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State of Florida

Florida Scrub-Jay Aphelocoma coerulescens ©Dubi Shapiro Website

Florida is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Much of Florida is on a peninsula between the Gulf of Mexico, the Atlantic Ocean and the Straits of Florida. Spanning two time zones, it extends to the northwest into a panhandle, extending along the northern Gulf of Mexico. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Straits of Florida and Cuba to the south. About two-thirds of Florida occupies a peninsula between the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. It has the longest coastline in the contiguous United States, spanning approximately 2,170 km (1,350 miles), not including its many barrier islands. It is the only state that borders both the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of over 23 million, it is the third-most populous state in the United States and ranks eighth in population density. Florida spans over 170,000 km2 (c.65,700 square miles), ranking 22nd in area among the states. The Miami metropolitan area, anchored by the cities of Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach, is the state’s largest metropolitan area, with a population of just under 6.2 million; the most populous city is Jacksonville with almost a million inhabitants. Florida’s other major population centres include Tampa Bay, Orlando, Cape Coral, and the state capital of Tallahassee.

Florida’s climate varies from subtropical in the north to tropical in the south. It is tempered somewhat by the fact that no part of the state is distant from the ocean. It is the only state besides Hawaii to have a tropical climate, and the only continental state with both a tropical climate, located at the southern portion of the state, and a coral reef. North of Lake Okeechobee, the prevalent climate is humid subtropical, while areas south of the lake (including the Florida Keys) have a true tropical climate. Mean high temperatures for late July are primarily in the 32–34 °C range. Mean low temperatures for early to mid-January range between 4 and 7 °C in north Florida to above 16 °C from Miami on southward. With an average daily temperature of c. 21.5 °C, it is the warmest state in the US. While summer highs can be 38 °C, winter lows rarely drop below freezing. Florida’s nickname is the “Sunshine State”, but severe weather is a common occurrence in the state. Central Florida is known as the lightning capital of the United States, as it experiences more lightning strikes than anywhere else in the country.

Everglades Anhinga Trail Pond – ©Daniel Kraft, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Florida has several unique ecosystems, including Everglades National Park, the largest tropical wilderness in the US and among the largest in the Americas. Unique wildlife include the American alligator, American crocodile, American flamingo, Roseate spoonbill, Florida panther, bottlenose dolphin, and manatee. The Florida Reef is the only living coral barrier reef in the continental United States, and the third-largest coral barrier reef system in the world.

On average, Florida is the flattest state in the United States. Much of the state south of Orlando lies at a lower elevation than northern Florida, and is fairly level. Much of the state is at or near sea level. Lake Okeechobee, the largest lake in Florida, is the tenth-largest natural freshwater lake among the 50 states of the United States and the second-largest natural freshwater lake contained entirely within the contiguous 48 states, after Lake Michigan. The longest river within Florida is the St. Johns River, at 310 miles (500 km) long. The drop in elevation, from its headwaters in South Florida to its mouth in Jacksonville is less than 30 feet.

The state has more than 26,000 square miles (67,000 km2) of forests, covering about half of the state’s land area. Florida is rich in fauna from marine mammals in the coastal waters including Manatee and land mammals including apex predators such as Black Bear and Florida Panther. It has a wealth of snakes and a high density of Alligators in the wetlands, with a population of over one million! The state is a wintering location for many species of eastern North American birds a route for migration and well placed for birds rarely seen in other states. Moreover, it has an endemic, the Florida Scrub Jay and a sub-species of Wild Turkey, Meleagris gallopavo Osceola, found nowhere else. Because of the climate it also has growing populations of feral species over 1000 non-native insects and 500 other animals, including notoriously, the Burmese Python.

Birding Florida

Florida has been called a tropical peninsula attached to a temperate continent. But, to be accurate, the Florida Peninsula is considered to be sub-tropical. Only the Lower Florida Keys lie within the true tropical zone. Thanks to what was the most aggressive public land acquisition program in the world, one-quarter of the state is protected as public conservation land, with other land protected privately. Because of its climate, hundreds of miles of beaches, and innumerable theme parks, Florida’s environment has been under siege from massive immigration for more than 60 years. The state’s population has grown enormously, from under three million in 1950, to around 23 million (2024). In recent times, more than 250,000 immigrants are moving to Florida each year. According to Defenders of Wildlife, Florida is the most threatened state in the country, and was the only state to receive ‘extreme’ ratings for every category measured (i.e., overall risk, ecosystem risk, species risk, development risk, development status, and development trend). Florida contains more endangered ecosystems than any other state (nine).

Apalachicola National Forest – ©Sallicio, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Florida is naturally divided into three regions: the Panhandle, Peninsula, and the Keys. For those birders searching for Florida Specialties – those species that are mostly or entirely limited in the US to Florida, there is no need to travel north of the central Peninsula. Although the Panhandle and northern Peninsula offer excellent birding opportunities, the species found in those regions also occur in much of eastern North America. Those who want to see Roseate Spoonbills, Snail Kites, Mangrove Cuckoos, Florida Scrub-Jays, Black-whiskered Vireos, and the established exotics should spend their time south of the Orlando area, and should plan on a trip to Dry Tortugas National Park. Seven to 10 days in southern Florida (including two or three days at the Tortugas) between early April and mid-May should be sufficient to allow virtually all the Florida specialties to be found. This period also usually corresponds with the height of spring migration of land birds through the state.

The official Florida bird list, as determined by the Florida Ornithological Society Records Committee (FOSRC), stands at 559 species as of November 2024. Of these, 511 represent native species or natural stragglers, with four natives (Passenger Pigeon, Carolina Parakeet, Ivory-billed Woodpecker, and Bachman’s’ Warbler) now extinct. (The Whooping Crane is extirpated as a naturally occurring species but attempts to create a migratory population that will winter in the state is underway to better secure the future for this critically endangered species; attempts to establish a non-migratory, breeding population in the central peninsula ended in failure, although some pairs from this population remain). The occurrence of five West Indian species (La Sagra’s Flycatcher, Thick-billed Vireo, Bahama Mockingbird, Bananaquit, and Western Spindalis) remain unpredictable, but all seem to be increasing in Florida (the flycatcher is now annual and the spindalis and mockingbird nearly so). Other West Indian species such as Yellow-faced Grassquit and Kew West Quail Dove remain casual in the state. Sixteen species represent exotics. Fourteen of those species are considered to have established breeding populations in Florida. The Tricolored Munia which was added to the list in 2014 occurs in Florida as an accidental from the established exotic population in Cuba. The fourteen established exotic species are Egyptian Goose, Muscovy Duck, Purple Swamphen, Rock Pigeon, Eurasian Collared-Dove, Nanday Parakeet, Monk Parakeet, White-winged Parakeet, Red-whiskered Bulbul, European Starling, Common Myna, Spot-breasted Oriole, House Finch, and House Sparrow.

