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Posted by Bryant Roberts on 20:09:42 09/02/05
The Smooth-billed Ani flock on the south side of Ft. Lauderdale International Airport may have been hit hard by Hurricane Katrina. A check of the Airport Greenbelt Park which has been closed for cleanup since the storm turned up only one of the four juvenile birds that were seen there three days before the storm on August 23rd and neither of the two adults that were feeding and guarding them. In light of the close social behavior of these birds it seems likely that this may be only remainder of the airport flock and considering that it was being fed by its parents eleven days ago its survival is in serious doubt.
During my last look at the intact family of Anis on the Tuesday before the storm all four of the young came out of hiding in the Cocoplum hedge along the airport perimeter road and perched on the barbed wire that tops the fence. Three of the young sat shoulder to shoulder and preened each others necks, one of the Anis on the end reversed its position and the one in the middle groomed its tail feathers. While this was going on one of the adults would stand watch close to the young birds while the other would be off foraging and every five or ten minutes would bring a lizard or large insect to the hungry youngsters. In the years I ve kept track of this group these were some of the best moments and though I hope I m wrong I fear that they were among the last.
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