Of the hundreds of native bird species living in Florida, only one, the Florida Scrub-Jay, is found nowhere else—they are true Floridians. The Florida Scrub-Jay is a habitat specialist found only in scrub habitat, the most endangered ecosystem type in Florida. As a result, Florida Scrub-Jay populations have declined dramatically, and this species is now federally listed as threatened.
Florida Scrub-Jays are endemic to Florida, meaning that they are only found in that state. They occur only in peninsular Florida, and their specific distribution is largely tied to the habitat type that they require. Historically, Florida Scrub-Jays were found in 39 counties in Florida, but currently only 32 counties still support Florida Scrub-Jay populations , and 9 of these counties have tiny populations of 10 or fewer pairs. During the last century, Florida Scrub-Jay numbers declined by 80–90%, and there are only an estimated 3,000–4,000 family groups remaining. As a result, the Florida Scrub-Jay is listed by the federal government as a threatened species.
Florida's growth rate is dramatically affecting this species. A speedy conservation plan needs to be
put in place to insure that they don't disappear.
