These birds nest in Southern Canada and the Northern United States. However, the species passes through Florida during migration to and from it s wintering grounds in South America. This was the first observation of Bobolink during avian studies on the Kissimmee floodplain. This observation also is a new record for our bird surveys. One expectation for restoration is an increase in the diversity of shorebirds on the river.
Stilts represent the third new shorebird species using the backfilled canal and adjacent floodplain.
Although this species is listed in observations from Audubon wardens on the Kissimmee River in the early part of the 1900 s, it probably was never abundant. Because Roseate Spoonbills often are observed on ponds of nearby ranches, we expect an increase in their use of the restored floodplain. This section of restored channel will soon be extended with a new one mile long section of river channel which is being dredged to replace a reach of river that was destroyed by the channelization. Field observations indicate that wetland vegetation, particularly broadleaf marsh species and buttonbush, is rapidly expanding on the reflooded floodplain. Torpedo grass, an exotic, has expanded and formed an extensive wet prairie at peripheral floodplain elevations along the east-central portion of the project area.