Dr. Paul Gray
Monthly Meeting and Lecture
March 2020 Monthly Meeting and Lecture ProgramL “Snail Kites and Grasshopper Sparrows”
by Dr. Paul Gray, Okeechobee Science Coordinator, Audubon Florida
Date and Time
Tuesday, March 3, 2020 at 7pm
Light refreshments at 6:30pm
Location
Origin Church, 6073 Summit Blvd, Haverhill, FL 33415
Program Overview
Dr. Gray will provide us with the very latest update on the status and conservation needs of the Florida Snail Kite and Florida Grasshopper Sparrow, two endangered species found nowhere in the United States but Florida. Spoiler alert, one bird is doing quite well, the other is struggling against extinction.
Florida Snail Kites were once found from the Everglades to southeast of Tallahassee, but wetland drainage and land development eliminated or altered much of the birds foraging habitat. The Snail Kite feeds almost exclusively on apple snails found in shallow freshwater wetlands, and prolonged droughts and habitat loss affects the availability of the snails.
The Florida Grasshopper Sparrow is a non-migratory subspecies with a range limited to the dry prairie region of south-central Florida. Over 80 percent of the bird’s habitat has been lost in recent decades with much of the remaining prairie degraded by fire suppression and encroachment by trees and shrubs. A captive breeding program was created in 2015 in an attempt to save the species. In May 2019, three sparrows hatched and raised in captivity were released into the wild. Dr. Gray is an original member of the Florida Grasshopper Sparrow working group that oversees all research and conservation activities involving the subspecies.
About Dr. Paul Gray
Paul Gray is based out of Lorida, FL, near the Kissimmee River, and has been working in Florida for 28 years, with the last 20 years for Audubon. For Audubon, Paul has managed the 7,300-acre Kissimmee Prairie Sanctuary, supervises the Lake Okeechobee Sanctuaries established in 1938, and works on water, land and bird management issues with public and private entities. Paul’s educational background includes a BS from the University of Missouri, an MS from Texas Tech University, and a Ph.D. from the University of Florida.
More Meeting Information
Meeting and program is free and open to the public. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. for light refreshments, at Origin Church, 6073 Summit Blvd in Haverhill. We look forward to seeing you there!
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