Specifications

Section 2 Existing Conditions/Affected Environment
EAA Storage Reservoirs Revised Draft PIR and EIS February 2006
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terrestrial environments. Drier habitats support such species as the Florida
brown snake, southern ringneck snake, southern black racer, scarlet snake, and
two rattlesnake species. The eastern indigo snake, a Federally listed threatened
species, and the Florida pine snake, a state species of special concern, may also
exist in drier areas of the Study Area. Wetter habitats support more aquatic
species such as the water snake, the green water snake, mud snake, eastern
garter snake, ribbon snake, rat snake, and the Florida cottonmouth (McDiarmid
and Pritchard, 1978).
Important amphibians known to occur in South Florida include the Everglades
bullfrog, or pig frog, Florida cricket frog, southern leopard frog, southern chorus
frog, and various tree frogs common to tree islands and cypress forests.
Salamanders inhabit the densely vegetated, still or slow-moving waters of the
sawgrass marshes and wet prairies. They include the greater siren and the
Everglades dwarf siren. Toads such as the eastern narrow-mouth toad also
occur within the Study Area.
Colonial wading birds are a conspicuous component of the wildlife communities
that utilize the WCAs as both feeding and breeding habitat. These include 11
species of herons and egrets, two species of ibis, the wood stork, and the roseate
spoonbill (Robertson and Kushlan, 1984). Historically, white ibis has been the
most abundant colonial wading bird species within the WCAs. Surveys indicate
that the great egret is the second most abundant species (Frederick and Collopy,
1988). The great blue heron, little blue heron, tricolored heron, green-backed
heron, snowy egret, cattle egret, black-crowned night heron, and yellow-crowned
night heron, are also common wading bird species found throughout the WCAs.
The roseate spoonbill, a state listed species of special concern, and the wood
storks, a Federally listed endangered species, both occur within the WCAs. The
WCAs support additional aquatic avifauna, such as the limpkin, two species of
bitterns, the anhinga, as well as a number of resident and migratory waterfowl.
Aerial surveys indicate that white ibis, great egrets, great blue herons, wood
storks, little blue herons, snowy egrets, cattle egrets, and glossy ibis are the
most common wading bird species utilizing the WCAs, with populations varying
widely in relationship to seasonal water level fluctuations. Peak wading bird
use of the WCAs often occurs in January in synchrony with receding water
levels, with over 121,000 birds being observed at times. Lowest counts have
occurred during August with less than 15,000 birds counted. The white ibis is
typically the most abundant wading bird observed, with total monthly counts
varying as the birds move in and out of the WCAs in response to changing water
levels. Great egrets represented the second most abundant species of wading
birds observed.