NONPASSERINES
Canada Goose, Branta canadensis
Family Anatidae (Ducks, Geese)
Size: Large, but highly variable
Season: Winter in Florida
Habitat: Marshes, grasslands, public parks, golf courses
The Canada Goose is our most common goose and is often found in suburban settings. It is vegetarian, foraging on land for grass, seeds, and grain, or in the water by upending like the dabbling ducks. It has a heavy body with short, thick legs and a long neck. It is overall barred gray-brown with a white rear, short black tail, black neck, and a white patch running under the neck to behind the eye. During its powerful flight in classic V formation, the white across the rump makes a semicircular patch between the tail and back. Its voice is a loud honk. The illustration shows an adult.
Black-bellied Whistling Duck, Dendrocygna autumnalis
Family Anatidae (Ducks, Geese)
Size: 21”
Season: Year-round
Habitat: Shallow lakes, ponds, and marshes with nearby trees
The Black-bellied Whistling Duck is a medium-size duck with a flat head, and very long neck and legs, making it appear like a small goose. The back, lower neck, and breast are rusty brown with a black belly, tail, and undertail coverts. The head and upper neck are gray with a dark brown stripe along the crown and nape. The bill is large and orange, and the eyes have white eye rings. The wings are rounded with a long, white stripe, and it holds the head and legs low in flight. Black-bellied Whistling Ducks often feed at night for small invertebrates or plants from marshy fields and ponds. The voice is a series of high, whistled, squeaky notes. It is also known as the “tree duck” due to its habit of roosting and nesting in trees. An adult is illustrated.
Wood Duck, Aix sponsa
Family Anatidae (Ducks, Geese)
Size: 18”
Season: Year-round in Florida
Habitat: Wooded ponds and swamps
The regal Wood Duck is among the dabbling ducks, or those that tip headfirst into shallow water to pluck aquatic plants and animals from the bottom. The male is long-tailed, small-billed, with a dark back, light buffy flanks, and sharp black-and-white head patterning. It also sports a bushy head crest that droops behind the nape. The female is gray-brown with spotting along the under-sides and a conspicuous white, teardrop-shaped eye patch. Both sexes swim with their heads angled downwards as if in a nod, and they have sharp claws to cling to branches and snags. The illustration shows a breeding male, below, and a female, above.
Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos
Family Anatidae (Ducks, Geese)
Size: 23”
Season: Year-round resident
Habitat: Virtually any water environment, parks, urban areas
The ubiquitous Mallard is the most abundant duck in the northern hemisphere. It is a classic dabbling duck, plunging its head into the water with its tail up, searching for aquatic plants, animals, and snails, although it will also eat worms, seeds, insects, and even mice. Noisy and quacking, it is a heavy but strong flier. The male has a dark head with green or blue iridescence, a white neck ring, and a large yellow bill. The underparts are pale with a chestnut-brown breast. The female is plain brownish with buffy, scalloped markings. It also has a dark eye line and orangey bill with a dark center. The speculum is blue on both sexes, and the tail coverts often curl upward. Mallards form huge floating flocks called “rafts.” To achieve flight, a Mallard lifts straight into the air without running. The illustration shows a breeding male, below, and a female, above.
Mottled Duck, Anas fulvigula
Family Anatidae (Ducks, Geese)
Size: 22”
Season: Year-round in Florida
Habitat: Most aquatic areas, coastal marshes
A very close relative of the Mallard, the Mottled Duck is a common dabbling duck with similar foraging habits and quacking voice. In appearance, both sexes are similar to the female Mallard only darker and slightly larger. It is buffy brown overall with a lighter head and neck, and with no white on the tail. The male has a bright yellow bill; that of the female is darker. The greenish spec-ulum is seen primarily in flight. Some consider the Mottled Duck to be a subspecies of the Mallard. The illustration shows an adult male.
Gadwall, Anas strepera
Family Anatidae (Ducks, Geese)
Size: 20.5”
Season: Winter
Habitat: Shallow lakes, marshes
The Gadwall is a buoyant, plain-colored, dabbling duck with a steep forehead and a somewhat angular head. The breeding male is grayish overall, with very fine variegation and barring. The rump and undertail coverts are black, the scapulars are light orange-brown, the tertials are gray, and the head is lighter below the eye and darker above. Females and nonbreeding males are mottled brownish, with few distinguishing markings. In flight there is a distinctive white speculum that is most prominent in males. Gadwalls dabble or dive for a variety of aquatic plants and invertebrates, and often gather in large flocks away from the shore. The breeding female (top) and breeding male (bottom) are illustrated.
Green-winged Teal, Anas crecca
Family Anatidae (Ducks, Geese)
Size: 14”
Season: Winter
Habitat: Marshes, ponds
The Green-winged Teal is a cute, very small, active duck with a small, thin bill. The breeding male is silvery gray, with a dotted tawny breast patch, a pale yellow hip patch, and a distinct vertical white bar on its side. The head is rusty brown, with an iri-descent green patch around and behind the eye. Females and nonbreeding males are mottled brown with a dark eye line and white belly. Green-winged Teals dabble in the shallows for plant material and small invertebrates. They are quick and agile in flight, and sport a bright green speculum. They form very large winter flocks. The breeding female (top) and breeding male (bottom) are illustrated.
American Widgeon, Anas americana
Family Anatidae (Ducks, Geese)
Size: 19”
Season: Winter in Florida
Habitat: Shallow ponds, fields
The American Widgeon is also known as the Baldpate, in reference to its white crown. A wary and easily alarmed duck, it feeds from the water’s surface, often gleaning prey stirred up by the efforts of diving ducks. Its underside is a light cinnamon color with white undertail coverts, and its back is light brown. The male has a white crown and forehead with a very slight crest when seen in profile, and a glossy, dark green patch extending from the eye to the back of the neck. A white wing covert patch can usually be seen on the folded wing but is more obvious in flight. The head of the female is unmarked and brownish. The illustration shows a breeding male, below, and a female, above.
Northern Pintail, Anas acuta
Family Anatidae (Ducks, Geese)
Size: 21”
Season: Winter
Habitat: Marshes, shallow lakes, coastal bays
Among the most abundant ducks in North America, the Northern Pintail is an elegant, slender dabbling duck with a long neck, small head, and narrow wings. In breeding plumage, the male has long, pointed central tail feathers. It is gray along the back and sides, with a brown head and a white breast. A white stripe extends from the breast along the back of the neck. The female is mottled brown and tan overall, with a light brown head. To feed, the Northern Pintail bobs its head into the water to capture aquatic invertebrates and plants from the muddy bottom. It rises directly out of the water to take flight. The breeding female (top) and breeding male (bottom) are illustrated.
Northern Shoveler, Anas clypeata
Family Anatidae (Ducks, Geese)
Size: 19”
Season: Winter in Florida
Habitat: Shallow marshes, lakes, and bays
Also known as the Spoonbill Duck, the Northern Shoveler skims the surface of the water with neck extended to scoop up aquatic animals and plants with its long, spatula-like bill. It will also suck up the ooze from mud and strain it through bristles at the edge of its bill to retain worms, leeches, and snails. This medium-size duck seems top heavy due to its large bill. Plumage in the male is white beneath with a large, chestnut side patch and a dark green head and gray bill. The female is pale brownish overall with an orangey bill. The illustration shows a breeding male, below, and a female, above.
Blue-winged Teal, Anas discors
Family Anatidae (Ducks, Geese)
Size: 16”
Season: Winter in Florida
Habitat: Freshwater marshes and mud flats, wet agricultural areas
The Blue-winged Teal is a small duck that skims the water surface for aquatic plants and invertebrates, often forming large flocks. The male is mottled brown below with a prominent white patch near the hip area, dark above, and gray on the head with a white vertical crescent at the base of the bill. The female is brownish with scalloped flanks and a plain head with a dark eye line and pale at the lores. Both sexes have a light blue wing patch visible in flight. Also known as the White-faced Teal. The illustration shows a breeding male, below, and a female, above.
Ring-necked Duck, Aythya collaris
Family Anatidae (Ducks, Geese)
Size: 17”
Season: Winter in Florida
Habitat: Coastal marshes
The Ring-necked Duck is in the group of diving ducks that typically swim underwater to find plants and animal prey, although it may also behave like dabbling ducks and bob for food at the surface. This gregarious, small duck looks tall with a postlike head and neck and a peaked crown. The breeding male is stunning with its contrasting light-and-dark plumage and metallic, dark, brown-purple head. The base of the bill, which is gray with a white ring and black tip, is edged with white feathers. The female is more brownish overall with a white eye ring. The ring around the neck, for which it is named, is actually a very inconspicuous brownish band at the bottom of the neck in the male bird. Also known as the Ring-billed Duck. The illustration shows a breeding male, below, and a female, above.
