Page 6 - Talk of Tequesta- March '20

Page 6, The Talk Of Tequesta

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Living With The Endangered Snail Kite

By Katie Roundtree, Finance Director, Northern Palm Beach County Improvement District

Our logo at Northern Snail kites will leave their nest when bothered, but may Rewards Program at (888) 404-FWCC (3922). Source:
Pa lm Bea ch County not aggressively defend it from people or predators. They www.myfwc.com.
Improvement District may fly away or just sit nearby until the intruder is gone. NPDES tip: Please pick up after your pet. When pet
consists of a picture of This behavior can lead people to think that their presence waste is washed into lakes or canals the waste decays,
a bird within a circle is not bothering the birds; however, any time a nest is using up oxygen and sometimes releasing ammonia.
surrounded by our name. untended the chicks or eggs are vulnerable to predators Low oxygen levels and ammonia combined with warm
Not many people know and harsh temperatures. The longer the nest is exposed, the temperatures can kill fish. Pet waste also contains nutrients
what that bird is though. greater the chance of failure. The best way you can help that encourage weed and algae growth. Perhaps most
It is an Everglades snail snail kites is to avoid posted nesting areas and to report importantly, pet waste carries diseases which make water
kite (Rostrhamus sociabilis any harassment or disturbance to FWC’s Wildlife Alert unsafe.
plumbeus) a crow-sized
hawk, which is easily
identified by the white patch at the base of its tail. It has
a unique curved bill designed to quickly pluck snails from
their shells. Adult males are slate-gray, while females are
brown with varying amounts of white streaks on the face,
chest and neck. A unique trait of both
sexes is that they have red eyes.
Snail kites can be found in
Central and South America,
but the Everglade snail kite
(R. s. plumbeus) is the only
subspecies found in the United
States. Their entire U.S. range
is restricted to South Florida,
where they can be found in shallow
freshwater marshes, like those of the Everglades, or along
the shallow, grassy shorelines of lakes. Both habitats have
a mixture of short plants and open water, making them
great places for kites to see and catch apple snails as they
climb to the surface to breathe.

Snail kites only eat apple snails, which they hunt by
flying low over the water while searching for their prey
near the surface. Snail kites do not plunge into the water All Natural Pain Medicine
to capture snails and never use the bill to capture prey.
Rather, they use their feet to capture snails at or below Ask Us!!!
the surface of the water. Only snails that are breathing
air, laying eggs or crawling in a few inches of water are
vulnerable. After capturing a snail, the kite pries it open
and, using its curved bill, cuts the snail from the shell.
Sometimes this feat is performed while in flight!
Snail kites have been protected by state and federal law
under the Endangered Species Act since 1967, making it
illegal to harass, kill, capture or collect them. This includes • Compounded Medications
protection from activities that disrupt normal breeding,
feeding or sheltering. The Florida Fish and Wildlife made for you and your pets!
Conservation Commission (FWC) and the U.S. Fish and • Compression Hosiery
Wildlife Service protect nest sites by posting signs around
sensitive areas during the breeding season. Always avoid • Wheelchairs, Walkers, Canes
posted areas, particularly from February through August,
TequesTa Drugs anD
and stay back at least 500 feet from warning signs.

CompounDing

The Pharmacy With A

See answer in this paper.