttime whistle sounds their name (often just outside my window). Chuck-will’s-widow nests have been seen in multiple locations on Seabrook Island, as pictured above.
Reddish Egrets are uncommonly seen on North Beach. An entertaining heron to watch—known for sprinting, jumping, and spinning around in shallow water with its wings held up. Found exclusively near the coast, especially on mudflats. They are later summer arrivals not usually seen until late June or July
Hope you enjoy some summer birding. There are also many birds you see year-around. Look soon for a few of my favorites.
Submitted by: Judy Morr Photos: Summer Tanager: Susan Markum Ruby-throated Hummingbird: Jennifer Jerome Eastern Kingbird, Least Tern, Swallow-tailed Kite, Mississippi Kite, Reddish Egret: Ed Konrad Chuck-will’s Widow: Gina Sanders
We think this blog from 2019 is worth repeating as each spring, SIB receives questions regarding what to do when a baby bird is found.
Have you ever wondered whether to intervene with nature? Since we, as human beings, have moved into “nature’s” neighborhood it might be appropriate to occasionally give “nature” a helping hand.
Rosemary Mosco is a science writer and naturalist who is a popular guest lecturer at not only birding festivals, but also writing and art workshops for all ages. Her popularity is in part because she delivers her thought provoking talks with a sense of humor. Additionally, Ms. Mosco is a graphic artist whose comics share the funny side of nature while highlighting environmental issues. You can see some of her comics on Bird and Moon and below is a clever graphic created by Rosemary Mosco to help you determine when, whether, and how you should rescue baby birds.
If you need to contact the wildlife care center in our area, please contact the Avian Medical Clinic at 843.971.7474 and press option #1 for the Injured Bird Line. You can also send an email to info@thecenterforbirdsofprey.org
If you’re interested in learning more about Red Knots and Horseshoe Crabs you may also be interested in this movie on June 25th. We thought you’d like to know!
Monday, June 24 @ 7:00pm Location: Picnic Table at the back of Palmetto Lake near the Playground Max: 20
Cost: Free for members; $10 donation to SIB for guests
Note: If weather doesn’t cooperate on this evening, we’ll reschedule later in the week so if you are unavailable on Monday, register anyway and put note in comment you wish to be notified if it needs to be rescheduled.
Please join Seabrook Island Birders for an evening of birding and socializing with your favorite beverage at Palmetto Lake. During the hot summer months birds are more active in the early morning and early evening. We thought that this would be a great location to gather and sit and let the birds come to us. At this location, near the playground, we can relax and watch the herons and egrets fly into their favorite roosting area (at least in 2023). It is mesmerizing to observe the different groups fly into the lake area and then maneuver into their spot. There are a few places to sit at the picnic table, but you will probably want to bring a chair in order to get the best view. There will be SIB members available to carry your chair to our location. Birds that we should see coming into the rookery are Green Heron, Little Blue Heron, Great Egret, Tricolored Heron, Cattle Egret, and White Ibis. We could additionally hear or see woodpeckers, hawks, and passerines.
This is a BYOB and BYOSnacks event. If you are not an experienced birder, this is the perfect opportunity to get some tips on using binoculars and phone apps, and identifying species and bird calls.
As always bring your binoculars and hats. No sunscreen required at this event, but you might want to bring bug repellent just in case.
Register no later than Saturday, June 22nd . All registrants will receive a confirmation letter on Monday morning, June 24th.
Swallow-tailed Kite – Elanoides forficatus (endangered in South Carolina) Length: 22″ Wingspan: 51″ Weight: 12 oz
Living at a beach community, I’m sure many people are accustomed to looking at kites in the sky along the beach – you know, the kind that Ben Franklin used. But have you ever looked up to see either of these birds?
Mississippi Kite (left) & Swallow-tailed Kite (right) – Ed Konrad
Both of these birds, the Mississippi and the Swallow-tailed Kites, can be seen on Seabrook Island and both within the past two weeks! We’ve seen a Mississippi Kite pair flying over the community garden and over the marshes.
