The Rookery

This pond is a bustling breeding colony or “rookery” of wading birds, during the Spring and Summer. Here, egrets, herons, white ibis, and perhaps rare wood storks nest close together for mutual protection against predators. In Spring, parent birds build platform nests of interlaced twigs, leaves and Spanish moss, often under shelter of shading foliage. Late Spring’s hatchlings demand regular feedings. In the ravenous contest for dinner, a young bird may nudge a sibling out of the nest. Rookery life is survival of the fittest!