Dry Tortugas National Park – ©Lindsey C. Straub, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Among all 50 states, Florida is the fifth most species-rich, and is the most species-rich state east of the Mississippi River. Florida’s high degree of avian richness can be explained by several factors: its relatively large size, great diversity of temperate and sub-tropical habitats, proximity to the West Indies, and long history of ornithological exploration. Florida is critically important in spring for tens of millions of Neotropical migrants, which fly several hundred miles non-stop from Central or South America, and often drop down at the first available land sighted. In fall, the shape of the peninsula funnels migrants from throughout eastern North America, from which they migrate south to winter in the West Indies or Tropical America.

In addition to supporting the most diverse native avifauna of any eastern state, the ‘richness’ of Florida’s exotic avifauna is perhaps unsurpassed among the states (the number of exotic birds observed in California has never been tallied).

Florida’s Non Native Avifauna

Contributors

Bill Pranty
Bayonet Point, Florida | billpranty@hotmail.com
Wes Biggs
Florida Nature Tours | gratefulheart@bellsouth.net

Number of Species

Number of bird species: 568

(As at November 2024)
State Bird: Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottus

Endemics

Number of endemics: 1
Florida Scrub-Jay Aphelocoma coerulescens

Checklist

Audubon of Florida
PDF Checklist
Avibase
PDF Checklist
This checklist includes all bird species found in Florida , based on the best information available at this time. It is based on a wide variety of sources that I collated over many years. I am pleased to offer these checklists as a service to birdwatchers. If you find any error, please do not hesitate to report them.
Florida Ornithological Society
PDF Official Checklist
This is the formal list of modern bird species that have occurred in Florida by natural appearance or by establishment of an exotic
Wikipedia
Annotated List
This list of birds of Florida includes species documented in the U.S. state of Florida and accepted by the Florida Ornithological Society Records Committee (FOSRC).
eBird
PDF Checklist
This checklist is generated with data from eBird (ebird.org), a global database of bird sightings from birders like you. If you enjoy this checklist, please consider contributing your sightings to eBird. It is 100% free to take part, and your observations will help support birders, researchers, and conservationists worldwide.

Useful Reading

A Birder's Guide to Florida

| By B W Pranty, JA Lane & HR Holt | American Birding Association | 2005 | Paperback | 418 pages, b/w photos, figures, 80 maps | ISBN: 9781878788245 Buy this book from NHBS.com
ABA Field Guide to Birds of Florida

| By Bill Pranty & Brian E Small | Scott & Nix, Inc | 2015 | Paperback | 340 pages, colour photos | ISBN: 9781935622482 Buy this book from NHBS.com
Birding Florida

| By Brian Rapoza | Globe Pequot Press | 2007 | Paperback | 320 pages, photographs throughout | ISBN: 9780762739141 Buy this book from NHBS.com
Birding Florida - A Field Guide to the Birds of Florida

| By Randi Minetor & Nic Minetor | Falcon Guides | 2021 | Paperback | 384 Pages. colour photos | ISBN: 9781493055159 Buy this book from NHBS.com
Birds of Florida

| By Todd Telander | Falcon Guides | 2020 | Edtion 2 | Paperback | 109 pages, colour illustrations | ISBN: 9781493051885 Buy this book from NHBS.com
Birds of Florida Field Guide

| By Stan Tekiela | Adventure Publications | 2020 | Edition 3 | Paperback | 372 pages, colour photos, collour distribution maps | ISBN: 9781647550653 Buy this book from NHBS.com
Common Coastal Birds of Florida and the Caribbean

| By David W Nellis | Pineapple Press | 2001 | Hardback | 336 pages, Colour photos | ISBN: 9781561641963 Buy this book from NHBS.com
Florida Birds: A Folding Pocket Guide to Familiar Species

| By James R Kavanagh & Raymond Leung | Waterford Press | 2001 | Unbound | 12 pages, colour illustrations | ISBN: 9781583551059 Buy this book from NHBS.com
Florida's Birds : A Handbook and Reference

| By Herbert W II Kale, David S. Maehr & Karl Karalus | Pineapple Press | 2005 | 2nd Edition | Paperback | 359 pages, 60 plates with colour illustrations; colour photos, colour & b/w illustrations, colour distribution maps | ISBN: 9781561643356 Buy this book from NHBS.com
Guide to the Great Florida Birding Trail

| By Susan Cerulean & Julie A Brashears | Florida University Press | 2002 | Paperback | 188 pages, 25 b/w illustrations, tables, 24 maps | ISBN: 9780813025612 Buy this book from NHBS.com
National Goegraphic Field Guide to Birds: Florida

| By Mel Baughman | National Geographic Society | 2006 | Paperback | 256 pages, maps, photos, drawings | ISBN: 9780792293491 Buy this book from NHBS.com

Festivals & Bird Fairs

Chipola Feather Fest
Facebook Page
The promotion of sustainable wildlife conservation in the Chipola Region. The Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail's Chipola Feather Fest is brought to you by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Fish and Wildlife Foundation of Florida, Jackson County Tourist Development Council, and Chipola College.
Ding Darling Days
Webpage
“Ding” Darling Days’ Family Fun Day on Sunday, October 14, culminates a weekend of eco-activities with all-free refuge tram tours, live wildlife presentations, hot dogs, kids crafts, and other family activities. Birding, boating, tram, paddleboarding, and kayaking activities fill the weekend. The 30th annual celebration begins on Friday, October 12 with Get Outside Day and continues on Saturday, October 13, with Conservation Art Day, where Federal Duck Stamp Winners, other artists, cartooning, and a Refuge photography tram tour will highlight a day devoted to Jay Norwood Darling’s legacy as the first duck stamp artist and Pulitzer Prize-winning political cartoonist.
Everglades Birding Festival
Website
Journey through south Florida searching for beautiful and rare birds in ancient moss-covered cypress swamps, everglades prairies that join the sky and brilliant marshes that sparkle with flashes of roseate wings. Scan across the tips of grass for hovering Snail kites and hear the squeal of the Limpkin.
Florida Birding & Nature Festival
Website
Four days of field and boat trips, expert seminars, keynote speakers, and a free nature expo!
Florida's Birding & Photo Fest
Website
...on Florida's Historic Coast for nearly 100 exciting photography seminars & field workshops led by renown photography leaders for beginning to advanced photographers!
North Shore Birding Festival Event
Website
Participate in field trips on the Lake Apopka North Shore property and other Central Florida sites.
Orlando Wetlands Park Festival
Webpage
Come and enjoy the Orlando Wetlands Festival each February at Fort Christmas Historical Park. The Orlando Wetlands Festival highlights the Orlando Wetlands Park, the City's 1,650 acre water reclamation wetland. The event is sponsored by: City of Orlando, Orange Audubon Society and Orange County Parks and Recreation.
Raptor Fest at Boyd Hill Nature Preserve
Webpage
Proceeds support the Friends of Boyd Hill Nature Preserve and the Birds of Prey Program.
Rookery Bay Festival of Birds
Website
Enjoy a watercolor painting class and take guided field trips to wildlife hotspots around Southwest Florida.
Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival
Website
Curious to learn about the natural side of our state? The Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival (SCBWF) allows you to add to your life list, take some amazing photos, see different Florida habitats, and meet other birders and naturalists from around the country!