The two species look quite different from each other and are quite unmistakable from other birds. Swallow-tailed Kites are large but slender and buoyant raptors. They have long, narrow, pointed wings, slim bodies, and a very long, deeply forked tail. The bill is small and sharply hooked. Swallow-tailed Kites are a sharp contrast of bright-white head and underparts and gleaming black wings, back, and tail. From below, the wing linings are white and the flight feathers are black. Its most unique characteristic is the elongated, forked tail (hence its name). This large raptor is built like a glider with huge wings and small streamlined bodies. They rarely flap their wings; instead soar effortlessly, changing course with minute adjustments of their distinctive forked tails. The species is now listed as endangeredin South Carolina.
Mississippi Kites are a slender and much smaller raptor with long, pointed wings. The tail is fairly long and square-tipped. The strongly hooked bill is small and delicate. They are an inky mix of gray and black, lightening to pale gray-white on the head and in the secondaries of the wings. The wingtips and tail are black. Juveniles are streaky, with brownish chests and underwings, and banded tails. Though known for their graceful, acrobatic flight, Mississippi Kites also spend time foraging on the ground and in shallow water.
Both species of kite feed on the wing, snatching dragonflies and other insects out of the sky and eating them while still in flight. They may also feed on small amphibians such as frogs, large insects, crickets, small birds and small mammals including bats. Swallow-tailed kites inhabit mostly woodland & forested wetlands near nesting locations. Nests are built in trees, usually near water. Both male and female participate in building the nest. Sometimes a high-pitched chirp is emitted, though the birds mostly remain silent. Mississippi Kites breed in scattered areas of the southern and central United States, using very different habitats depending on the region. East of the Mississippi River, they nest in mature, diverse, low-lying forest—especially tracts that are large and unbroken but have nearby open habitat, such as pasture, cropland, waterways, country roads, or small lakes. They nest in almost any tree species, as low as a few feet off the ground to more than 115 feet high.
Both kites are creatures of the air, spending most of their day aloft and rarely flapping their wings. They tend to circle fairly low over trees as they hunt for small animals in the branches. At times they soar very high in the sky, almost at the limits of vision.
Swallow-tailed Kites once nested in 21 States. By 1940 after a sudden decline the Kite’s range shrunk to 7 States, from South Carolina to Texas. The species nesting habits have made the swallow-tailed Kite difficult to study. Researchers must come to them and climb high in Loblolly pine to observe nests. Nesting adults and their young are subject to predation by Great Horned Owls. They migrate North in the Spring across the Gulf of Mexico and can be swept off course by storms. During migration they may form large flocks. Read this fabulous article featured in the April/May 2016 issue of Nature Conservancy.
If you see kites – researchers want to know about it. You should always document your bird sightings in eBird. In addition, The Center for Birds of Prey, located in Awendaw, SC manages & tracks log sightings of the Swallow-tailed Kite. Visit www.thecenterforbirdsofprey.org for more info. The website guides you through a series of questions about the location, number and activities of the bird or birds sighted.
A group of kites has many collective nouns, including a “brood,” “kettle,” “roost,” “stooping,” and a “string” of kites.
Look for both species of Kites in South Carolina during the spring and summer breeding months over swamps, marshes and large rivers. Besides Seabrook Island, Caw Caw Interpretive Center is a great location to view kites. They nest high in the loblolly pines.
(See the range map following the photographs below.)
If you would like to learn more about these birds visit:
Notes from photographer Ed Konrad: “These photos were taken at Skeen’s Farm, Glenville GA, which is an incredible place to see the Kites up close and in action. A very memorable photographic day. We see Kites at Caw Caw, and on the way to Seabrook in Allendale SC and at a cattle farm outside of Augusta. But not up close as at this farm.”
Mississippi Kite eating “on-the-wing” – Ed Konrad
Mississippi Kite flying – Ed Konrad
Two Swallow-tailed Kites sitting on a tree – Ed Konrad
Swallow-tailed Kite flying – Ed Konrad
Swallow-tailed Kite eating – Ed Konrad
Swallow-tailed Kite preparing to eat – Ed Konrad
Range Map of Mississippi Kite – Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Range Map of Swallow-tailed Kite – Cornell Lab of Ornithology
This blog post is part of a series SIB will publish on a regular basis to feature birds seen in the area, both migratory and permanent residents. When possible we will use photographs taken by our members. Please let us know if you have any special requests of birds you would like to learn more about.
Submitted by Nancy Brown with information from Janice Watson-Shada.
