Woods storks are doing well in Everglades National Park recently.  The South Florida Water Management district reports that for 2009, populations of the wood stork and other wading birds are soaring.  There was more than a 1000 % increase in wood stork nests over the year 2008.

A total of 6,500 wood stork nests were recorded in Everglades National Park last year, and this represents a 200 % increase over the average of the past decade.  Everglades National Park is home to thousands of birds, and bird watchers come from all over the world to spot species and take pictures.  Overall, Everglades National Park is home to 15, 400 wading bird nests, which is the largest number since 1941!

Why are wading birds doing so well?  Scientists point to recent droughts, which actually kill off predators of wading birds, which are large fish.  And they allow small fish and crayfish populations to increase.  And that’s what wading birds eat.