Our rookery peak nest count varies between 400-800 nests annually. Wading bird reproduction is dependent on habitat, water table depth, and prey availability. The chart below covers the last decade, developed by our hard-working rookery crew data collectors! 2021 turned out to be an "average"...
Beginning in 2010, the zoo was finally graced with nesting Roseate spoonbills (Platalea ajaja). This hot pink bird with an unusual spoon-shaped bill provided a dynamic contrast in the rookery against the mostly white backdrop of Great egrets, Snowy egrets, and Wood storks. Staff was...
Photo by Maxis Gamez The St. Augustine Alligator Farm is pleased to announce Maxis Gamez as our judge for the zoo's 20th Annual Photo Contest! Maxis Gamez is a self-taught professional nature photographer residing in Sarasota, Florida. He started photography as a hobby, but has now decided...
How quickly things can change! One of the blog's more recent posts detailed the extreme drought conditions affecting Northeast Florida. Thank you everyone for your prayers and rain dances, but please focus your attention on other drought-stricken regions for awhile. Tropical Storm Debby brought St. Augustine an...
Photo by David Moynahan The St. Augustine Alligator Farm is pleased to announce David Moynahan as our judge for the zoo's 19th Annual Photo Contest! As a Conservation Photographer, David's goal is to help raise awareness of the natural and beautiful world that still surrounds us. At...
Lousy photos by Gen Anderson The rookery not only contains a stunning congregation of nesting wading birds, but also more than a dozen gorgeous new signs detailing the various species which call the zoo home. On your next visit to the rookery, please look away from the...
Photo by Larry Arrington Northeast Florida is currently being threatened by a state of extreme drought. Our region is seven inches below normal for the year and down twenty-three inches since the beginning of 2010. Wading birds depend on water and a reliable aquatic food source to...
Photo by Sara Lopez The rookery is full of all sorts of activity: displaying, incubating, flying, nesting, and young rearing! The Great Egret nests began hatching out about a week ago and will continue to do so over the next few weeks. Some Wood Storks are incubating eggs,...
In the mid 1970’s the Alligator Farm expanded its Native Florida Swamp exhibit and inadvertently developed an outstanding natural bird rookery....