Florida Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit , University of Florida
Abstract
This comprehensive final report summarizes the results of a four-year research
and monitoring effort (1998 - 2001) designed to document nesting effort and success by
wading birds, and to investigate the reproductive physiology and ecology of White Ibises
(Eudocimus albus) in the Everglades ecosystem. The monitoring of nesting has been
accomplished bystandardized systematic aerial and ground surveys and study of nesting
success of nesting colonies in Water Conservation Areas (WCAs) 2 and 3 ofthe central
Everglades. The White Ibis work was accomplished through 1) investigation of the
nutritional, behavioral, and hormonal aspects of "normal" breeding in a captive colony of
Scarlet Ibises (Eudocimus ruber, considered by many to be the same species as the White
Ibis), and 2) documenting the physiology, nutritional state, breeding phenology,
contaminant load, and hormonal status of free- living adult White Ibises in the central
Everglades. (364 page document
