Calusa Rookery

• A multi-species rookery in an area as heavily developed as Kendall/West Kendall is very rare
• This mixed colony of breeding also shows breeding colors and plumage
• We’ve documented great egrets, anhinga, cattle egrets, tricolored herons, and a rare redhead!
• We have a letter of support from Tropical Audubon whose mission is “To conserve and restore South Florida ecosystems, focusing on birds, other wildlife and their habitats.”
• The applicant’s environmental assessment report dated Feb 2020 (and conducted on Dec 9, 2020) indicates the confirmed presence of the following:
  • Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation (FWC) State Threated (ST): little blue heron and tricolored heron
  • Miami-Dade County CDMP: little blue heron, tricolored heron, osprey, snowy egret and white ibis
• The County’s DERM memo dated Aug 26, 2021 states:
  • the applicant’s report does not indicate how the State Threated species were utilizing the site, and did not identify a rookery
  • the applicant’s report was conducted on one day which is not sufficient to determine full wildlife utilization
• Tropical Audubon has an ebird checklist reported for the endangered wood stork from Nov 2019
• There may also be endangered burrowing owls on the property, many residents confirmed sightings when the golf course was functional

Photo credit: Dennis and Victoria Horn