Bufflehead, Bucephala albeola
Family Anatidae (Ducks, Geese)
Size: 14”
Season: Winter in Florida
Habitat: Inland lakes or sheltered coastal bays
The Bufflehead is a diminutive diving duck, indeed, the smallest duck in North America. Also known as the Bumblebee Duck, it forms small flocks as it forages the open water for aquatic plants and invertebrates. The puffy, rounded head seems large for the body and compared to the small, gray-blue bill. The breeding male is striking with a large white patch on the back half of its head, contrasting with the black front of its head and back. Its underside is white. The female is paler overall with an airfoil-shaped white patch behind the eye on a dark, gray-brown head. Flight is low to the water with rapid wing beats. The illustration shows a breeding male, below, and a female, above.
Hooded Merganser, Lophodytes cucullatus
Family Anatidae (Geese, Ducks)
Size: 18”
Season: Year-round
Habitat: Lakes, ponds, coastal waters
The mergansers are known as the Fishing Ducks or Sawbills. The Hooded Merganser is a small merganser, and has a small, thin bill, a long tail, and a dramatic crest. The males are black above and orange-brown below with a white breast divided by vertical black stripes. The long tertials are striped with white. The male’s crest can be low or raised to be tall and rounded and shows a clean white patch behind the bright yellow eye. Females are grayish brown, lighter below, and have a rusty-brown crest that is much shorter than the male’s and fans out to the back. Nonbreeding males are similar to females. Hooded Mergansers dive underwater for fish, amphibians, and invertebrates. The female (top) and breeding male are illustrated.
Red-breasted Merganser, Mergus serrator
Family Anatidae (Ducks, Geese)
Size: 23”
Season: Winter in Florida
Habitat: Sheltered coastal waters
The mergansers are known as the Fishing Ducks or Saw-tooths. They dive and chase fish of considerable size underwater and secure their catch with their long, thin bill, which is serrated along the edges. Both male and female Red-breasted Mergansers sport a fine, long, two-parted crest. The male has a white band around the neck, a dark head, a red bill, and gray flanks. The female is grayish overall with a brown head. The nonbreeding male closely resembles the female. Flight is low and quick on pointed wings. The illustration shows a breeding male, below, and a female, above.
Ruddy Duck, Oxyura jamaicencis
Family Anatidae (Ducks, Geese)
Size: 15”
Season: Winter in Florida
Habitat: Open water, fresh- or saltwater wetlands
The Ruddy Duck is a member of the “stiff-tailed ducks,” known for their rigid tail feathers that are often cocked up in display. It dives deep into the water for its food of aquatic vegetation and flies low over the water with quick wing beats. It is a relatively small duck with a big head and a flat, broad body. The breeding male is rich sienna brown overall with white cheeks, black cap and nape, and a bright blue bill. The female is drab with a conspicuous dark stripe across the cheek. Nonbreeding males become gray. The Ruddy Duck can sink low into the water, grebelike, and will often dive to escape danger. The illustration shows a breeding male, below, and a female, above.
Northern Bobwhite, Colinus virginianus
Size: 10”
Season: Year-round in Florida
Habitat: Brushy fields and open woodlands
The Bobwhite, like other quail, is a secretive, ground-dwelling bird that usually takes flight only if alarmed. It travels in coveys of ten or more while scavenging for seeds, berries, and insects. It is plump with a very short, gray tail. Its plumage is heavily streaked rufous, gray, and black. It has a white superciliary stripe and throat. The female is paler with a greater extent of rufous coloring and a buffy eye line and throat. Western and northern varieties of the Bobwhite tend to be lighter than the Florida group. Its call sounds somewhat like its name: bob-white. The illustration shows an adult of the Florida race.
Wild Turkey, Meleagris gallopavo
Family Phasianidae (Pheasants, Grouse, Turkeys)
Size: 36–48”; male larger than female
Season: Year-round in Florida
Habitat: Open hardwood forests
The Wild Turkey is a very large, dark, ground-dwelling bird, slim-mer than the domestic variety. The head and neck appear small for the body size, and legs are thick and stout. The heavily barred plumage is quite iridescent in strong light. Head and neck are covered with bluish, warty, crinkled bare skin that droops under the chin with a red wattle. Often foraging in flocks, Wild Turkeys roam the ground for seeds, grubs, and insects, and then roost at night in trees. Males emit the familiar “gobble,” while females are less vocal with a soft clucking sound. In display the male will hunch up with its tail up and spread like a giant fan. The illustration shows an adult male, eastern form.
Pied-billed Grebe, Podilymbus podiceps
Size: 13”
Season: Year-round resident in Florida
Habitat: Freshwater ponds and lakes
The Pied-billed Grebe is a secretive, small grebe that lurks in sheltered waters diving for small fish, leeches, snails, and crawfish. When alarmed or to avoid predatory snakes and hawks, it has the habit of sinking until only the head is above water until danger has passed. It is brownish overall, slightly darker above, with a tiny tail and short wings. The breeding adult has a conspicuous dark ring around the middle of the bill, missing in winter plumage. It nests on a floating mat of vegetation. The illustration shows a breeding adult.
American Flamingo, Phoenicopterus ruber
Family Phoenicopteridae (Flamingos)
Size: 48”
Season: Winter in Florida
Habitat: Saltwater flats, Florida Keys area
The rare American Flamingo walks slowly and steadily through shallows with its head upside down in the water, moving it from side to side to extract small aquatic prey and shrimp. It is unmistakable with its pink body, black wings, extremely long legs and neck, and thick, two-toned bill that bends down at its midpoint. It runs to take off and often flies in a flock forming long, single-file lines in the sky, emitting honking calls. Young Flamingos are very pale with gray on the back; they gradually acquire the pink plumage. The illustration shows an adult.
Rock Pigeon, Columba livia
Family Columbidae (Pigeons, Doves)
Size: 12”
Season: Year-round in Florida
Habitat: Urban areas, farmland
The Rock Pigeon is the common pigeon we see in almost every urban area across the continent. Introduced from Europe, where they inhabit rocky cliffs, Rock Pigeons here have adapted to city life, and domestication has supplied a huge variety of plumage colors and patterns. The original, wild version is a stocky, gray bird with a darker head and neck, and green to purple iridescence along the sides of the neck. The eye is bright red, and the bill has a fleshy, white cere on the base of the upper mandible. There are two dark bars across the back when the wing is folded, the rump is white, and the tail has a dark terminal band. Variants range from white to brown to black, with many pattern combinations. The illustration shows an adult.
White-crowned Pigeon, Patagioenas leucocephala
Family Columbidae (Pigeons, Doves)
Size: 13”
Season: Year-round in southern Florida along the Keys
Habitat: Forested areas, mangroves
The White-crowned Pigeon is a Caribbean species that is rare and threatened in Florida. It forages among trees for seeds and fruit, voicing its deep, cooing call. It is a large pigeon with short, rounded wings. The body is dark, slate gray with a white crown extending just below the white eye, and the nape is barred with iridescent feathers. The bill is red with a pale tip. In juvenile birds, the white cap is absent. The illustration shows an adult.
Eurasian Collared-Dove, Streptopelia decaocto
Family Columbidae (Pigeons, Doves)
Size: 12.5”
Season: Year-round in Florida
Habitat: Human-altered environments, pastures, rooftops
The Eurasian Collared-Dove was introduced to the United States from Europe and is gradually increasing its numbers here. It is a stocky, fairly large dove with a squarish tail. Plumage is light brown-gray overall with darker primaries, white along the outer edges of the tail, with a contrasting black streak around the nape. The eye is red and the bill is black. In appearance it is very similar to the smaller, paler Ringed Turtle-Dove. It eats mainly seeds and grain. The illustration shows an adult.
White-winged Dove, Zenaida asiatrica
Family Columbidae (Pigeons, Doves)
Size: 11.5”
Season: Year-round
Habitat: Open woodlands, desert scrub, urban and agricultural areas
The White-winged Dove is similar in shape to the Mourning Dove but is heavier with a shorter tail and broader wings. It is brownish- gray overall with dark wing tips and a broad white patch along the upper wing coverts that forms a white arc on the outer edges of the folded wing. The fanned tail shows white outer corners. There is a blue orbital ring around the brownish eye, and a black spot along the lower cheek. White-winged Doves forage for seeds, fruits, or cacti. The voice is an owl-like, mournful whoo-whoo-cawhoo. The adult is illustrated.
