If you live in Florida and are interested in donating your time to help count our favorite little blue bird, there is a group of people you can join.
The Florida Scrub Jay is down to only 3 or 4 thousand birds in total number and it is imperative that we keep an eye on populations and make sure we can keep an accurate count.
The Jay Watch programs goals are to:
Conduct annual statewide assessments of the Florida Scrub-Jay populations using a standardized protocol for mapping locations of Scrub-Jay groups and counting the number of adults and juveniles in each group.
Develop a better understanding of the ecological consequences of management actions such as the application of prescribed fire and mechanical thinning of overgrown scrub vegetation.
Educate volunteers who will educate their families and friends about Florida Scrub Jay biology, the unique Florida scrub ecosystem, and the critical need for prescribed fire to restore and maintain habitat for Scrub-Jays and other scrub-dependent animals and plants.