Wood Storks (Mycteria americana) serve as indicator species for wetland restoration due to their reliance on hydrologic processes that produce high quality foraging habitat and prey. As a result of human-induced rapid environmental change (HIREC), Wood Stork populations declined in South Florida during the mid to late 20thcentury. Human manipulation of the Everglades landscape resulted in a disruption of natural hydrologic conditions and the creation of novel anthropogenic water bodies. Despite the well-documented sensitivity of Wood Storks to changes in hydrologic conditions and human disturbance, storks are often seen foraging in anthropogenic water bodies along roadways, suggesting these novel habitats may provide adequate foraging habitat and prey. We sampled natural wetlands and anthropogenic water bodies (e.g., canals, wet and dry stormwater ponds, swales) to determine the aquatic fauna available for foraging storks. To determine Wood Stork prey selection, we collected stomach regurgitations (boluses) from nestling storks in five nesting colonies within both the natural marsh and urban landscapes.
Results/Conclusions
Historical studies show that exotic fish were absent in Wood Stork diets prior to the establishment of anthropogenic water bodies; however we found exotic fish frequently in both anthropogenic water bodies and bolus samples. Furthermore, we found that Wood Storks selected prey that were more similar to larger-bodied fishes in anthropogenic water bodies, than to the smaller fishes in the natural wetlands. In addition, we found that Wood Storks nesting in urban and natural marsh landscapes selected different species of larger-bodied prey. These dietary patterns suggest that Wood Storks may have behavioral plasticity in foraging habitat and prey species to adapt to changes from HIREC.