American oystercatcher chicks survive Madeira Beach roof collapse
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American oystercatchers X16 and W35 with their three chicks on the roof of an old Winn-Dixie. Photo: Courtesy of Abby McKay
Last Friday, a gaping chunk of a former Winn-Dixie's roof collapsed in Madeira Beach during construction to convert it into an Aldi. No one was hurt.
- But that night, after seeing the news, Audubon Florida biologist Abby McKay called the city, the fire department — anyone who could pass on the message that threatened shorebirds were nesting up there.
Why it matters: It's a dramatic example of the many perils sea and shorebirds encounter when nesting on developed, crowded coastlines — and the challenges faced by scientists and volunteers who monitor them.
- For the last seven years, an American oystercatcher and her mate have settled on the rooftop to lay eggs, contributing new chicks to the state-threatened population.
The big picture: Habitat loss is why species including oystercatchers, least terns and black skimmers turned to flat, gravel rooftops in the first place. Beaches packed with tourists, children and dogs don't help.
- Eggs and newly hatched chicks blend into their surroundings, protecting them from predators but also making them hard for beachgoers to spot.
Threat level: Gravel rooftops have a similar vibe to shelly beaches without all the distractions, but eggs are still vulnerable to predators like gulls and crows, and wayward chicks can fall off the edges.
- That style of roof is also being phased out with modern construction.
- McKay, Audubon's rooftop program coordinator, monitors fewer than 60 roofs known to host nesting birds across several counties, including Pinellas. Her predecessor managed close to 150.
State of play: The morning after the collapse, McKay and a volunteer headed to a nearby hotel with a view of the roof to learn of the birds' fate.
- Some least terns that had been scoping it out for nesting were gone, likely spooked by the chaos.
- But the pair of oystercatchers — X16 and W35, as they were known by the tracking bands on their legs — were still there, along with two fuzzy little surprises
What they're saying: McKay guesses the first chick hatched the same day as the collapse, a small miracle. But her excitement quickly gave way to concern about the danger they were facing.
- "They're so teeny tiny that so much can happen to them already," McKay told Axios. "Now there's a hole in the roof that they can fall into, into an active construction zone."
What's next: City officials put the contractor in touch with state wildlife regulators to get approval to work on the roof while the birds are there, per the city.
- A monitor will watch and help protect the nest through construction, McKay said.
They'll be watching a family of five. By Sunday, X16 and W35 had welcomed a third chick into the world.