Observatories

Archbold Biological Station
Observatory Website Satellite View
The mission of Archbold Biological Station is to build and share the scientific knowledge needed to protect life, lands, and waters in the heart of Florida and beyond. The Learning Center is open to the public for self-guided trails (nature, history, landscaping etc) and for scheduled tours, and available for school field trips, college classes, and non-profit and professional workshops and conferences.
Caladesi Island Banding Station
Banding Station Satellite View
The Caladesi Island Banding Station (CIBS) is located on Caladesi Island State Park in Dunedin, Florida.
Cape Florida Banding Station
Banding Station Satellite View
We also pride ourselves in our network of fledgeling banders who have gone on to operate their own stations elsewhere, and it’s particularly special when one of them recaptures one of our birds.
Hammock Bird Banding
Banding Station Satellite View
Old Myakka Bird Observatory
Observatory Website Satellite View
The Old Myakka Bird Observatory (OMBO) is an independent banding and wildlife monitoring station established in April, 2002 in Sarasota County, Florida…

Museums & Universities

Audubon House & Tropical Gardens
Website
The Audubon House & Tropical Gardens offer a relaxing, educational environment for families and visitors of all ages. Slated for demolition in 1958, the house was saved by the Mitchell Wolfson Family Foundation. The Foundation is a non-profit educational institution. This was the first restoration project in Key West, and is still considered the gem of the island's restoration movement. A visit to the Audubon House & Tropical Gardens is an exploration into local history and folklore, while the gardens offer a lush one-acre view of tropical foliage. You will enjoy viewing the works of John James Audubon, world renown ornithologist. There are 28 first edition Audubon works in the house.
Crowley Museum and Nature Center
Facebook Page
Crowley Museum and Nature Center is a unique experience of natural and pioneer Florida. Education programs for kids and adults, camping, birding, weddings and other gatherings.
Florida Museum of Natural History - Ornithology Collection
Webpage
The bird skin collection contains approximately 17,000 specimens representing at least 1,818 species. These are mostly study skins, but in recent years we have prepared a large proportion of new specimens as flat skins or spread wings with associated skeletons…

