Protected species often flock to Fort Monroe

By Grady Wesson
Post environmental office

Because of its location, Fort Monroe is often visited by a diverse and prolific bird population.

Of the 411 species of birds known in Virginia, 217 can be spotted in this area. Of these, 68 species use the area as breeding grounds.

One of the more prominent species found on post is the Yellow-Crowned Night Heron — “Nyctanassa Violacea.” These large birds visit the post from early March to late July or August. They are found throughout the installation in tall trees. Their nests are large, appearing to be a pile of haphazardly thrown-together sticks.

Herons nest in colonies, and it’s not uncommon for them to take up residence in trees that overhang sidewalks — the gray cement looks a lot like a stream where they might find food. Fortunately, they have a lot more luck with the abundant feast found in Mill Creek and the Chesapeake Bay.

Many people find the presence of the heron colonies offensive and consider them pests. Due to their size, their excrement is rather large and can cover the sidewalk. In addition, they feed their young by regurgitation, so the area on the ground under their nests can become quite unpleasant.

Yellow-crowned Night Herons are a protected species under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. In lieu of focusing on the negative aspects of these beautiful birds, try documenting their habits, i.e., nesting materials, mating rituals, number of babies per nest, and how long it takes the babies to fledge (acquire feathers for flight).

Once the baby Night Heron acquires feathers, you will see them sitting on the edge of their nest or standing on adjacent limbs. During this time, nests with more than one sibling will sometimes fight (survival of the fittest) and one or both of the babies might fall. If this happens, please leave them alone. The parents will continue to feed them.

If one of the babies is injured — i.e., a broken leg or wing — leave it alone and notify the DPW Environmental Division at 788-5364 or the entomology shop at 788-2946.

Another interesting behavior of this species occurs when the babies are large enough to fly. They may be seen walking along the edges of the sidewalk (thinking they are streams) practicing their storking techniques for fishing.

Residents who are fortunate enough to have the Night Herron nesting near their home can usually keep the sidewalk area below clean with water from a garden hose. If that doesn’t work, they can call in a service order (788-4228) to have the sidewalk power-washed.