The Seaside Sparrows

"Living exclusively in or directly next to salt marshes on the Eastern seaboard and the Gulf Coast, the success of these medium–sized sparrows often indicates the health of those fragile habitats. Of the nine recognizable subspecies, one subspecies, the Cape Sable seaside sparrow is now endangered and the dusky seaside sparrow which inhabited the saltmarshes of southern Florida was last seen June 17th, 1987 and officially declared extinct in December 1990."

- Audubon

WHAT YOU CAN DO

• Eliminate the use of pesticides in your garden to prevent chemical runoff into marsh ecosystems.

• Support efforts to protect and restore coastal wetlands, especially in the Everglades where several Seaside Sparrow subspecies live.

• Advocate for coastal development zoning policies that preserve salt marshes.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

• Audubon Florida

• The Everglades Foundation

• The Nature Conservancy - Florida Chapter