Mourning Dove, Zenaida macroura
Family Columbidae (Pigeons, Doves)
Size: 12”
Season: Year-round in Florida
Habitat: Open brushy area, urban areas
The common Mourning Dove is a sleek, long-tailed dove with a thin neck, a small, rounded head, and a large, black eye. Underneath, it is pale gray-brown and darker above with some iridescence to the feathers on the neck. There are clear, black spots on the tertials and some coverts, and a dark spot on the upper neck below the eye. The pointed tail is edged with a white band. The Mourning Dove pecks on the ground for seeds and grains, and walks with quick, short steps while bobbing its head. Flight is strong and direct, and the wings create a whistle as the bird takes off. Its voice is a mournful, owl-like cooing. It is usually solitary or found in small groups, but may form large flocks where food is abundant. The illustration shows an adult.
Mangrove Cuckoo, Coccyzus minor
Size: 12”
Season: Year-round in Florida
Habitat: Mangrove forests, hardwood hammocks, or scrub
The shy Mangrove Cuckoo skulks among trees picking out insects and caterpillars while voicing its nasal call of gaw-gawgaw-gaw. It is brown above and whitish to cinnamon-buff below, and the gray cap on the head is darkest just behind the eye. The bill is two-toned, with the upper mandible gray and the lower mandible yellow. The underside of the long, gradated tail is black with big white spots. The illustration shows an adult.
Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Coccyzus americanus
Family Cuculidae (Cuckoos)
Size: 12”
Season: Summer in Florida
Habitat: A variety of woodlands, streamsides, swamps
Like other cuckoos, the Yellow-billed Cuckoo is secretive and shy, hiding in vegetation where it picks insects, caterpillars, and fruit from trees. It is brown above with rufous flight feathers and crisp white below. The bill is yellow with black along the top ridge. The tail is long and gradated with large white spots on the underside. The illustration shows an adult.
Smooth-billed Ani, Croptophaga ani
Family Cuculidae (Cuckoos)
Size: 14”
Season: Year-round in Florida
Habitat: Open fields, grasslands, urban areas
The fairly rare but social Smooth-billed Ani is a grackle-size, scruffy black bird that often appears hunched or holds its wings and tail at odd angles. Its bill is large and laterally compressed, with the top mandible being much larger that the lower, and with a thin keel at the top edge. Plumage is black and tinged with brown on the head and neck and blue-green along the back, wings, and tail. It picks insects, fruit, and small reptiles or amphibians from the ground or branches. Its call is a questioning wa-eek? The illustration shows an adult.
Common Nighthawk, Chordeiles minor
Family Caprimulgidae (Nightjars, Nighthawks)
Size: 9”
Season: Summer in Florida
Habitat: Variety of habitats; forests, marshes, plains, urban areas
The Common Nighthawk is primarily nocturnal but may often be seen flying during the day and evening hours, catching insects on the wing with bounding flight. It is cryptically mottled gray, brown, and black, with strong barring on an otherwise pale underside. In the male, a white breast band is evident. The tail is long and slightly notched, and the wings are long and pointed, extending past the tail in the perched bird. In flight there is a distinct white patch on both sides of the wings. During the day, it is usually seen roosting on posts or branches with its eyes closed. Its voice is a short, nasal, buzzing sound. The illustration shows an adult male.
Chuck-will’s-widow, Caprimulgus carolinensis
Family Caprimulgidae (Nightjars, Nighthawks)
Size: 12”
Season: Year-round in Florida
Habitat: Woodland areas with clearings
Chuck-will’s-widow is a highly camouflaged, fairly large nightjar with a fat head, big, dark eyes, and a tiny bill. The body is thick and broad around the midsection, giving a hunched appearance. It is overall rusty or brown-gray, spotted and streaked with black. There are pale edges to the scapulars and a pale chin stripe above the dark breast. The tail is long and projects beyond the primaries. In flight note the long, pointed wings and white on the outer tail feathers in the male. Chuck-will’s-widow is nocturnal, feeding at night by springing from its perch or the ground for flying insects. During the day, it roosts on the ground or in trees with its eyes closed. Its voice is somewhat like its name, chuck-wil-wi-dow. The illustration shows an adult.
Chimney Swift, Chaetura pelagica
Size: 5”
Season: Summer in Florida
Habitat: Variety of habitats; woods, scrub, swamps, urban areas
The gregarious Chimney Swift is unrelated to the swallows but similar in shape. The body is like a fat torpedo with a very short tail and long, pointed, bowed wings that bend close to the body. It is dark brown overall and slightly paler underneath and at the chin. Constantly on the wing, it catches insects in flight with quick wing beats and fast glides. It never perches, but roosts at night on vertical cliffs, trees, or in chimneys. Its voice is a quick chattering uttered in flight. The illustration shows an adult.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Archilochus colubris
Family Trochilidae (Hummingbirds)
Size: 3.5”
Season: Summer; year-round in southern Florida
Habitat: Areas with flowering plants, gardens, urban feeders
The Ruby-throated Hummingbird is a small, delicate bird able to hover on wings that beat at a blinding speed. The long, needle-like bill is used to probe deep into flowers so the bird can lap up the nectar. Its feet are tiny, and its body is white below and green above. Males have a dark green crown and iridescent red throat, or gorget. Females lack the colored gorget and have a light green crown and white-tipped tail feathers. Their behavior is typical of hummingbirds, hovering and buzzing from flower to flower, emitting chits and squeaks. Most of these birds migrate across the Gulf of Mexico to South America in the winter. The illustration shows an adult male, below, and female, above.
Limpkin, Aramus guarauna
Size: 26”
Season: Year-round in Florida
Habitat: Shallow wetlands with vegetation
Named for its slow walking gait, which resembles a limp, the Limpkin looks somewhat like a small crane. It has a long neck, long legs, and a long, decurving bill. Its plumage is dark brown with white streaking down the head and neck and onto the front half of the body. In flight it holds the neck extended below the body creating a humpbacked appearance. Limpkins forage by walking steadily or swimming, picking out mollusk, apple snails, and other aquatic invertebrates. Its voice is a loud, raucous call. The illustration shows an adult.
Sora, Porzana carolina
Family Rallidae (Rails, Coots)
Size: 9”
Season: Summer
Habitat: Marshes, meadows
The Sora is a small, short-tailed, chicken-shaped rail with long, thin toes. Plumage is mottled, rusty brown above and grayish below, with white barring along the belly and sides. The head has a black patch between the eye and bill, and the bill is yellow and conical. The tail is pointed and often cocked up and flicked. The juvenile is pale brown below, with less black on the face. Soras feed along shorelines or at the edges of meadows for snails, insects, and aquatic plants. Their voice is a soft, rising ooo-EEP, and they are quite tame, being seen more often than other rails. The breeding adult is illustrated.
Clapper Rail, Rallus longirostris
Family Rallidae (Rails, Coots)
Size: 14”
Season: Year-round in Florida
Habitat: Coastal saltwater or brackish marshes, mangrove swamps
Also known as the Marsh Hen, the Clapper Rail is very shy and difficult to see. It lurks through marshy vegetation and usually chooses to walk or swim rather than fly. It forages by probing through mud and grass for a variety of small prey, vocalizing harsh, clattering kek-kek-kek sounds in rapid succession. It is a relatively thin rail with a long, slightly decurved bill. The plumage is gray-brown above with a pale rust breast and barred flanks. The illustration shows an adult.
King Rail, Rallus elegans
Family Rallidae (Rails, Coots)
Size: 15”
Season: Year-round
Habitat: Freshwater marshes, fields, occasionally brackish wetlands
Endangered in some regions, the King Rail is a large, secretive rail of primarily freshwater habitats. The very similar Clapper Rail is found mostly in brackish areas. It is shaped just like the Clapper Rail with a long, stout bill, short tail and wings, and a thin, chicken-like body. The coloration is similar too, but the King Rail has bolder, black barring on the lower flanks, and an orange-brown cast overall (not grayish). King Rails skulk through tall grasses, sedges, or cattails, searching for a wide variety of prey including insects, crustaceans, fish, and plants. Its voice is a series of sharp, raspy, metallic kek notes or a single note followed by a trill. The adult is illustrated.
