which utilize mangrove swamps in south are common inhabitants of mangrove areas. 



Florida (Appendix D). The magnificant This could also be true for the merlin, 



frigatebird has been included in this which like the peregrine falcon, feeds on 



group because of its habit of robbing many waterfowl and shorebirds. The remaining 



of these birds of their prey. Prey con- species in this guild are probably not so 



sumed by this guild includes snakes, dependent on mangroves; although they may 



lizards, frogs (red-shouldered hawk, be common in mangrove ecosystems, they 



swallow-tailed kite), small birds (short- utilize other habitats as well, 

 tailed hawk), waterfowl (peregrine falcon, 

 great-horned owl), fishes (osprey, bald 



eagle), and carrion (black and turkey 9.7 ARBOREAL BIRDS 

 vultures). 



This guild is the largest (71 



Eleven of these species are permanent species) and most diverse group inhabiting 



residents, one a summer resident, and the mangrove forests. Included are pigeons, 



remainder are winter residents. Their use cuckoos, woodpeckers, flycatchers, 



of mangrove areas varies greatly. The thrushes, vireos, warblers, blackbirds, 



magnificent frigatebird, which occurs and sparrows. We have lumped this diverse 



principally in extreme southern Florida group together because they utilize man- 



and the Florida Keys, utilizes small over- grove ecosystems in remarkably similar 



wash mangrove islands for both roosts and ways. Invertebrates, particularly 



nesting colonies. Both species of vul- insects, make up a significant portion of 



tures are widely distributed in south most of these birds' diets, although the 



Florida mangrove regions; large colonial white-crowned pigeon, mourning dove, and 



roosts can be found in mangrove swamps many of the fringilids (cardinal, townee) 



near the coast. Swallow-tailed kites are eat a variety of seeds, berries, and 



common over the entire Florida mangrove fruits, 

 region (Robertson 1955; Snyder 1974). 



Snyder (1974) reports extensively on the As the name given this guild implies, 



breeding biology of the swallow-tailed these birds use the habitat provided by 



kites in south Florida. The nests he the mangrove canopy. Many birds also use 



observed were all located in black man- the trunk, branches, and aerial roots for 



groves although they do nest in other feeding. Several different types of 



habitats. searching patterns are used. Hawking of 



insects is the primary mode of feeding by 



The bald eagle, osprey (Figure 15), the cuckoos, chuck-wi 1 1 s-wi dows, the 



and peregrine falcon are dependent upon kingbirds, and the flycatchers. Gleaning 



mangrove ecosystems for their continued is employed by most of the warblers, 



existence in south Florida. Both the bald Woodpeckers and the prothonotary warbler 



eagle and osprey feed extensively on the are classic probers, 

 wealth of fishes found associated with 



mangrove ecosystems. Additionally, man- Several of the birds in this guild 

 groves are used as roosts and support are heavily dependent upon mangrove areas, 

 structures for nests. Nisbet (1968) indi- The prairie warbler and the yellow warbler 

 cated that in Malaysia the most important are subspecies of more widespread North 

 role of mangroves for birds may be as American species (see Appendix D for 

 wintering habitat for palaearctic mi- scientific names). They are found largely 

 grants, of which the peregrine falcon is within mangrove areas (Robertson and 

 one. Kushlan (pers. comm.) stated that Kushlan 1974). The white-crowned pigeon, 

 recent surveys have shown falcons to mangrove cuckoo, gray kingbird, and black- 

 winter in mangroves, particularly along whiskered vireo are of recent West Indian 

 the shore of Florida Bay where they estab- origin. They first moved into the 

 lish feeding territories. They forage on mangrove-covered regions of south Florida 

 concentrations of shorebirds and water- from source areas in the islands of the 

 fowl. These prey species of the peregrine Caribbean. Confined at first to mangrove 



68 



