SEEKING

Florida Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens) Jonathan Dickinson State Park. I felt very lucky to be able to photograph Florida’s only endemic bird, which means the Florida scrub jay is found nowhere else, and its need for a specific habitat is one reason why scrub jay numbers are declining. The only bird species that requires a sandy, scrubby habitat to survive is the Florida scrub-jay. As you will notice in the images of this Scrub Jay, it is banded. In that way, the population can be accounted for.

As the state’s human population has grown, development has increased and the scrub-jays’ choice habitat has become more limited. A scrub jay family’s permanent territory averages about 22 to 24 acres, which makes it challenging for young birds to find suitable space for a family.

The species is federally listed as threatened, in large part due to the loss of habitat and decades of fire suppression that allowed scrub habitat to become overgrown. Prescribed burning helps maintain the bare ground and shrub height vital for scrub jay survival.

12.70” x 20” (Horizontal Format) Archival Pigment Print on Pearl Paper

All Sales Final. Print on demand - add five business days for printing. Free Insured shipping.

The watermark is not on the final image but includes the artist’s signature.

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