Purple Gallinule, Porphyrio martinicus
Family Rallidae (Rails, Coots)
Size: 13”
Season: Summer
Habitat: Freshwater marshes
The Purple Gallinule is a beautifully colored version of the Common Gallinule, and is a type of rail that behaves more like a duck. It has a thick, conical bill and long, bright yellow toes and legs. The plumage is rich blue-purple below and on the head, and glossy green across the back and wings. The undertail coverts are white. The bill is red with a yellow tip, and its upper base merges with a pale gray-blue forehead shield. The sexes are similar, while juveniles are pale below and greenish-brown above. They fly reluctantly with legs that dangle behind the body. Gallinules walk across floating vegetation and marsh grasses, using their long toes for support, hunting for aquatic invertebrates, frogs, fish, seeds, or fruit. Their voice consists of chicken-like squeaks or clucks. The adult is illustrated.
Common Gallinule, Gallinula galeata
Family Rallidae (Rails, Coots)
Size: 14”
Season: Year-round in Florida
Habitat: Freshwater ponds and wetlands
The Common Gallinule, like the coot, is actually a type of rail that behaves more like a duck. It paddles along, bobbing its head up and down, picking at the water surface for any small aquatic animals, insects, or plants. Having short wings, it is a poor flier, but its very long toes allow it to walk on floating vegetation. It is overall dark gray with a brownish back, black head, and white areas on the tail and sides. In breeding plumage, the forehead shield is deep red and the bill is red with a yellow tip. The illustration shows a breeding adult.
American Coot, Fulica americana
Family Rallidae (Rails, Coots)
Size: 15”
Season: Year-round in Florida
Habitat: Wetlands, ponds, urban lawns, and parks
The American Coot is a rail like the Common Gallinule, but with a plumper body and thicker head and neck. It is a very common bird and becomes relatively tame in urban areas and parks. To feed, it dives for fish but will also dabble like a duck or pick food from the ground. It is dark gray overall with a black head and a white bill that ends with a narrow dark ring. In flight one can see the white trailing edge of the wings. The toes are flanked with lobes that enable walking on water plants and efficient swimming. Juveniles are similar in plumage but paler. Coots are often seen in very large flocks. The illustration shows an adult.
Sandhill Crane, Grus canadensis
Size: 45”
Season: Year-round in Florida
Habitat: Fields, shallow wetlands, savanna
The Sandhill Crane is a tall bird with long, strong legs, a long neck, and a long, straight bill. The long, thick, tertial feathers create the distinctive bustle on the rear of all cranes. The top of the head is covered by red, bare skin. Plumage is gray overall but may become spotted with rust-colored stains by preening with a bill stained by iron-rich mud. In flocks it grazes in fields gleaning grains, insects, and small animals, returning in the evening to roost in protected wetland areas. The voice of the Sandhill Crane is a throaty, penetrating, trumpeting sound. Unlike the heron, it flies in groups with the neck extended. The Florida population is nonmigratory and larger than northern races. The illustration shows an adult.
Black-necked Stilt, Himantopus mexicanus
Family Recurvirostridae (Avocets, Stilts)
Size: 14”
Season: Year-round in Florida
Habitat: Shallow wetlands, marshes, lagoons
The Black-necked Stilt literally looks like a tiny body on stilts. It has extremely long, delicate, red legs, and a thin, straight, needle-like, black bill. Wings and mantle are black and the underparts and tail are white. The head is dark above with a white patch above the eye. The female has a slightly lighter, brownish back. In flight the long legs dangle behind the bird. To forage, it strides along to pick small prey from the water or vegetation and may voice a strident, barking kek in alarm. Stilts are also known to perform the broken- wing or broken-leg act to distract predators. The illustration shows an adult male.
American Avocet, Recurvirostra americana
Family Recurvirostridae (Avocets, Stilts)
Size: 18”
Season: Winter in Florida
Habitat: Shallow wetlands, marshes, coastal lagoons
The elegant American Avocet has a long, delicate, black, upturned bill, and long, thin, blue-gray legs. The upperparts are patterned black and white, the belly is white, and the head and neck are light orange-brown punctuated by black eyes. The bill of the female is slightly shorter with a greater bend than that of the male. Non-breeding adults have a pale gray head and neck. Avocets use a side-to-side sweeping motion with the bill to stir up small crustaceans and insect larvae as they wade methodically through the shallows. They may even submerge their head as the water deepens. They are adept swimmers and emit a wheet! call in alarm. The illustration shows a breeding male, below, and a nonbreeding female, above.
American Oystercatcher, Haematopus palliatus
Family Haematopodidae (Oystercatchers)
Size: 18”
Season: Year-round in Florida
Habitat: Coastal beaches, tide pools
The American Oystercatcher is a chunky, short-tailed, and short-winged shorebird with a dark brown back, white belly, and black head. It has a heavy, knifelike, bright red bill, yellow eyes, and stocky, salmon-colored legs. In flight there is a distinct white bar across the secondary feathers. It follows the tidal pattern, foraging at low tide and roosting at high tide in groups with other shore-birds and gulls. It uses its bill to pry away shellfish—including oysters—from rocks, or to probe for worms. The bill is also used to jam open bivalves and devour the flesh. Its voice is a loud, piping call. The illustration shows an adult.
Black-bellied Plover, Pluvialis squatarola
Size: 11”
Season: Winter in Florida
Habitat: Open areas, coastal or inland
The Black-bellied Plover is a relatively large plover with long, pointed wings and a whistling flight call. Like other plovers, it feeds by scooting quickly along the ground and stopping suddenly to peck at small prey in the mud or sand, and then scooting along again. Its winter plumage is gray above and paler below with a white belly. The bill is short, black, and thick. In flight there is a distinctive black patch on the axillary feathers. In breeding plumage, it develops the sharply contrasting black belly, face, and front of the neck. The illustration shows a breeding adult, below, and a nonbreeding adult, above.
Killdeer, Charadrius vociferus
Family Charadriidae (Plovers)
Size: 10”
Season: Year-round in Florida
Habitat: Inland fields, farmlands, lake shores, meadows
The Killdeer gets its name from the piercing kill-dee call that one often hears before seeing this well-camouflaged plover. Well adapted to human-altered environments, it is quite widespread and gregarious. It has long, pointed wings, a long tail, and a conspicuous double-banded breast. Its upperparts are dark brown, its belly is white, and its head is patterned with a white supercilium and forehead. The tail is rusty orange with a black tip. In flight there is a noticeable white stripe across the flight feathers. The Killdeer is known for the classic “broken-wing” display, which it uses to distract predators from its nest and young. The illustration shows an adult.
Wilson’s Plover, Charadrius wilsonia
Family Charadriidae (Plovers)
Size: 8”
Season: Year-round in Florida
Habitat: Drier areas of coastal sandy beaches and flats
The Wilson’s Plover resembles the Semipalmated Plover but has shorter wings and a much longer bill. This tropical species is quite solitary and slow-moving, feeding mostly at night on insects, crabs, and coastal invertebrates. It is brownish-gray on the back and head with a pale streak above the eye and a white forehead, chin, and belly. Legs are dull pink. A dark ring encircles the neck, which becomes black in breeding plumage. The illustration shows a breeding adult.
Semipalmated Plover, Charadrius semipalmatus
Family Charadriidae (Plovers)
Size: 7”
Season: Winter in Florida
Habitat: Open sand or mudflats, coastal beaches
The Semipalmated Plover is a small, plump plover with pointed wings, large black eyes, and a relatively large, rounded head. It has a dark brown back and crown, is white below, and has a small, orange bill with a dark tip. The head has dark bands across the eye and encircling the neck. Legs and feet are yellow. Winter and breeding plumages are similar with the exception of an all-dark bill and lighter supercilium in winter. This widespread plover flies in flocks but disperses to feed, when it uses fast running interrupted by sudden stops to probe for invertebrates. Its name is derived from the partial webbing at the base of its toes. The illustration shows a breeding adult.
Whimbrel, Numenius phaeopus
Family Scolopacidae (Sandpipers)
Size: 17”
Season: Winter in Florida
Habitat: Coastal wetlands, farmlands
Also known as the Hudsonian Curlew, the Whimbrel is a large shore-bird with a very long, decurved bill. It is overall gray-brown, and paler beneath with barring. The head has a dark eye stripe and cap with a pale central crown stripe. Its legs are dark gray. Plumages in all seasons are similar. It forages singly or in small groups, probing or picking with its long, sensitive bill, searching for invertebrates and coaxing fiddler crabs from their burrows. Call is a soft ker-loo. The illustration shows an adult.