Organisations

Alachua Audubon Society
Website
The Alachua Audubon Society’s mission is to foster appreciation and knowledge of birds and other native wildlife, to protect and restore wildlife populations and their habitats, and to promote sustainable use of natural resources.
Apalachee Audubon Society
Website
Protection of the environment through education, appreciation, and conservation. Serving Leon, Jefferson, Wakulla, Gadsden, Liberty and Franklin Counties.
Audubon Florida
Website
For more than a century Audubon has encouraged people to take care of the places that make Florida special. Using science to guide our priorities and birdlife to measure ecosystem health, Audubon advocates for the protection of land, water, and wildlife. Audubon is Florida’s most influential conservation organization and conducts extensive work to protect the Everglades and coastal bird habitats. We manage sanctuaries covering thousands of acres along with two popular nature centers. Audubon promotes stewardship and appreciation of public land and water so people experience and cherish Florida’s natural beauty and wildlife.
Audubon Florida Everglades
Website
Audubon Society of the Everglades (Audubon Everglades) is located in Palm Beach County, Florida. The county includes the northern part of the Everglades, the Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge, and also extends into Lake Okeechobee on the west and Lake Worth Lagoon and the Atlantic Ocean on the east. The county is on the east coast of Florida, approximately 1.5 hours north east of Everglades National Park and approximately 1 hour north of Fort Lauderdale and 1.5 hours north of Miami.
Audubon in Florida
Webpage
Offices & Chapters; Centers & Sanctuaries & Upcoming Events
Audubon of Martin County
Facebook Page
Explore the South Fork of the St Lucie River along sections of the Great Florida Birding Trail with expert field guides and birders!
Audubon of Southwest Florida
Website
The mission of Audubon of Southwest Florida is to protect plants, animals, and their habitats and to promote environmental education and a greater community involvement with the natural world. We provide educational programming, public outreach, community building, scholarship opportunities, and field trips, all of which promote a keener understanding of our relationship to the natural world, immediately from our own backyard, or regionally along the Caloosahatchee River, or globally. We warmly invite you to join us, whether for a birding adventure, a local lecture, a community breakfast, a shorebird stewardship program, or a board meeting.
Audubon of the Western Everglades
Website
Audubon of the Western Everglades is the oldest “grassroots” conservation organization in Southwest Florida, established in 1961. Our Mission: Protecting Southwest Florida’s Natural Resources and Wildlife Through Advocacy and Education.
Bay County Audubon Society
Website
Bay County Audubon Society (BCAS) was founded in 1962 by citizens dedicated to the preservation of natural areas and wildlife habitat. One of our primary goals is to increase the awareness and appreciation of wildlife and the natural habitat upon which it depends. Bay County Audubon Society has been a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization since 1975. It is a local chapter of Florida Audubon and the National Audubon Society serving Panama City and surrounding areas in Bay, Gulf, Calhoun, Washington, Holmes and Jackson County.
Cedar Keys Audubon
Website
Cedar Keys Audubon’s mission is to conserve and restore our unique natural ecosystems, focusing on birds, other wildlife, and their habitats for the benefit of humanity and the earth's biological diversity.
Choctawhatchee Audubon Society
Website
The Choctawhatchee Audubon Society is a chapter of the National Audubon Society and is a Non-Profit, Volunteer Organization Serving Okaloosa and Walton Counties since 1976.
Citrus County Audubon Society
Facebook Page
Citrus Audubon Society is a Florida chapter of the National Audubon Society concerned with and actively involved in the conservation of all our natural resources: wildlife, air, land, water, and vegetation…
Clearwater Audubon
Website
It is our vision to play an active role in protecting a bio-diverse environment in a densely populated human community. We are a passionate group with diverse talents and experiences. Our board works with community leaders to promote our mission, formulate policy, steward donor and member contributions, and provide oversight. Please join us at monthly meetings on the first Monday of each month, October through May.
Collier County Audubon Society
Information
Founded in 1961, the Collier County Audubon Society is the oldest conservation organization in Collier County. We are one of 43 local Florida chapters dedicated to preserving the quality of life in our respective communities.
Ding Darling Wildlife Society
Website
Ding Darling Wildlife Society, the non-profit Friends of the Refuge organization, supports environmental education, services, and conservation at the J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge Complex. Education and conservation efforts may extend beyond the complex’s borders. We partner in these efforts where possible with like-minded conservation organizations.
Duval Audubon Society
Website
Connecting people with nature, conserving and restoring natural ecosystems, focusing on birds and other wildlife. We are a chapter of the National Audubon Society. We have a membership of about 1,100 and hold monthly meetings in Jacksonville from September to May. We offer field trips, programs, workshops and other activities throughout the year. Under the drop down menu, you will find our calendar of events. We hope you'll join us!
Eagle Audubon Society
Website
Welcome to the website of the Eagle Audubon Society of Sun City Center, Florida. Monthly programs, traditionally the third Thursday of each month, and trips for our upcoming season beginning October 2018 through April of 2019 can be found under the programs and field trips tabs. As a chapter of the National Audubon Society we seek to increase interest and involvement in our local and state environment, its history, wildlife, preservation and restoration.
Flagler Audubon Society
Website
Our Mission: Connecting people with birds and other wildlife in their habitats and taking an active role in preserving and restoring diverse ecosystems. Flagler Audubon welcomes all nature lovers to come learn about birds and conservation together. We offer educational programs, bird walks and trips. Events are open to the public - visitors welcome!
Florida Keys Audubon Society
Website
The mission of the Florida Keys Audubon Society is to promote the appreciation, conservation, and restoration of ecosystems in the Florida Keys. We aim to educate and encourage others to participate in environmental stewardship and advocacy in their community. We are a 501c3 nonprofit organization.
Florida Ornithological Society
Website
The Florida Ornithological Society is a not-for-profit corporation established in 1972 to promote field ornithology in Florida and to facilitate contact between professional and amateur ornithologists and birders in the state. Our Society hosts meetings across the state with the purpose of sharing current research, birding together, and enjoying the company of friends and colleagues.
Four Rivers Audubon Society
Facebook Page
Founded in 1979, Four Rivers Audubon is one of 44 Florida affiliates of the National Audubon Society, serving seven counties in North Central Florida. Our mission is to connect people with nature and act as a voice of conservation for the future of birds and our natural world. of birds and our natural world. OUR MISSION is to connect people with nature and act as a voice of conservation for the futureof birds and our natural world.
Francis M Weston Audubon Society
Website
Our purpose is to promote the understanding and preservation of wildlife and the environment that supports it. Our goals are preserving, protecting, and restoring wildlife habitat. Our main activities are advocacy, education, and volunteer projects.
Friends of the Loxahatchee Refuge
Website
The Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge preserves a portion of the once vast northern Everglades. It provides habitat and protection for endangered wildlife such as the snail kite and the wood stork and the formerly endangered American alligator.
Halifax River Audubon Society
Website
Welcome to Halifax River Audubon, the oldest and largest of the three Audubon chapters in Volusia County, Florida. We offer a variety of information and services to our members and the community at large. Serving the communities of greater Daytona Beach area of Florida. Chapter activities and a hotline for injured birds.
Hendry Glades Audubon Society
Website
Hendry-Glades Audubon Society encompasses both counties in Southern Florida. We are a seasonal group that holds monthly meeting programs September through May. These free programs are held at the Hendry County Extension Service in the Dallas Townsend Building located at 1085 Pratt Blvd. in LaBelle on the 3rd Monday of each month. In February we will meet the 2nd Monday due to Presidents Day.
Hernando County Audubon Society
Website
Serving members in Hernando, east Pasco and south Sumter counties, Florida. Meetings are held September through April on the fourth Thursday of the month except in November when we meet on the third Thursday. Our annual picnic is in May. There is no meeting in December.
Highlands County Audubon Society
Website
