Florida Fish and Wildlife: Motel 6 ‘Leaves the Light On’ For Seabird Chicks In Cocoa Beach

By  //  September 15, 2015

Least terns and black skimmers have been spending their summers at the Motel 6 in Cocoa Beach for over a decade now. (MyFWC.com image)
Least terns and black skimmers have been spending their summers at the Motel 6 in Cocoa Beach for over a decade now. (MyFWC.com image)

MyFWC.com – Least terns and black skimmers have been spending their summers at the Motel 6 in Cocoa Beach for over a decade now.

This is no summer vacation though — these imperiled seabirds normally nest on sandy beaches but have adapted to using gravel rooftops like the one at this motel to lay their eggs.

They make shallow depressions in the rooftop’s gravel as nest scrapes, lay their eggs, and bring fish back from the nearby ocean for their mates and young.

At this spot, a small group of dedicated volunteers and motel staff kept an eye on them throughout the nesting season and gave a little help when needed along the way.

A very big thank you to all of the seabird and shorebird stewards and volunteers across the state for helping during this year’s nesting season.

David Saylor-580
David Saylor with chick-a-boom. (MyFWC image)
Least terns and black skimmers-580-1
Least tern juvenile being fed on beach near Motel 6. (MyFWC image)