Long-billed Curlew, Numenius americanus
Family Scolopacidae (Sandpipers)
Size: 23”
Season: Winter in Florida
Habitat: Open grasslands, coastal mudflats, and beaches
Sometimes called the “Sicklebill,” the Long-billed Curlew is our largest curlew with and extremely long, thin, decurved bill (longer in females than in males). It is mottled gray-brown above with buff underparts. Facial markings are not pronounced, and the underside of the wings is a rich cinnamon color. It strides ahead in a deliberate manner with head forward, picking or probing for crustaceans and insects. Its large eyes enable it to feed in the dark hours of early morning. Its voice is a loud, ringing kur-lee! May form flocks with Whimbrels and Godwits during the winter months. The illustration shows an adult.
Marbled Godwit, Limosa fedoa
Family Scolopacidae (Sandpipers)
Size: 18”
Season: Most seasons except summer in Florida
Habitat: Coastal beaches, mudflats, marshes
As its name suggests, the Marbled Godwit is marbled, or barred, with dark across its buffy body, although the undersides lack marbling in winter plumage. The long, pinkish bill has a slight upcurved portion at the tip, where it becomes dark in color. Legs are dark, and the underwing is a rich cinnamon color. It also has a light superciliary stripe above a dark eye line. Marbled Godwits move about with slow, steady progress and probe in shallow water to find polychaete worms and crustaceans. Its call is a loud god-WIT. The illustration shows a nonbreeding adult.
Ruddy Turnstone, Arenaria interpres
Family Scolopacidae (Sandpipers)
Size: 9.5”
Season: Predominantly winter in Florida, although may be found year-round
Habitat: Wide variety of shoreline habitats, rocky intertidal to beaches and mudflats
The gregarious and frenetic Ruddy Turnstone is a chunky, short-legged shorebird with a short, wedge-shaped bill. The breeding adult has ruddy and black upperparts, a white belly, and a complex pattern of black and white on the head. The nonbreeding bird is pale brown and black above with drab head markings. The stubby legs are orange. In flight the bird is white below and strongly patterned light and dark above. Turnstones bustle about constantly to pick, pry, or probe for almost any food item. Indeed, it will “turn stones” to search for prey. The illustration shows a breeding adult, below, and a nonbreeding adult, above.
Red Knot, Calidris canutus
Family Scolopacidae (Sandpipers)
Size: 10.5”
Season: Primarily winter in Florida
Habitat: Coastal beaches and mudflats
The Red Knot is a compact, short-legged shorebird with a slightly down-curved bill. In Florida we mostly see it in nonbreeding plumage, which is mottled gray-brown above and pale below with light streaking. In breeding plumage, it has a rufous body with a grayish back and wings. The bill is dark, about the length of the head. In flight the long, pointed wings, which are gray underneath, can be seen. It forages by probing and picking in the mud or sand for a variety of small prey. Often forms tight flocks while roosting and feeding. The illustration shows a breeding adult, below, and a nonbreeding adult, above.
Sanderling, Calidris alba
Family Scolopacidae (Sandpipers)
Size: 8”
Season: Winter in Florida
Habitat: Coastal beaches, mudflats
The Sanderling is a common shorebird that runs back and forth following the incoming and outgoing surf, grabbing invertebrates exposed by the waves. It is a small, active, squat sandpiper with a short bill and legs. In nonbreeding plumage, it is very pale above and white below, which contrasts with its black legs and bill. There is a distinct black shoulder and leading edge on the wing. Females in breeding plumage are speckled brown above, while males develop rufous on the back, head, and neck. In flight one sees a white wing stripe on the upper wing. Sanderlings may form large foraging flocks and even larger flocks while roosting. The illustration shows a nonbreeding adult.
Western Sandpiper, Calidris mauri
Family Scolopacidae (Sandpipers)
Size: 6.5”
Season: Winter in Florida
Habitat: Salt- or freshwater wetlands, mudflats
The Western Sandpiper is one of the “peeps,” or very small sand-pipers. It has a relatively long, black bill that droops slightly, and black legs. In winter it is pale gray-brown above and white below. In breeding plumage, there is rufous on the scapulars and face, and much darker streaking on the breast and back. In flight there is a thin white stripe on the upper wing and a white rump with a dark, central stripe. Western Sandpipers feed in shallow water or at the tideline, probing or picking invertebrates and insects. They often form rather large flocks. The illustration shows a breeding adult, below, and a nonbreeding adult, above.
Dunlin, Calidris alpina
Family Scolopacidae (Sandpipers)
Size: 8.5”
Season: Winter in Florida
Habitat: Coastal beaches, mudflats
The name “Dunlin” comes from the word “dun,” which means a dull, gray-brown color, and which describes the winter plumage of this bird. It is a rather small sandpiper with a long bill that droops down at the tip. In breeding plumage, there is a black belly patch and rufous tones on the back. In flight one sees a white wing stripe on the upper wing and a white rump separated by a central dark line. It forms huge flocks, swirling and circling in unison. To feed, it walks steadily through shallow waters probing and picking crustaceans and other invertebrates. The illustration shows a breeding adult, below, and a nonbreeding adult, above.
Wilson’s Snipe, Gallinago delicata
Family Scolopacidae (Sandpipers)
Size: 10.5”
Season: Winter in Florida
Habitat: Salt- or freshwater marshes
The Wilson’s Snipe is a cryptically marked, short-necked shore-bird with a long, straight bill. The head is striped, and the back flanked with white stripes bordering the scapulars. The underside is white with extensive black barring. The legs are short and pale greenish-yellow. Plumage is similar in all seasons. While feeding, a Snipe probes rhythmically and deeply into the muddy substrate to extract worms, insect larvae, and crustaceans. Its voice is a loud skipe! when alarmed, and a whit, whit, whit, whit. Secretive and solitary, it will lift off in flight abruptly when alarmed. Its flight is erratic and zigzagging and includes “winnowing,” a display where air across the tail feathers whistles during a steep descent. The illustration shows an adult.
Spotted Sandpiper, Actitus macularius
Family Scolopacidae (Sandpipers)
Size: 7.5”
Season: Winter in Florida
Habitat: Creek sides, edges of lakes and ponds
The solitary Spotted Sandpiper is known for its exaggerated, constant bobbing motion. It has a compact body, long tail, and a short neck and legs. Its plumage is brown above and light below with a white shoulder patch. There is a white eye ring and super-ciliary stripe above a dark eye line. In breeding plumage, it develops heavy spotting from the chin to the lower flanks, and barring on the back. The bill is orange with a dark tip. In flight its short wings and the thin white stripe on the upper wing can be seen. To forage, it teeters about picking for small water prey and insects along the shoreline. The illustration shows a breeding adult.
Willet, Tringa semipalmata
Family Scolopacidae (Sandpipers)
Size: 15”
Season: Year-round in Florida
Habitat: Salt- or freshwater wetlands
The Willet is a heavy shorebird with a stout bill and conspicuous black-and-white wing markings in flight. It has overall mocha-brown plumage above and pale below with extensive mottling in the breeding season. It has white lores and eye ring, and its plain gray legs are thick and sturdy. It is found singly or in scattered flocks and picks or probes for crabs, other crustaceans, and worms in the mud and sand. Its call is a loud wil-let often uttered in flight. The illustration shows a nonbreeding adult.
Greater Yellowlegs, Tringa melanoleuca
Family Scolopacidae (Sandpipers)
Size: 14”
Season: Winter in Florida
Habitat: Salt- or freshwater marshes
The Greater Yellowlegs is sometimes called the “tell-tale” bird, as it is the sentinel of a flock that raises alarm when danger is near, flying off and circling to return. It has long, bright yellow legs, a long neck, a dark, slightly upturned bill, and a white eye ring. Its upperparts are dark gray and mottled, while its underparts are white with barring on the flanks. In breeding plumage, the barring is noticeably darker and more extensive. To feed, it strides forward actively to pick up small aquatic prey or chase fish. The Lesser Yellowlegs is similar but smaller. The illustration shows a nonbreeding adult.