Welcome to the website for the Highlands County Audubon Society, a chapter of the National Audubon Society. Within the website you will find the latest happenings, upcoming trips and events, as well as photos from Audubon members and, from time to time, some of the hottest birding spots in Highlands County. Become involved with your local Audubon Society today!
Kissimmee Valley Audubon Society
Website
The Kissimmee Valley of Central Florida is home to some of America's most rare and spectacular birds: Snail Kites, Whooping Cranes, Caracaras, Wood Storks, Limpkins, and the highest concentration of Bald Eagles in the lower 48 states.
Lake Region Audubon Society
Website
The Lake Region Audubon Society (LRAS) chapter serves Central Florida. We sponsor several nature based programs and events, and work actively in conservation projects in our area. Some of our members volunteer with other conservation organizations, such as the Ridge Rangers, Nature Conservancy and the Sierra Club. We also host a series of monthly birding outings through the Bird Club in which members have the opportunity to go birding with fellow birders
Lee County Bird Patrol
Facebook Page
We are Lee County volunteers dedicated to protect, monitor, observe and educate our public regarding the contribution that birds make to the delicate balance of our ecosystem in the Lee County parks and Conservation 20/20 acquisitions. Link to brochure with maps, access and recreation information.
Manatee County Audubon Society
Website
Manatee County Audubon is a chapter of National Audubon Society with a mission is to promote the conservation and appreciation of birds and wildlife habitat. We accomplish this through maintaining critical habitat like the Felts Audubon Preserve, offering education programs for children and adults, leading advocacy efforts, and participating in land conservation projects. Our activities extend beyond Manatee County when we work with other organizations to accomplish a conservation purpose.
Marion County Audubon Society
Website
Experience the diverse natural resources and scenic environment of North Central Florida's Marion County with Marion Audubon Society
Nature Conservance in Florida
Webpage
The mission of The Nature Conservancy is to conserve the lands and waters on which all life depends. For more than 56 years, we've been working in Florida to do just that. The Conservancy owns and manages approximately 55,159 acres in Florida including four preserves that are open to the public.
Oklawaha Valley Audubon Society
Website
OVAS holds our general membership meeting the first Sunday of every month at 2:00 pm. The meeting is held at Trout Lake Nature Center, 520 East County Road 44, Eustis, FL 32736. (We take the summer off and do not hold meetings in July and August.) Throughout the year we offer educational programs, field trips, and other outreach activities that help the local community be more aware of environmental issues that occur, have occurred or are occurring, on a regular basis in our own backyard.
Orange Audubon Society
Website
The purpose and dedication of Orange Audubon Society (OAS) is to promote public understanding of, and an interest in, wildlife and the environment that supports it. OAS’ education programs foster the recognition of the tangible and intangible values in the remaining natural areas of Florida and the world, and our responsibility for the conservation of the Earth’s natural ecosystems and the services that they provide for the health of the planet.
Pasco Audubon
Website
...formerly West Pasco Audubon
Peace River Audubon Society
Website
The objectives and purposes of the Peace River Audubon Society are to engage in educational, scientific, investigative, literary, historical, philanthropic and charitable pursuits. These objectives fall into three primary areas: Birding, Conservation, and Education. In practice, it is not possible to neatly divide the objectives as stated in the PRAS bylaws into categories. As such, they are presented here in no specific order. For additional information on our past and present pursuits in these areas see our pages on Birding, Conservation, and Education.
Pelican Island Audubon Society
Website
Our Mission: To preserve and protect the animals, plants, and natural communities, and the land and water on which they depend in Indian River County through education, advocacy, and public awareness.
Ridge Audubon Society
Website
Ridge Audubon Society is a chapter of the National Audubon Society and Audubon Florida. With funding provided by Roger Babson and a land grant from Webber University, the Ridge Audubon Center opened its doors to the public in 1964 with this mission: To open the eyes of the young and old to the beauty and wonder of our outdoor world and to increase awareness of the need for conservation.
Sanibel-Captiva Audubon Society
Website
The mission of the Sanibel-Captiva Audubon Society is to promote interest in wildlife on Sanibel and Captiva Islands, fostering the cause of conservation with emphasis on birds and their habitat.
Santa Fe Audubon Society
Website
Santa Fe Audubon Society, Inc. is one of more than 40 Audubon chapters in Florida, and is chartered by the National Audubon Society and Audubon Florida. The chapter serves Putnam, Bradford, western Clay, and eastern Alachua Counties. We are a 501(c)3, tax-exempt organization. We live in a special part of Florida, where natural and agricultural lands blend with small towns to provide a peaceful, rural way of life. Santa Fe Audubon strives to offer recreational, educational, and conservation activities that reflect the values embodied in that way of life.
Sarasota Audubon Society
Website
We are the local chapter of the National Audubon Society, dedicated to the protection, conservation and enjoyment of birds, wildlife and the environment here in sunny Sarasota, Florida. Our mission is to conserve and restore natural ecosystems, focusing on birds, other wildlife, and their habitats for the benefit of humanity and the earth’s biological diversity. We are dedicated to protecting nature and connecting with others using the combination of science, education, and the restoration of our local wildlife habitats.
Seminole Audubon Society
Website
The Mission of the Seminole Audubon Society is to promote awareness and protection of the plants and animals in the St. Johns River basin in order to sustain the beneficial coexistence of nature and humans.
South Florida Audubon Society
Website
South Florida Audubon Society, based in Broward County, fosters conservation through local, regional, national, and global environmental advocacy and activities throughout South Florida focusing on birds, other wildlife and their habitats, for the benefit of humanity and the earth's biological diversity.
Southeast Volusia Audubon Society
Website
Protecting birds, other animals, and their habitats through education, science and activism. Southeast Volusia Audubon Society, P.O. Box 46, New Smyrna Beach, FL 32170; president@SEVolusiaAudubon.org
Space Coast Audubon Society
Website
The purpose of the Space Coast Audubon Society is to provide an opportunity for people to become aware firsthand of the value and beauty of nature. Through conservation and education, we hope to create an understanding of and interest in all wildlife, preserve irreplaceable natural resources and restore the Earth’s ecosystems of which mankind is an inseparable element.
St. Johns Regional Audubon
Website
St. Johns Regional Audubon promotes the protection, preservation, and restoration of the habitats of birds and other wildlife through education, stewardship, and science-based advocacy.
St. Lucie Audubon Society
Website
Experienced birdwatcher or a newcomer, you’ll have a lot of fun, learn loads and see plenty of birds when you join with other members to share knowledge of the nature that surrounds us. We visit area birding sites on field trips, have informative speakers at meetings and get together at other events. We’ll also let you know about interesting events elsewhere.
St. Petersburg Audubon Society
Website
The mission of St. Petersburg Audubon Society is to advocate for ecosystems important to birds and other wildlife through education and conservation.
Tampa Audubon Society
Website
Established in the 1940s, the Tampa Audubon Society serves the greater Tampa Bay area and its suburbs, including Brandon, Odessa, Riverview and Seffner. We are an active chapter whose mission is to conserve and restore our ecosystems, focusing on birds, wildlife, and their habitats, through education, advocacy, and community involvement.
Tropical Audubon Society
Website
Keep South Florida's Voice of Conservation clear and strong. Join, Give and Volunteer! You'll be helping TAS champion the environment and grow our Mission.
UF GREBE Audubon Campus Chapter
Facebook Page
Our mission is to unite students together under the common interest in birds and their ecology through birding trips, workshops, and unique opportunities. Students from UF and Santa Fe are welcome to join.
Venice Area Audubon Society
Website
The purpose of Venice Area Audubon Society is to promote an understanding of and interest in wildlife and the environment that supports it, and to foster the cause of conservation with emphasis on birds and their habitats.
West Volusia Audubon Society
Website
The West Volusia Audubon Society, Inc. is a tax-exempt, non-profit corporation established in 1961. It is a chapter of the Florida Audubon Society and the National Audubon Society. Field trips are open to anyone interested in birding, wildlife watching, photography and/or exploring Florida’s natural areas. Check the website for details, but in general bring water, hat, sunscreen, binoculars, and dress for the weather. Some trips are all day. You may need to bring lunch, etc. We often carpool, especially on the longer trips. Gas money for the drivers is appreciated.

