Rookery Information
About the Rookery
In the mid 1970s the St Augustine Alligator Farm expanded its Alligator Swamp exhibit and inadvertently developed an outstanding natural bird rookery. Among other changes, the boardwalk was extended through the 
swamp and more alligators were added. Although the Alligator Farm has always been a popular spot for wading birds to roost, the enhancement of the swamp created a unique nesting opportunity for them. The additional alligators provide protection from arboreal predators such as raccoons, opossums, and snakes. Although the birds do lose some hatchlings to the alligators, their losses are far fewer than if predators raided their nests. The extended boardwalk enabled visitors to view nesting birds virtually feet away. Over the years, the rookery has grown in size to what it is today, one of the largest natural bird rookeries in the state of Florida.
The swamp extends over approximately two acres of natural wetlands and is home to around 150 American Alligators and many native turtles. During the non-breeding season many birds fly into the swamp in the evening to roost, or sleep, over the alligators. Among these are Black-Crowned Night Herons, Yellow-Crowned Night Herons, White Ibis, and Roseate Spoonbills. Once the weather starts warming up, the roosting birds migrate to their preferred nesting habitat and the rookery birds begin to gather. The large live oaks on the North and East side of the swamp are the favored nesting sites and are usually the first to be occupied. It is generally the Great Egrets that arrive first and begin their courtship. The lower elderberry bushes along the peninsula are usually left for the later arrivals, the Snowy Egrets, Tri-Colored Herons, Little Blue Herons, and Cattle Egrets. The tops of the oaks are favored by the Wood Storks. The Green Herons choose nesting spots deep within the trees of the swamp or elsewhere on the farm.
Once a suitable nest site has been selected, or fought for, the males will begin advertising for a mate. For all of the rookery species, courtship begins with a male displaying for a female. Some of the typical displays you may see are the stretch display, bill clapping, and snap displays. These behaviors are meant to show off the elaborate breeding plumage both sexes have developed for the season. Once a female has accepted, he will fly off to forage for nesting material. The female remains at the site and constructs the nest with twigs brought to her by the male. The pair will often display then copulate after the male returns with each twig. Depending on the species, three to five eggs are laid and incubated by both sexes, with the female as the prime incubator. After about three weeks, the chicks hatch. Usually the last chick to hatch is smaller and weaker than its siblings and is killed or pushed out of the nest by the older chicks. The alligators do get a small reward for their protection. While they are small, one parent will stay 
to shade and protect the chicks while the other parent is hunting for food. They eat mainly fish, but also frogs, crayfish, crabs, lizards, insects, fruit, and seeds. A number of hunting methods are used such as foot stirring, foot raking, bill vibrating, and canopy feeding. As the nestlings develop, both parents will leave during the day to bring food back for the young. At four to five weeks of age, the fledglings begin to venture from the nest, but are still fed by the parents. Usually at six weeks they are on their own but most species do not get their true adult plumage until over a year later.
Summary of Average Rookery Season
Late February – The Great Egrets start arriving and building nests. A few Wood Storks show up too.
Early March – Many more Great Egrets arrive. The Great Egrets start to lay eggs. More Wood Storks show up.
Mid March – Most Great Egrets are sitting on eggs. The Wood Storks start laying eggs.
Late March – Great Egrets start hatching. Most storks are on eggs. A few of the Snowy Egrets, Little Blue Herons, and Tri-colored Herons start arriving. The Snowies waste no time and immediately lay eggs.
Early April – Wood Stork chicks start hatching. Great Egret chicks are starting to get to a good size. Snowies, Little Blues, and Tri-coloreds are laying eggs. Cattle Egrets start showing up.
Mid April – Snowy chicks start hatching (they have the shortest incubation). The Green Herons start nesting within the park (not the rookery). Still lots of displaying birds of every species.
Late April – Rookery is mass chaos. Wood Stork chicks are screaming constantly. Great Egret chicks are pretty big. All of the smaller species have arrived.
Early May – There are chicks of every species in the rookery at this time, but still displaying from all species with the exception of the Wood Storks.
Mid May – The Great Egret and stork chicks are giant. There are chicks of every size from every species. Still lots of displaying happening.
Early June – Nothing has fledged yet. The displaying has started winding down, but there are still birds on eggs. Chicks everywhere.
July – Fledglings are everywhere. Displaying is over. Still a few nests with smaller chicks.
August – Season’s over and we prepare for hurricanes.
Nesting Updates
Birdrookery groups is an email listserv for news and updates about the wild bird rookery at the St. Augustine Alligator Farm. The natural alligator swamp area of the park attracts hundreds of nesting birds every year that are virtually feet away from the boardwalk. This listserv will have postings of the nesting activities so photographers and bird watchers can best plan their visit. This listserv is updated by Gen Anderson, Bird and Mammal Curator.
To subscribe to birdrookery groups, send a blank email to birdrookery-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
To post a message to members of this group, send an email to birdrookery@yahoogroups.com
Rookery updates are also available at (904) 824-3337 ext. 23.
See what photographers saw in the rookery in 2008
Watch video of a Great Egret feeding her chicks
Watch video of Wood storks in our Rookery
Hear what the Nikonians have to say about photographing our rookery (Allow a few minutes for the podcast to load)
Please click here for information about our annual photography contest.