Photographs compliments of Ed Konrad
Happy Father’s Day to men everywhere! As we think of bird fathers, we can’t help but think about how beautiful they are. Have you noticed that in many species, the males are much more colorful than their female partners?
Some species with easily recognized males can best be shown in a pictorial.
Male Northern Cardinal – Dean MorrRuby-throated Hummingbird, by Dean MorrDowney WoodpeckerMale Painted Bunting – Dean MorrEastern Towhee – David EtlerHouse Finch – Bob HiderWood duckEastern Bluebird – David Etler
Why are males more colorful? A Google search returned multiple articles that basically said the same thing….evolution has developed the males to be more colorful because:
Standing out for selection: Bright colors can act like a flashy advertisement for males. They show potential mates that the male is strong and healthy
Competition is fierce: In many bird species, males compete fiercely for the attention of females.
Defending territory: Those same flashy feathers can also be used to defend a male’s territory from other males. By showing off his bright colors, he might be able to scare off a rival without having to fight.
Species recognition: Bird species can also use color to identify each other, which is helpful for finding mates and avoiding predators.
Of course not all species vary coloration between males and females. I know I can’t tell the difference between males and females in Carolina Chickadees, Tufted Titmouse, Carolina Wren, or Blue Jays.
And why are females not as colorful? My Google research says that generally, the female birds of many species are much duller in coloration because they’re the ones who lay, incubate, and hatch the eggs. Bright colors would draw attention and put the nest in danger.
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention there are some species where the female is more colorful. Is this because the female is the one competing for the males? I couldn’t find an answer for that. One species that comes to mind where the female is more colorful is Belted Kingfisher. Apparently, Phalaropes, sandpipers and button quail are good examples of species in which the females are more colorful. I guess I’ll have to take a look for these species!
So on this day where we celebrate fathers and men of all species, let’s honor their beauty…whether internal or external.
On a recent morning on Turtle Patrol, members noticed a Black Scoter just sitting on the beach near Privateer Creek beyond Camp St. Christopher. Having recently seen a post on Facebook from Center for Birds of Prey, they knew what needed to be done. (The post text is copied below).
Center for Birds of Prey were contacted but they had no one available to come immediately. Their representative asked if the bird could be contained for their pick-up later in the day. Since the Turtle Patrol members were uncomfortable with the task, Camp St. Christopher was contacted to see if one of their naturalists could assist. Tyler Harris and Jared Crain from Camp St. Christopher assisted.
Black Scoter awaiting transportJared and Tyler after securing Black Scoter
A representative from Center for Birds of Prey arrived at Camp shortly before noon and collected the bird. She said hopefully they would be able to release him soon further north. We wish him well.
So if you see an injured or sick Scoter, follow the instructions in the Center for Birds of Prey post below.
Facebook Post from Center for Birds of Prey
SPOTTED A SCOTER? If you have been to a South Carolina beach in the past few weeks you may have spotted a few Scoters during your visit. Black Scoters and Surf Scoters are species of diving “seaduck” that spend late fall through early spring congregating along ocean and bay coastlines feeding on abundant shellfish and mussels. As the weather warms, they migrate northward towards the cooler waters of the northern Atlantic ocean and Hudson Bay, north of Canada. Every year some of the young and inexperienced first-year birds find themselves unable to make their northward migration due to insufficient food resources and poor feather quality / body condition. While this is a natural occurrence, this year it seems more young Scoters have had a hard time and are stranding along the Lowcountry coast. Over the last month, we have admitted more than 50 Black and Surf Scoters to our Avian Medical Clinic. The majority of them have been: 35-50% below their normal body weight, showing signs of major feather damage, suffering from open wounds, and carrying internal parasites. Many of them have been in such critical condition that recovery was not possible. However, we have 12 currently in care that are gaining weight and regaining their waterproofing. If they fully recover, we will work with our partners in the north to release them into more seasonally appropriate habitat. With every case we continue to gain knowledge and improve husbandry practices for these species. Originally, there was concern that High Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) was behind the strandings, but birds that were tested were negative for the virus. We continue to gather information through advanced diagnostic tools and post-mortem necropsies in hopes to uncover more about the causes of these mass stranding events. If you see a Scoter on one of our local beaches, please call (843) 971-7474 ext. 1 before intervening. Understand that these birds will often be in critical condition if they have stranded and that the stress of inappropriate handling can be harmful to them.
SIB 