Reserves

Abbreviations Key

*Florida's State Parks
Website Satellite View
The first three-time winner of the Gold Medal honoring the nation's best state park system, the Florida Park Service is one of the largest in the country with 175 state parks, trails and historic sites spanning nearly 800,000 acres and 100 miles of sandy white beach. From swimming and diving in Florida's rivers and springs to birding and fishing or hiking and riding on natural scenic trails, Florida's state parks offer year-round outdoor activities for all ages. Battle re-enactments and Native American festivals celebrate Florida's history, while art shows, museums and lighthouses offer a window into Florida's cultural heritage.
*Protected areas of Florida
Information Satellite View
Arboreta, Trails, Forests, Nature Centres etc etc
BS Florida Keys Wild Bird Rehabilitation Center
Facebook Page Satellite View
The Florida Keys Wild Bird Rehabilitation Center began quite by accident in 1984, when a veterinarian asked a woodcarver to help with some injured birds. True to its Florida Keys heritage, the Center outgrew its home in Islamorada and moved to Tavernier where it continues to grow. Its primary purpose is to provide emergency and recuperative care for injured birds, but it is slowly evolving into a significant collection and distribution point for information about our environment.
BS Seaside Seabird Sanctuary
Website Satellite View
The Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary, Inc. is located in the town of Indian Shores in Pinellas County. It is unique among the Florida attractions and well worth the trip to visit. The Sanctuary is the largest NON PROFIT wild bird hospital in the United States that is dedicated to the RESCUE, REPAIR, RECUPERATION, and RELEASE of sick and injured wild birds. It is staffed by a group of experienced professionals assisted by many volunteers. Like a human hospital, it is equipped with emergency facilities, a surgical centre, recovery areas, and indoor and outdoor recuperation areas.
IBA Lake Okeechobee
Information Satellite View
At over 730 square miles (1880 square km), Lake Okeechobee is the second-largest freshwater lake entirely within the Lower 48 states (second only to Lake Michigan). Significant populations of Endangered, Threatened, FCREPA, and IBA species; significant numbers of aquatic birds, wading birds, and shorebirds; significant natural habitats.
IBA Orlando Wetlands Park
Facebook Group Satellite View
Tucked away on the far eastern fringes of Orlando is an ingenious combination of the practical and the aesthetic. To the untrained eye, the “Iron Bridge Easterly Wetlands” that comprise this park look like a preserved sliver of the “real” Florida. It is, in fact, part of the City of Orlando’s wastewater treatment system…
IBA Wakodahatchee Wetlands
Information Satellite View
Over 151 species of birds have been spotted inside the park, including pied-billed grebe, snowy egrets, and black-bellied whistling ducks. The park is also home to turtles, alligators, rabbits, frogs, and raccoons.
NC Audubon Center for Birds of Prey
Website Satellite View
Welcome to Audubon Center for Birds of Prey, one of Central Florida’s best kept secrets. Located in the city of Maitland and the Town of Eatonville, this urban environmental Audubon Center focuses on the rescue, medical treatment, rehabilitation and release of Florida’s raptors. Open to the public, Audubon Center for Birds of Prey offers educational opportunities for all ages.
NC Green Cay Wetlands and Nature Center
Facebook Page Satellite View
The Green Cay Wetlands and Nature Center are located at 12800 Hagen Ranch Road, which is in suburban Boynton Beach on the east side of Hagen Ranch Road, between Boynton Beach Boulevard and Atlantic Avenue…
NMS Florida Keys
Webpage Satellite View
In response to requests by the public, shifting environmental conditions and threats in the Keys, better scientific information, and legal requirements, Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council is conducting a review of sanctuary regulations, including the rules and boundaries for marine zones in the sanctuary and surrounding national wildlife refuges.
NP Canveral National Seashore
Webpage Satellite View
Canaveral National Seashore offers programs led by Park Rangers. Call or write the Information Centre or Park Headquarters for a schedule or to make arrangements for a program for your organisation.
NP Dry Tortugas
Webpage Satellite View
The islands are famous for their birds and were designated a sanctuary to protect them. Some of the birds you're likely to see include pelicans; sooty terns, which nest on the islands between May and September; and many tropical species…
NP Everglades
Webpage Satellite View
Everglades National Park protects an unparalleled landscape that provides important habitat for numerous rare and endangered species like the manatee, American crocodile, and the elusive Florida panther. An international treasure as well - a World Heritage Site, International Biosphere Reserve, a Wetland of International Importance, and a specially protected area under the Cartagena Treaty.
NR Emeralda Marsh Conservation Area
Information Satellite View
The crown jewel of bird watching in Lake County is also one of the most prized conservation areas in all of Central Florida…
NWR Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge
Webpage Satellite View
Where the Everglades begin.. Located within the northernmost part of the legendary Florida Everglades, Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee NWR is the only surviving remnant of the northern Everglades. The 146,000-acre refuge consists mostly of the sawgrass marsh that is so characteristic of the Everglades environment and is one of the few places where lucky observers might see the endangered snail kite searching for food…
NWR Great White Heron
Webpage Satellite View
Great White Heron NWR was established in 1938 as a haven for great white herons, migratory birds, and other wildlife. The refuge consists of almost 200,000 acres of open water and islands, and is known locally as the "backcountry." The refuge provides critical nesting, feeding, and resting areas for hundreds of species of birds and sea turtles.
NWR Key West
Webpage Satellite View
Key West National Wildlife Refuge (Key West NWR) is among the first refuges established in the United States. President Theodore Roosevelt created the refuge in 1908 as a preserve and breeding ground for colonial nesting birds and other wildlife, during the period when widespread plume hunting was devastating bird populations throughout Florida. Key West NWR is west of Key West, Florida, and accessible only by boat. Key West NWR consists of the Marquesas Keys and 13 other keys distributed across over 375 square miles of open water. The refuge encompasses 208,308 acres of land and water, with only 1 percent (2,019 acres) being land.
NWR Lake Woodruff
Information Satellite View
I have been visiting Lake Woodruff NWR regularly since 1988, and the information on this website is my subjective take on wildlife viewing and photography opportunites there, based solely on my experiences…
NWR Merrit Island
Webpage Satellite View
Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge (MINWR) is located on the John F. Kennedy Space Centre, east of Titusville, Florida. Established on August 28, 1963, the Refuge, managed by the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, provides a buffer zone for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in their quest for space exploration. Approximately one half of the Refuge's 140,000 acres consists of brackish estuaries and marshes. The remaining lands consist of coastal dunes, scrub oaks, pine forests and flatwoods, and palm and oak hammocks.
NWR St Johns
Webpage Satellite View
An inland salt marsh fed from saline upwellings from a confined aquifer in the eastern floodplain of the St. Johns River. The refuge was established in 1971 in an unsuccessful attempt to preserve the ?Dusky? Seaside Sparrow. Most of the refuge remains closed to the public, but plans are underway for some compatible wildlife-oriented uses.
NWR St Marks
Webpage Satellite View
The refuge was established in 1931 to provide wintering habitat for migratory birds. It is one of the oldest refuges in the National Wildlife Refuge System. It encompasses over 70,000 acres spread out between Wakulla, Jefferson, and Taylor counties, and includes about 43 miles along the Gulf Coast of northwest Florida.
SP Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife
Webpage Satellite View
Homosassa Springs State Wildlife Park boasts a grand variety of waterfowl including brown pelicans, mallard ducks, wood ducks, ruddy ducks and fulvous whistling tree ducks. These birds are common on waterways throughout the southeast. Wild wood ducks and mallards can also be viewed from the Long River bridge. The park has many birds in its care, most of which have permanent wing injuries.
SP Kissimmee Prairie Preserve
Webpage Satellite View
Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park probably supports the largest remaining population of Florida Grasshopper Sparrows, and contains other species of dry prairies, such as Mottled Ducks, Sandhill Cranes (both subspecies), White-tailed Kites, Crested Caracaras, Burrowing Owls, and Bachman's Sparrows. Several groups of Florida Scrub-Jays occur in patches of prairie scrub, and Whooping Cranes have been observed. The Park also contains two wading bird rookeries that total over 500 pairs, mostly of Great Egrets and Black-crowned Night-Herons. The Park may have great conservation value to wintering sparrows.
WMA Big Bend
Webpage Satellite View
The five units comprising the Big Bend Wildlife Management Area - Hickory Mound, Spring Creek, Tide Swamp, Jena, and Snipe Island - filled a void in a 200-mile stretch of the Gulf coast already protected in public ownership. Hunting and fishing are traditional activities and continue to constitute the major public recreation uses on all of these lands.
WMA Osceola
Webpage Satellite View
A vast area of pine flatwoods, cypress swamps, and wetlands. Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge is one of the most preserved freshwater habitats in the United States. It is a vast depressional area that supports a diversity of swampland. Most of the Refuge (390,000 acres; 157,833 hectares) is located in Georgia. Osceola National Forest supports the full diversity of pine flatwoods species, including Red-cockaded Woodpeckers
WMA Tosohatchee
Webpage Satellite View
Some of the best birding is along Power Line Road. This unpaved road runs east and west by pine flatwoods, becomes a berm through marsh and eventually ends at the St Johns river. It is not unusual for us to identify over thirty different species of birds from Eastern Bluebird, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Pileated Woodpecker and Eastern Phoebe to raptors such as Bald Eagle, Osprey and American Kestrel and various wading birds and other water fowl…
WS Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary
Website Satellite View
Corkscrew Swamp contains the world`s largest remaining old-growth Bald Cypress forest. A two-mile Boardwalk Trail winds through a primeval cathedral of towering 500 year old trees where a visitor can see the sights and landscapes of a Florida from long ago. Our self-guided boardwalk tour always provides quiet solace and inspiration for nature lovers, a haven for birders and photographers, and a place for everyone to share in the wonders of the natural world. The sanctuary has been untouched by humans and National Audubon Society strives to maintain its pristine condition. Therefore you won`t find us feeding captive animals or offering trained animal shows. But if you are thrilled by sight of a wild alligator, the chatter of birds and the sight of tropical flowers in bloom, then Corkscrew Swamp is for you.

