Florida Map

Bird watching in Florida

Description

America’s sunshine state might be best known for its warm weather and beaches, but as any avian aficionado o worth their sea salt can attest, Florida also holds some fowl surprises. In addition to colorful year-round residents like the Roseate Spoonbill and Red-whiskered Bulbul, Florida sees a lot of transient land and water bird traffic thanks to its location on the Atlantic Flyway, which mostly hugs the East Coast but also shoots across the northwest part of the state towards Mexico. In short, while Florida is permanent home to a range of fascinating species (and not just “snow birds”), it’s also possible to spot an extensive selection of species just passing through.

National Parks in Florida are often good places to couple birding with general sight-seeing, whether you stick to the Everglades or go all out for Dry Tortugas National Park. A rocket launch might disrupt an otherwise quiet day at the beach, but Merrit Island National Wildlife Refuge is one of the best places on Florida’s Space Coast to spot migratory species. On the Gulf Coast, birding sites like Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary near Naples and the J.N “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge offer more sea breezes and a range of habitats. Pigeon Key deserves a nod for its fall raptor migration, but venture to the other end of the state and it’s St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge that gets birders boisterous, host to over 250 species during seasonal migrations. Bird species to watch for on your Florida birding trip include the Northern Parula, Red-shouldered Hawk, Anhinga, Florida Scrub-Jay and Brown Booby.

J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge:
Taking in a 2,800 acre stretch of Sanibel Island on Florida’s West Coast, this wildlife refuge has a reputation for sheltering large populations of migratory birds. Birding is at its best here between December and March; coordinate your visit with low tide, when mud flats are exposed. Refuge trails are open to walkers and cyclists, but it’s also possible to explore the wet sections of refuge by kayak or canoe.

Everglades National Park:
Despite the negative impact of human development on bird numbers in this national park, there are still more than 360 recorded species here. Look for the likes of Greater Flamingos, American White Pelicans. Roseate Spoonbills, hawks, herons, bluebirds and more as you explore this protected stretch of the of a very unique ecosystem.

Dry Tortugas National Park:
This park can only be reached by boat or plane, but for your efforts find access to both superb snorkeling waters and a bird list of 299 species, most of which are passing migrants. A number of noisy Brown Noddies, Masked Boobies and Sooty Terns nest on Bush Key (closed consequently from February through October), easy to watch with a good pair of binoculars from Garden Key. Bad weather grounds the most migrants but even on clear spring days one might spot something interesting winging past.

Merrit Island National Wildlife Refuge:
Seventy refuge managed freshwater impoundments offer the best birding at this Atlantic Coast site, a 140,000 acre refuge that runs from dunes to hardwood hammocks. Bird watching is at its best here between October and April, when a long list of migratory species use this as a stop-over en route to more southerly climes.

Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary:
This 11,000 acre wildlife sanctuary at the edge of Naples is accessible via a 2.25 mile boardwalk that takes in pine upland, cypress forest, wet prairie and marsh. In addition to Roseate Spoonbills and Snowy Egrets watch also for warblers, woodpeckers, hawks, ducks and more.

Pigeon Key:
The Florida Keys are often good for seasonal raptor watching, particularly around places like the old bridge off Pigeon Key. In addition to the American Kestrels, Peregrine Falcons, Broad-winged Swainsons and Sharp-shinned Hawks which cruise past in fall, watch also for the Mangrove Cuckoo and miscellaneous migrating songbirds.

St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge:
Four units make up this refuge complex at the southeast corner of the Florida Panhandle for a total of 68,000 acres. Formed specifically with birds in mind, the refuge continues to provide a safe stopover for wintering waterfowl and migratory birds. Watch for more than 250 species of songbirds in early spring, shorebirds late spring or early fall, and waterfowl late fall.

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