Hint is a dead giveaway. This cache is part of a series of caches on the Great Florida Birding Trail for my Girl Scout Gold Award project. The purpose is to teach people about the birds native to the area so they can learn more about the birds and how to protect them and their environment.
The cache is located at the Blue Heron Water Reclamation Facility and Wetland Area, located at 4800 Deep Marsh Rd, Titusville, 32780, open Mondays-Fridays, 7 am to 3:30 pm. You can only go on weekends by making an appointment. It is recommended to drive your vehicle around the wetland instead of walking, but remember to check in and out of the visitor center.
Royal Tern
Characteristics
- White with light gray wings, and a black band around the back of its head
- Top is head is almost completly black shortly during breeding
Behavior
- Flies over water with bill pointing down; plunges into water to catch fish
- Feeds mostly on small fish and crustaceans, especially crabs
Conservation Status
- Significant declines in Florida, where populations fell by 96% between 1966 and 2014
- Royal tern populations seriously declined in the late 1800s and early 1900s when eggs were used as food
- Population is more stable now, but still has an endangered climate
Habitat
- Coasts, sandy beaches, salt bays.
- Favors warm coastal waters, especially those that are shallow and somewhat protected, as in bays, lagoons, estuaries
Interesting Facts
- They nest in colonies, ranging from 100 to 4,000 breeding pairs
- The royal tern is the second-largest tern. The largest is the Caspian tern