Sightings, News & Forums

Florida Rare Bird Alert
Sightings
he report below shows observations of rare birds in Florida. Includes both unreviewed and reviewed/approved observations.

Guides & Tour Operators

Archaeopteryx Birding and Nature Tours
Tour Operator
Rebecca Smith and Gallus Quigley each bring unique pieces to our tours. Both share backgrounds in biology, bird banding and monitoring, and love of nature. Gallus Quigley is the lister and birder, he brings the ability to move through a list of desired species efficiently, which is perfect for the lister or twitcher. Those who have a target list and limited time will enjoy his ability to find those species and move on to the next one maximizing the number seen in a single outing. His detailed checklists save one the need to spend time writing and instead get more birding time in. Rebecca and Gallus together balance each other perfectly each one strengthens and balances the other. Both enjoy birds, butterflies, photography, and travel. No matter who leads your tour you’ll know the other helped in planning the perfect day for you. Each bring a vast knowledge of Florida, not just the birds and butterflies.
Bird Treks
Tour Operator
Bird Treks has been providing small group and custom birding tours for over 20 years. Visit their website to see the incredible tours available, including South Florida Specialties and the Dry Tortugas!
Birding Adventures
Local Tour Operator
Paddy Cunningham, Biologist Expert Guide and Instructor
Birding Ecotours
Tour Operator
Birding Ecotours, a leader in small group and custom-made birding adventures worldwide, offers an amazing tour to central and southern Florida peninsula, including the Everglades, the Florida Keys, and Dry Tortugas National Park!
Birding With David Simpson
Guide
I am a life long resident of central Florida, where I have been birding for over 25 years. I have over 25 years of experience leading tours, both through my previous job as a ranger at the St. Sebastian Buffer Preserve, as well as at festivals including the Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival and the Florida Birding festival. In addition to birds, I am familiar with all aspects of Florida wildlife and have an extensive knowledge of native plants, snakes, frogs, and many other critters you encounter in Florida
Eagle-Eye Tours
Tour Operator
On our Florida birding tour, we experience a range of fascinating habitats from upland pine forests, prairies and cypress swamps to mangrove swamps, hardwood hammocks, and the sheltered waters of the Florida Keys.
Everglades Adventure Tours
Local Tour Operator
Are you looking for an Everglades birding tour? Everglades Adventure Tours offers birding tours Everglades City for the bird watcher aficionado and/or for any individual who wishes to learn more about the 350 species of birds that can be found in the Florida Everglades.
FieldGuides
Tour Operator
A tour for numerous specialties from Central Florida south to the Keys and Dry Tortugas.
Florida Island Tours
Local Tour Operator
Take world-class bird photos near rookeries and along barrier island shores on our bird tour.
HeatherLea
Tour Operator
Florida is home to a huge variety of species and a great range of habitats, offering an ideal introduction to North American birding...
Honest Eco Tours
Guided Kayaking
Morning, afternoon, and sunset trips daily - You'll see aquatic birds, abundant fish, and shy invertebrates as you paddle a relaxed pace aboard the most comfortable and stable kayaks available. Experience the calm, clear, and shallow flats within the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Drift through mangrove islands to explore a truly beautiful and unique environment
Naturalist Jouries
Tour Operator
Find yourself far away from Florida’s bustling, tourist-packed theme parks on a Naturalist Journeys’ adventure that takes you deep into Florida’s wild side.
Nature Travel Birding
Tour Operator
Florida is a fantastic birding destination and in winter it comes alive! The Winters are mild in Florida, attracting an assortment of species, including resident species as well as birds from northern areas that migrated here for winter.
Nature is Awesome
Local Tour Operator
South Florida Specialities to amp up your ABA list? Contact us and we will help you get all the ABA countable exotic species and South Florida specialities on a day tour in the Miami Area with a splash of culture.
NatureTrek
Tour Operator
Swap the British winter for some Florida sunshine and experience the wide variety of birdlife that inhabits its woodlands, wetlands and sawgrass prairies.
Obsessive Compulsive Birding
Local Tour Operator
I specialize in general as well as customized birding tours, in and around Central Florida, to fit the wants and needs for making a successful birding experience.
She Flew Birding Tours
Tour Operator
Florida spring bird watching offers many advantages. Many birds found in the Caribbean and subtropical regions can be found in isolated populations in Florida. These restricted range species will be our targets for this Florida Specialties Tour!
South Florida Birding - Larry Manfredi
Tour Local Operator
We offer tours that cover the Dry Tortugas, Florida, the Bahamas, and the Caribbean. New and exciting tours are being planned all the time. By participating in one of our tours you can expand your horizons, birding in comfort and safety with an experienced guide.
Tour The Glades
Local Tour Operator
Everglades Birding Tours
Tropical Birding Tours
Tour Operator
South Florida: Birding Residents, Rarities & Exotics
WINGS
Tour Operator
Florida: The South, the Keys and the Dry Tortugas
lorida Bird Photography Tours
Local Tour Operator
Bird Photography Workshops & Tours