Bonaparte’s Gull, Chroicocephalus philadelphia
Size: 13”
Season: Winter in Florida
Habitat: Coastal in winter, comes inland during migration
The Bonaparte’s Gull is a small gull named for the American ornithologist who was related to Napoleon. It is agile and ternlike in flight, skimming low over the water to snatch fish. It has a thin, sharp, black bill and red legs. Plumage in breeding season includes a black head that contrasts with its white body and light gray back and wings. The primaries form a white triangle against the dark trailing edge in flight. The nonbreeding adult has a mostly white head with a black eye and a small dark spot around the ear. A solitary gull, it does not form large flocks, and its nest is made of sticks in evergreen trees. The illustration shows a breeding adult, below, and a nonbreeding adult, above.
Laughing Gull, Leucophaeus atricilla
Family Laridae (Gulls, Terns)
Size: 16”
Season: Year-round in Florida
Habitat: Coastal beaches and marshes, urban environments, pastures
The Laughing Gull is so named because of its loud, often incessant, laughing squawk and is the only gull known to breed in Florida. Social and uninhibited, it is a relatively thin, medium-size gull with long, pointed wings. The breeding adult has a black head with white eye arcs and a dark red bill. Upperparts are dark gray, underparts are white, and wing tips are black with small white dots at the ends. The nonbreeding adult has a white head with faint dark smudging behind the eye. Laughing Gulls eat crabs, fish, and worms and will scavenge from humans for food or even steal from other birds. The illustration shows a breeding adult, below, and a nonbreeding adult, above.
Ring-billed Gull, Larus delewarensis
Family Laridae (Gulls, Terns)
Size: 18”
Season: Winter in Florida
Habitat: Widespread from coast to inland lakes and ponds, parking lots
The Ring-billed Gull is common and quite tame. It is a relatively small gull with a rounded, white head and a yellow bill with a dark subterminal ring. It has a pale gray back with black primaries tipped with white and white underparts. Its eye is pale yellow; its legs are yellow. The nonbreeding adult has faint streaking on the nape and around the eye. Ring-billed Gulls feed from the water or on the ground, taking a wide variety of food, and may scavenge in urban areas and dumps. The illustration shows a nonbreeding adult.
Herring Gull, Larus argentatus
Family Laridae (Gulls, Terns)
Size: 25”
Season: Winter in Florida
Habitat: Widespread, mainly coastal, but may travel inland; beaches, harbors, fields
The widespread Herring Gull occurs across the North American continent. It is a large, relatively thin, white-headed gull with a pale gray back and white underparts. The bill is thick and yellow with a reddish spot at the tip of the lower mandible. The primaries are black with white-spotted tips. The nonbreeding adult has brown streaking across the nape and neck. The legs are pink and the eye is pale yellow to ivory colored. The Herring Gull is an opportunistic feeder, eating fish, worms, crumbs, and trash. It is known to drop shellfish from the air to crack open their shells. The illustration shows a breeding adult, below, and a nonbreeding adult, above.
Sooty Tern, Onychoprion fuscata
Family Laridae (Gulls, Terns)
Size: 16”
Season: Summer in Florida
Habitat: Gulf Coast, Florida Keys, pelagic areas
Worldwide, the Sooty Tern is quite common and gregarious, forming huge breeding colonies. It has a dark, sooty-black back and white underparts with a white forehead patch. The bill is small and black, and the legs are black. The deeply forked tail is black with white outer tail feathers. The nonbreeding adult shows pale mottling on the nape and forehead. Juveniles are all dark with white spotting on the back and wings. Sooty Terns do not usually dive like most terns but drop down to the water surface to catch fish or squid, and may alight on floating objects without swimming. Illustration shows a breeding adult.
Least Tern, Sternula antillarum
Family Laridae (Gulls, Terns)
Size: 9”
Season: Summer in Florida
Habitat: Sandy coastal shores
The Least Tern is the smallest North American tern and the only tern with a yellow bill and legs. It has a black cap and white forehead patch, is pale gray above, and white below. The tail is forked, and the bill tipped with black. Nonbreeding adults have a dark bill and increased white on the front of the cap. In flight the wings are relatively narrow and there is a black bar on the outer primaries. Least Terns often hover over the water before plunge-diving to catch small fish. They also pick worms and insects from the ground. This sensitive bird was once threatened by development of its coastal, sandy breeding grounds. The illustration shows a breeding adult.
Sandwich Tern, Thalasseus sandvicensis
Family Laridae (Gulls, Terns)
Size: 15”
Season: Summer
Habitat: Coastal bays, estuaries, offshore waters, islands
The Sandwich Tern is a streamlined, slender seabird that is similar in shape to the Royal Tern but quite a bit smaller. It has a long, thin, black bill with a pointed, yellow tip, forked wings, short black legs, and a ragged black crest. The plumage is pale, pearly gray above and white below, with darker tips to the primaries (more visible in flight). The nonbreeding adults show white on the front half of the crown. Sandwich Terns plunge-dive into the ocean waters for fish, squid, or shrimp, and may often be seen associating with Royal Terns, especially on breeding grounds. The illustration shows a breeding adult (bottom), and a nonbreeding adult (top).
Royal Tern, Thalasseus maxima
Family Laridae (Gulls, Terns)
Size: 20”
Season: Year-round in Florida
Habitat: Coastal beaches, salt marshes
The Royal Tern is a large but sleek tern with pointed, thin wings, a black, crested cap, and a red-orange, pointed bill. It is pale gray above and white below with black legs. The nonbreeding adult has limited dark on the head, often reduced to a dark patch just behind the eye. The dark outer primaries are visible in flight. Like the Caspian Tern, the Royal Tern flies over the water surface, often hovering, and then plunging down to catch fish. It breeds on sandbars in the company of thousands of other birds. The illustration shows a breeding adult, below, and a nonbreeding adult, above.
Caspian Tern, Hydroprogne caspia
Family Laridae (Gulls, Terns)
Size: 21”
Season: Year-round in Florida
Habitat: Coastal and inland lakes and rivers
The Caspian Tern is a very large, thick-necked tern, the size of a large gull. It has a rich, red, pointed bill that is dark at the tip. The upperparts are very pale gray, the underparts are white, and the head has a black cap. The primary feathers are pale gray above and tipped with dark on the underside. The legs are short and black. The nonbreeding adult has pale streaks through the cap. In flight the Caspian Tern uses ponderous, shallow wing beats and is less agile than smaller terns. It flies above the water surface searching for small fish, plunging headfirst to snatch prey, and may rob food from other birds. Its voice is a harsh craw! The illustration shows a breeding adult.
Black Skimmer, Rynchops niger
Family Laridae (Gulls, Terns)
Size: 18”
Season: Year-round in Florida
Habitat: Coastal bays, estuaries, or inland freshwater rivers and lakes
The Black Skimmer has a most unique bill, in that the lower mandible is substantially longer than the upper. The red bill is also thick at the base and knife-thin toward the end. This aids in the foraging practice of flying just above the water surface, wings held above the body, with the mouth open and the lower mandible cutting a furrow through the water. When it encounters something solid, the mouth slams shut and, hopefully, the bird acquires a fish. Plumage is black on the back, wings, and crown, and white below. The legs are tiny and red. Nonbreeding adults have a white nape, contiguous with the white of the body. The illustration shows a breeding adult.
White-tailed Tropicbird, Phaethon lepturus
Family Phaethontidae (Tropicbirds)
Size: 30”
Season: Spring, summer, during migration
Habitat: Open coastal waters
The White-tailed Tropicbird is a graceful, tern-shaped bird often seen soaring to great heights. To feed, it drops and plunge-dives for fish and squid. Its plumage is white with contrasting black patches at the base of the primaries and long oblique black stripes along the inner wing. The head has a dark eye line and the bill is yellow-orange. The extremely long, delicate, inner tail feathers are conspicuous; they are lacking in the juvenile. Florida is the only reliable place to see this bird in the United States. The illustration shows an adult.
Common Loon, Gavia immer
Size: 24”
Season: Winter
Habitat: Coastal waters
Riding low in the water outside the surf zone, this heavy water-bird periodically dives for fish propelled by its strong, webbed feet. Designed for a life in the water, it has legs set far back on its body, which makes walking on land a clumsy affair and take-off into the air labored. We usually see this bird in its drab, gray-and-white plumage, which is unlike the flashy, black-and-white spotted plumage it sports during the summer in northern lakes. Its call is a haunting yodel but is not commonly heard while the Loon is in Florida for the winter months. It can be distinguished from other loons by the horizontal posture of its large bill (not held upwards). It’s fairly common in winter, scattered singly or in pairs along the coast. The illustration shows a nonbreeding adult.
