Destination Dixie Crossroads!
A little background for your visit:
Florida Scrub and Scrub Jay
90% Gone! Enough?
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Destination Dixie Crossroads!A little background for your visit: Florida Scrub and Scrub Jay 90% Gone! Enough?
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The Florida Scrub Jay is the official "Brevard County Bird". It is the only bird species that is endemic to the state; that is out of more than 400 species of birds that migrate through or live in Florida, the Florida Scrub Jay is the only bird that is found only in Florida. As its name suggests, it lives in a habitat referred to as "scrub", which exists in isolated patches throughout the entire length of the County. The name "scrub" certainly does not do justice to these rich and diverse areas some would refer to them as Brevard's ancient desert.
Scrub habitat evolved when North America was much drier, and desert animals from Texas and Mexico colonized Florida. When the oceans rose, the plants and animals remained, and evolved into an eco-system unlike any other in the world. Florida's desert-like prehistoric sand ridges are home to animals such as gopher tortoises, indigo snakes, scrub lizards, crested caracaras and borrowing owls. Dozens of plants and animals living in Florida scrub are found nowhere else in the world.
One of these animals is the Florida Scrub Jay, which lives among the low growing scrub oaks, eating and "stashing" its acorns. Each Florida Scrub Jay will harvest, and bury for later usage, from six to eight thousand acorns every year. Scrub jays live in family units, and these families occupy and defend distinct territories. Within their territory, family members (parents, siblings, and even grandparents) feed new chicks and cooperate in foraging for food, watching for predators, and even attacking intruders. Florida Scrub Jays are among only 2% of all birds known (and the only jay) that exhibit the fascinating practice of cooperative breeding. Less than 10% of the large population of Florida Scrub Jays that once inhabited Florida's open oak scrubs survive today.
Unfortunately the future of scrub habitat and its occupants, like the scrub jay, is uncertain. Scrub needs to burn in order to survive, as the fires help rejuvenate the growth of oak shrubs while preventing trees such as pines from taking over. Until recently, fires have been put out as quickly as possible, causing many scrub areas to change into forested habitats unsuitable for animals like the Florida Scrub Jay. The habitat is dry and well drained, which makes it suitable for development. Today, less than 10% of Florida's historical scrub remains. Efforts are underway to preserve portions of the remaining scrub, and to manage it to ensure the future survival of these wondrous areas and their resident species.
Both the Merritt Island National Refuge and the Canaveral National Seashore contain large tracts of scrub habitat. The area around the ranger pay station at the south entrance to the National Seashore is a good place to look for scrub jays. Within the Merritt Island NWR, look for scrub jays perched in the tops of low oak shrubs along SR 3 between the intersection of SR 3 and SR 402 and the intersection of SR 3 and SR 406. North of the SR 406 intersection, MINWR rangers have constructed a Scrub Trail, complete with interpretive signage and an observation tower. Scrub jays may be found within the recreation areas on the south side of Haulover Canal and, further north, the road that goes east to the mud ramp boat launch passes through some scrub jay territories.
On the mainland, the east side of the Buck Lake Conservation Area, west of Mims, contains some scrub areas that support jay families. The Enchanted Forest, south of Titusville has good trails, which pass through ancient coastal dune scrub habitat as well as beautiful canopied forest areas. Lands located on the west and south sides of the Space Coast (TICO) Regional Airport support many scrub jay families. The Malabar Scrub Sanctuary and St. Sebastion River Buffer Preserve contain good places to view scrub habitat and scrub jays in the southern end of Brevard County.