Trip Reports

2015 [09 September] - F Simpson - Florida Keys
Report
Annotated bird list for the most part.
2015 [11 November] - Jonathan Lethbridge
Report
...A three day trip in mid November (13th – 16th), hopefully to be a repeat of the trip I made in February and which I enjoyed hugely, and targeting a slightly different area I hoped to see a few different species...
2016 [05 May] - Birding Ecotours
PDF Report
...A short detour brought us face to face with Burrowing Owl, and just before dinner we enjoyed a small nesting colony of White- winged Parakeets. Of the many exotic parrots and parakeets flying about Miami, this established species is countable. Nearly-established species we saw included Mitred and Yellow-chevroned Parakeets...
2019 [12 December] - Jon Prochera
PDF Report
We were both amazed at the amount of birds we saw, even within Miami and other urban areas. Some species became very common including both Grackle species, mourning dove, Mockingbird, Loggerhead Shrike, Turkey Vulture and even to a lesser extent Osprey of which over 175 were estimated across our trip. We saw 155 species of birds and a good mix of mammals, reptiles and insects.
2021 [04 April] - Carlos Sanchez
Annotated Species List
We also saw some truly marvelous birds that inhabit this barely tropical part of the country, including Mangrove Cuckoo, Whitecrowned Pigeon, Florida Scrub-Jay, Red-cockaded Woodpecker, Burrowing Owl, and even a vagrant Bahama Mockingbird. The extension to the Dry Tortugas really rounded the trip out, with bustling colonies of tropical seabirds like Sooty Tern, Brown Noddy, and Masked Booby and solid numbers of migrants wandering around the fort such as Scarlet Tanager, Yellow-throated Vireo, Orchard Oriole, Hooded Warbler, and Broad-winged Hawk.
2022 [03 March] - Mark Thomas
Report
It’s hard to believe my love of this place began with my first trip to Florida forty years ago.
2023 [03 March] - Kyle Schanta
Report
Eagle-Eye Tours’ South Florida 2023 avian adventure showcased Florida’s unique mix of specialty birds, plant and animal communities and rare and endangered habitats.
2023 [04 April] - Jacob Roalef
Report
We enjoyed many fantastic bird sightings which included a variety of specialty species, migrants, seabirds, and ABA countable introduced species, giving us a fine list for southern Florida during our short nine-day visit. Avian highlights included Mangrove Cuckoo, Mottled Duck, Reddish Egret, White-crowned Pigeon, Limpkin, Piping, Wilson’s, and Snowy Plovers, Black and Brown Noddies, Mitred and Red-masked Parakeets, Scaly-breasted Munia, Spot-breasted Oriole, Cape May Warbler, Black-whiskered Vireo, and several ABA area rarities: Smooth-billed Ani, Tricolored Munia, and Red-legged Honeycreeper!
2023 [04 April] - Susan Campbell
Report
2023 [05 May] - Luis Gles
PDF Report
On this tour, we connected with many exciting South Florida specials, such as Bachman’s Sparrow, Red-cockaded Woodpecker, Brown-headed Nuthatch, Smooth-billed Ani, Mangrove Cuckoo, Shiny Cowbird, La Sagra’s Flycatcher, Bobolink, multiple species of warblers including, Prairie, Cape May, Magnolia, Blackpoll and Pine Warblers, Northern Waterthrush, Northern Parula, along with Fish Crow, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Mitred Parakeet, Grey Kingbird, Black-whiskered Vireo, Florida Scrub Jay, Red-whiskered Bulbul, Dickcissel, and Antillean Nighthawk. A total of 143 bird species were tallied in this fantastic clean-up trip.
2023 [12 December] - Kirsten Hines
PDF Report
The following is a list of species observed during the November 29 – December 5, 2023 South Florida Wildlife Photography Workshop
2024 [04 April] - Luis Gles
PDF Report
...Our south Florida tour kicked off with an early morning drive to the Hungryland Wildlife and Environmental Area, where we arrived before sunrise in hopes of catching the elusive Red-cockaded Woodpecker around their nesting trees in the Florida Pine Flatwoods habitat. On the way to the woodpecker spot, a pair of Northern Bobwhites surprised us by flushing from the edge of the trail...
2024 [05 May] - Jacob Roalef
PDF Report
This nine-day birding adventure of Florida began in Miami with some exploration of the Atlantic Coast, crossed the state to Fort Myers on the Gulf side, then headed back along the southern edge and down throughout the Florida Keys, before circling back to Miami for the trip’s conclusion.

Places to Stay

Florida Bed and Breakfast Inns
Accommodation
Florida Bed and Breakfast Inns is an association of premier small lodging accommodations throughout the state. Explore our site to discover the finest in traditional bed and breakfast inns, country inns, small oceanfront resorts and historic hotels…

State of Florida

Birding Florida

Bill Pranty

Wes Biggs

Number of bird species: 568

Number of endemics: 1

Audubon of Florida

Avibase

Florida Ornithological Society

Wikipedia

eBird

A Birder's Guide to Florida

ABA Field Guide to Birds of Florida

Birding Florida

Birding Florida - A Field Guide to the Birds of Florida

Birds of Florida

Birds of Florida Field Guide

Common Coastal Birds of Florida and the Caribbean

Florida Birds: A Folding Pocket Guide to Familiar Species

Florida's Birds : A Handbook and Reference

Guide to the Great Florida Birding Trail

National Goegraphic Field Guide to Birds: Florida

Chipola Feather Fest

Ding Darling Days

Everglades Birding Festival

Florida Birding & Nature Festival

Florida's Birding & Photo Fest

North Shore Birding Festival Event

Orlando Wetlands Park Festival

Raptor Fest at Boyd Hill Nature Preserve

Rookery Bay Festival of Birds

Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival

Archbold Biological Station

Caladesi Island Banding Station

Cape Florida Banding Station

Hammock Bird Banding

Old Myakka Bird Observatory

Audubon House & Tropical Gardens

Crowley Museum and Nature Center

Florida Museum of Natural History - Ornithology Collection

Alachua Audubon Society

Apalachee Audubon Society

Audubon Florida

Audubon Florida Everglades

Audubon in Florida

Audubon of Martin County

Audubon of Southwest Florida

Audubon of the Western Everglades

Bay County Audubon Society

Cedar Keys Audubon

Choctawhatchee Audubon Society

Citrus County Audubon Society

Clearwater Audubon

Collier County Audubon Society

Ding Darling Wildlife Society

Duval Audubon Society

Eagle Audubon Society

Flagler Audubon Society

Florida Keys Audubon Society

Florida Ornithological Society

Four Rivers Audubon Society

Francis M Weston Audubon Society

Friends of the Loxahatchee Refuge

Halifax River Audubon Society

Hendry Glades Audubon Society

Hernando County Audubon Society

Highlands County Audubon Society

Kissimmee Valley Audubon Society

Lake Region Audubon Society

Lee County Bird Patrol

Manatee County Audubon Society

Marion County Audubon Society

Nature Conservance in Florida

Oklawaha Valley Audubon Society

Orange Audubon Society

Pasco Audubon

Peace River Audubon Society

Pelican Island Audubon Society

Ridge Audubon Society

Sanibel-Captiva Audubon Society