Wood Stork, Mycteria americana
Size: 40”
Season: Year-round in Florida
Habitat: Salt or fresh open marshes
The Wood Stork is a large, somewhat unattractive bird with a white body, black flight feathers, and a featherless neck and head covered in blackish, scaly skin. The bill is long, decurved, and blunt at its tip. It forms flocks and feeds by probing its bill into the mud, stirring up prey such as fish and snakes. It flies with its neck outstretched in loose, unorganized groups. At rest it will stand motionless for an hour or more in a distinctive, upright posture with its bill tucked down and against the body. It roosts in man-grove or cypress trees and emits croaking sounds or chattering by snapping the upper and lower mandibles together. The illustration shows an adult.
Magnificent Frigatebird, Fregata magnificens
Family Fregatidae (Frigatebirds)
Size: 40”
Season: Year-round in Florida
Habitat: Coastal, southern keys
The Magnificent Frigatebird can be seen soaring effortlessly for hours, high in the air off the coast. To feed, it skims the surface of the water in flight to snatch fish, or may steal food from other sea-birds. It has long, slender wings and a deeply forked tail. The bill is long and hooked. Males are black overall with a curious red throat patch that can be inflated like a balloon. Females have a white belly and sides. The illustration shows an adult female.
Northern Gannet, Morus bassanus
Size: 36”
Season: Winter in Florida
Habitat: Open ocean close to shore
The name “Gannet” derives from “gander” and alludes to the goose-like shape of this seabird. Often forming very large groups, the Northern Gannet alternates rapid wing beats with soaring flight. To feed, it forms its body into a sleek arrow shape and dramatically plunges headfirst into the ocean, completely submerging itself to catch fish. Its body is sleek and white with black flight feathers. The upper part of the head is pale yellow; the bill is thick, pointed, and bluish. The eye seems small and is enveloped in a thin black ring and lores. The juvenile is dark and spotted with white. The illustration shows an adult.
Double-crested Cormorant, Phalacrocorax auritus
Family Phalacrocoracidae (Cormorants)
Size: 32”
Season: Year-round resident in Florida
Habitat: Open fresh- or salt water
Named for the two long, white plumes that emerge from behind its eyes during breeding season, the Double-crested Cormorant is an expert swimmer that dives underwater to chase down fish. Because its plumage lacks the normal oils to repel water, it will stand with wings outstretched to dry itself. It is all black with a pale, glossy cast on the back and wings. The eye is bright green, the bill thin and hooked, and the throat patch and lores yellow. The illustration shows a breeding adult.
Anhinga, Anhinga anhinga
Size: 34”
Season: Year-round resident in Florida
Habitat: Freshwater ponds and swamps
With a cormorant-like body and snakelike neck, the Anhinga swims underwater to spear fish with its sharp, daggerlike bill. It can be seen with only its head above water or soaring high above the marshes and will often stand with wings outstretched to dry them. Its body is black with finely patterned white streaks; its tail is long, barred with white and tipped with brown. The female has a pale brown neck and head, while that of the male is all black. In breeding plumage, the male develops an upturned crest. The illustration shows an adult female.
American White Pelican, Pelecanus erythrorhynchos
Size: 62”
Season: Winter and spring in Florida
Habitat: Coastal waters, open freshwater
One of our largest birds, the American White Pelican has a wing-span of over 9 feet and is white overall with black flight feathers. The massive bill is orange with a membranous, expandable throat pouch. In posture it keeps its neck in a characteristic strong kink and holds its folded wings with a peak along the back. It often feeds in cooperative groups, swimming along, herding fish, and scooping them up by dipping the bill in the water. It never plunge-dives like the Brown Pelican. In breeding plumage, a strange horny growth appears on the upper mandible. The illustration shows a nonbreeding adult.
Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis
Family Pelecanidae (Pelicans)
Size: 50”
Season: Year-round in Florida
Habitat: Coastal waters
The majestic Brown Pelican enlivens the coastal waters with its spectacular feeding process of plunge-diving for fish, headfirst, from some height. In flight it often cruises in formation inches from incoming swells, gaining lift and rarely needing to flap its wings. Its plumage is a bleached gray-brown overall with a white head and neck and a massive bill. In breeding, the head is pale yellow with a brown-red nape patch and a black strip down the back of the neck. Quite gregarious, it may nest in mangrove trees or in slight depressions in the sand or rocks. The illustration shows a breeding adult.
American Bittern, Botaurus lentiginosus
Family Ardeidae (Herons, Egrets)
Size: 27”
Season: Winter
Habitat: Marshy areas with dense vegetation
The American Bittern is a fairly large, secretive heron with a small head, a long, straight bill, and a thick body. It has a habit of standing still with its neck and bill pointed straight up to imitate the surrounding reeds. Its plumage is very cryptic. Above it is variegated brown and tan, and below it is pale brown or whit-ish with thick, rust-colored streaking that extends up the neck. The bill is yellow-green and dark on the upper mandible. A dark patch extends from the lower bill to the upper neck. The legs are yellow-green and thick. American Bitterns skulk slowly through reeds and grasses to catch frogs, insects, and invertebrates. The adult is illustrated.
Least Bittern, Ixobrychus exilis
Family Ardeidae (Herons, Egrets)
Size: 13”
Season: Year-round in central and southern Florida; summer in northern Florida
Habitat: Fresh or brackish marshes
The Least Bittern is our smallest heron, secretive, and more often heard than seen. It creeps and clambers through densely vegetated marshes searching for frogs, invertebrates, and other aquatic creatures, emitting a soft cooing call or kaw when disturbed. It is rarely seen in flight. Its back is a dark blue-gray, its mid-wing and body a buffy brown with white streaking. The crown is dark gray and the bill is yellow and pointed. Legs and feet are yellow with long, thin toes for grasping clumps of vegetation. The female is paler along the back and crown. When alarmed, it will stand motionless with its head straight up, imitating a stalk of reeds. The illustration shows an adult male.
Great Blue Heron, Ardea herodias
Family Ardeidae (Herons, Egrets)
Size: 46”
Season: Year-round in Florida
Habitat: Most aquatic areas, lakes, creeks, marshes
The Great Blue Heron is the largest heron in North America. Walking slowly through shallow water or fields, it stalks fish, crabs, and small vertebrates with the help of its massive bill. With long legs and neck, it is blue-gray overall with a white face and heavy, yellow-orange bill. The crown is black and supports plumes of medium length. The front of the neck is white with distinct black chevrons fading into breast plumes. In flight the neck is tucked back and wing beats are regular and labored. The illustration shows an adult.
Great Blue Heron (White Morph) or “Great White Heron”
Family Ardeidae (Herons, Egrets)
Size: 46”
Season: Year-round in Florida
Habitat: Most aquatic areas, lakes, creeks, marshes
Once considered to be a separate species, this is the white version of the Great Blue Heron. It is identical to the normal morph except in plumage color. Compare it with the Great Egret, which is smaller and has a thinner bill and black legs. A hybrid between the Great Blue and the Great White exists, called the Wurdemann’s Heron, which has a gray body and white head and neck. The illustration shows an adult.
Cattle Egret, Bubulcus ibis
Family Ardeidae (Herons, Egrets)
Size: 20”
Season: Year-round in Florida
Habitat: Upland fields, often near cattle in grazing land
The Cattle Egret is a widespread species originally from Africa and now quite common in the Southeast. Unlike most herons, it is not normally found in aquatic environments. It forms groups around cattle, often perching atop them, and feeds on insects aroused by the movement of their hooves. It is stocky and all white with a comparatively short yellow bill and short black legs. In breeding plumage, the legs and bill turn a bright orange, and a peachy, pale yellow forms on the crown, breast, and back. The illustration shows a nonbreeding adult.
Snowy Egret, Egretta thula
Family Ardeidae (Herons, Egrets)
Size: 24”
Season: Year-round in Florida
Habitat: Open water, marshes, mangrove swamps
The Snowy Egret is all white with lacy plumes across the back in breeding season. The bill is slim and black, and the legs are black with bright yellow feet. The juvenile has greenish legs with a yellow stripe along the front. It forages for fish and frogs along the shore by moving quickly, shuffling to stir up prey, and stabbing it. Sometimes it may run to pursue its prey. One can remember the name of this bird by thinking that it wears yellow “boots” because it is cold or “snowy.” The illustration shows a breeding adult.
