South Florida’s wood stork nesting season is almost here.

FWC says colonies in South Florida begin forming from late November through early March, so October is a useful month to start watching the wetlands where these large white birds feed and gather.

Wood storks are unmistakable at close range: white bodies, black flight feathers, long dark legs and a bare, dark gray head with a thick down-curved bill.

They are tactile feeders. Instead of visually chasing fish, they sweep an open bill through shallow water and snap it shut when prey touches it.

That feeding strategy works best when water levels concentrate fish in shallow pools, marsh edges, sloughs and wetlands.

As nesting season approaches, birds may travel repeatedly between productive feeding areas and colony sites.

Wood storks nest socially. Colonies can contain hundreds of nests, usually in trees standing over water in cypress swamps, mangroves, sloughs or other wetland habitats.

Florida wood storks can lay eggs over a broad period, but South Florida colony formation is one of the clearest seasonal signals to watch as fall turns toward winter.

Do not approach nesting colonies closely. Repeated disturbance can cause birds to leave nests or waste energy during a demanding breeding period.

The seasonal takeaway: if you notice more wood storks gathering at productive wetlands this fall, you may be seeing the early buildup to South Florida’s winter nesting season.