Learn About
Florida's Birds!
Did you know that Florida has the greatest bird diversity east of the Mississippi River, as well as the largest populations of Red-cockaded Woodpecker, Wood Stork and Swallow-tailed Kite in North America? More than 500 bird species have been documented in the Sunshine State, including specialties such as the Florida Scrub-Jay, Limpkin, Snail Kite, White-crowned Pigeon and Mangrove Cuckoo. Birders flock from around the globe to see these and the other members of our colorful and spectacular avifauna, including waders, waterfowl, shorebirds, raptors, Neotropical songbirds and pelagic species. Learning about these species at home, prior to watching them in the field, enriches your birding adventures and make them more rewarding. Follow this process to hone your birding skills even more.
Read about Florida’s fascinating birdlife and check out the additional pages below to start preparing for your next outdoor excursion. Understanding your target species’ behavior, migration patterns, diet and habitat needs, for example, will make you a better birder.
- Visit the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's Wildlife Viewing website for information on viewing selected species such as Florida Burrowing Owl and American Oystercatcher.
- Check out the Florida Breeding Bird Atlas, where you can find distribution maps and species accounts for Florida's 215 breeding birds.
- Explore the natural history of many Florida bird species such as cranes and woodpeckers on FWC's wildlife pages.
- Read about 40 of Florida's most desirable birds and where to find them on the Birding Trail.
