Protected baby birds hatch on Longboat Key beach

A couple of chicks are wandering Whitney Beach, but they’re not the kind anyone should be picking up.

Two snowy plover hatchlings broke through their eggs Wednesday, April 4, the first nest found in the Sarasota area, according to the Audubon Florida. Snowy plover nests are often found on Siesta Key, said Kylie Wilson, beach-nesting bird coordinator with Audubon Florida. 

These hatchlings, which were found March 5 as eggs, roam the beach in search of food — they won’t be able to fly for at least a month, Wilson said.

The only way the chicks can protect themselves from predators is to lay on the ground, Wilson said. Their sand-colored feathers camouflages the hatchlings from avian predators, such as crows or gulls.

That defense backfires, however, with humans. The hatchlings can be easy to miss when walking the beach, Wilson said, so it's important to keep an eye on the ground on Whitney Beach.

Florida law protects these beach-nesting birds — disturbing their nests or harming the flightless hatchlings is considered a third degree felony, punishable by up to five years in prison and/or up to $5,000 in fines.

To avoid disturbing the nest and harming the hatchlings, Wilson recommended not chasing or feeding resting birds, keeping dogs off the beach and picking up trash.

“Basically, just be a good beachgoer,” Wilson said.