Great Egret, Ardea alba
Family Ardeidae (Herons, Egrets)
Size: 38”
Season: Year-round in Florida
Habitat: Fresh- or saltwater marshes
One of our most widespread herons, the Great Egret is all white with a long, thin, yellow bill and long black legs. It develops long, lacy plumes across its back during breeding season. Stalking slowly, it pursues fish, frogs, and other aquatic animals. The illustration shows a breeding adult.
Tricolored Heron, Egretta tricolor
Family Ardeidae (Herons, Egrets)
Size: 26”
Season: Year-round in Florida
Habitat: Salt marshes, mangrove swamps
The Tricolored Heron is a thin, bluish-gray heron with a white belly and brownish neck stripe and lower back. In nonbreeding plumage, it has yellow lores and an orangey bill, but in breeding season, this area of the lores and bill are blue and the bill has a dark tip. It also develops plumes behind the ears and across the lower back. To feed, it will actively pursue prey or stand motionless, waiting to stab a fish or frog with its thin, spearlike bill. The illustration shows a breeding adult.
Little Blue Heron, Egretta caerulea
Family Ardeidae (Herons, Egrets)
Size: 25”
Season: Year-round in Florida
Habitat: Freshwater or coastal swamps
The Little Blue Heron is a medium-size heron that skulks along shorelines with vegetative cover, often using its wings to cast a shadow over the water to see and attract fish. It is overall slate blue with a purple cast on the neck. The bill is pale gray with a dark tip, and the legs are greenish. The juvenile is all white with small dark tips on the primaries, and it can be confused with other white herons. The illustration shows an adult.
Reddish Egret, Egretta rufescens
Family Ardeidae (Herons, Egrets)
Size: 26”
Season: Year-round in Florida
Habitat: Coastal lagoons
The Reddish Egret is thick-necked and has two color morphs: an all-white version and the more common dark version. The dark morph is gray with a rusty-reddish neck lined with stringy coarse feathers that give it a disheveled look. The bill is long and powerful and pinkish with a black tip. A quite active bird, it often runs through the shallows and chases after fish like a maniac. It also employs the technique of creating an area of shade with its outstretched wings to attract fish and see them better. Usually solitary. The illustration shows an adult.
Green Heron, Butorides virescens
Family Ardeidae (Herons, Egrets)
Size: 18”
Season: Year-round in Florida
Habitat: Ponds, creeks, coastal wetlands (fresh- or salt water)
The Green Heron is a compact, crow-size heron that perches on low branches over the water, crouching forward to search for fish, snails, and insects. It is known to toss a bug into the water to help attract fish. The Green Heron is really not so green but a dull, grayish-blue with a burgundy-chestnut-colored neck and black crown. The bill is dark and the legs are bright yellow-orange. When disturbed, it will erect its crest feathers, stand erect, and twitch its tail. Fairly secretive and solitary. The illustration shows an adult.
Black-crowned Night-Heron, Nycticorax nycticorax
Family Ardeidae (Herons, Egrets)
Size: 25”
Season: Year-round in Florida
Habitat: Marshes, swamps with wooded banks
The nocturnal Black-crowned Night-Heron is a stocky, thick-necked heron with a comparatively large head and sharp, heavy, thick bill. It has pale gray wings, white underparts, and black crown, back, and bill. The eyes are piercing red and legs are yellow. In breeding plumage, it develops long, white plumes on the rear of the head. During the day, it roosts in groups, but at night it forages alone, waiting motionless for prey such as fish or crabs. It may even raid the nests of other birds for their young. Its voice is composed of low-pitched barks and croaks. The illustration shows an adult.
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, Nyctanassa violacea
Family Ardeidae (Herons, Egrets)
Size: 24”
Season: Year-round in Florida
Habitat: Marshes, ponds, coastal shrubs
Shaped somewhat like the Black-crowned Night-Heron, the Yellow-crowned Night-Heron is blue-gray overall with a black face, white cheek patch, and slim, pale crown that is not really yellow but whitish or pale buff. In breeding plumage, it develops plumes from behind the crest. Its eyes are large and red, and its legs are yellow. The immature bird is drab brown-gray, mottled with light streaks. It is nocturnal but will occasionally feed during the day for crustaceans and other aquatic animals, roosting in groups at night. The illustration shows an adult.
Glossy Ibis, Plegadis falcinellus
Family Threskiornithidae (Ibises, Spoonbills)
Size: 23”
Season: Summer
Habitat: Freshwater or brackish marshes, bays, estuaries
The Glossy Ibis became established in the United States only recently and is gradually expanding its range. In appearance it is like a small heron or a robust curlew and is nearly identical to the White Ibis. It has long legs for wading, a short tail, thin neck, and a long, stout, decurved bill for probing deep into mud. The color is dark, chestnut brown overall, with darker, glossy, greenish-brown wings, two thin whitish lines between the eye and the bill, and dark eyes. Nonbreeding adults are darker overall with a speckled brown-and-white head and neck. Unlike herons, ibises fly with their necks outstretched, with quick wing beats punctuated by short glides. They walk through shallow water and mud, probing for a variety of prey including insects and crustaceans. The breeding adult is illustrated.
White Ibis, Eudocimus albus
Family Threskiornithidae (Ibises, Spoonbills)
Size: 25”
Season: Year-round in Florida
Habitat: Salt marshes, swamps, mangroves, fields
Fairly common in southern Florida, the White Ibis forages in groups, probing the mud and shallow water for small aquatic animals and invertebrates. It is all white except for the black tips of the primaries, which are rarely visible unless the wings are outstretched. The long, downward-curved bill is red with a darker tip and meets the face in unfeathered, reddish-pink facial skin to the eye. Legs are red. The juvenile is dark brown above with a dark, streaky neck. Ibises fly with necks outstretched, unlike herons, which fly with the neck folded back. The illustration shows an adult.
Roseate Spoonbill, Platalea ajaja
Family Threskiornithidae (Ibises, Spoonbills)
Size: 32”
Season: Year-round in southern Florida
Habitat: Shallow saltwater wetlands, mangrove marshes, agricultural fields
The Roseate Spoonbill is easily identified by its unique feeding technique of swinging its bill from side to side in shallow water or mud for fish, shrimp, and other small aquatic life. Unlike the heron, it constantly moves forward and seldom remains stationary. Its body is pink with red in the shoulders; its neck is white and tail is orange. The face is pale green-gray bordered by a black feathered patch. The bill is very long, thick at the base, and thinning to a compressed, spatula shape. It flies with neck outstretched. While resting, they will stand on one leg for considerable lengths of time. The illustration shows an adult.
Turkey Vulture, Cathartes aura
Family Cathartidae (New World Vultures)
Size: 27”
Season: Year-round in Florida
Habitat: Open, dry country
The Turkey Vulture is known for its effortless, skilled soaring. It will often soar for hours without flapping, rocking in the breeze on its long, 6-foot wings that form an upright V shape, or dihedral. It has a black body and inner wing with pale flight feathers and tail, which gives it a noticeable two-toned appearance from below. The tail is longish, and the feet extend to no more than halfway past the base of the tail. Its head is naked, red, and small, so the bird appears almost headless in flight. The bill is strongly hooked to aid in tearing apart its favored prey of carrion. Juveniles have a dark gray head. Often roosts in flocks and forms groups around food or at a roadkill site. The illustration shows an adult.
Black Vulture, Coragyps atratus
Family Cathartidae (New World Vultures)
Size: 25”
Season: Year-round in Florida
Habitat: Open, dry country
Like the Turkey Vulture, the Black Vulture is adept at soaring. Its wing beats, however, are faster, and while soaring, it holds its wings at a flat angle instead of a dihedral. It is stocky in physique, has a short, stubby tail, and shorter wings than the Turkey Vulture. The primaries are pale on an otherwise black body, and the head is bald and gray. It eats carrion and garbage and is quite aggressive at feeding sites. The illustration shows an adult.
Osprey, Pandion haliaetus
Size: 23”; female larger than male
Season: Year-round in Florida
Habitat: Always near water, salt or fresh
Also known as the Fish Hawk, the Osprey exhibits a dramatic feeding method in which it plunges feetfirst into the water to snag fish. Sometimes it may completely submerge itself, and then laboriously fly off with its heavy catch. It is dark brown above, white below, and has a distinct, dark eye stripe contiguous with the nape. Females show a dark, mottled “necklace” across the breast, and juveniles have pale streaking on the back. Ospreys fly with an obvious crook at the wrist, appearing gull-like. Its wings are long and narrow with a dark carpal patch. The illustration shows an adult.
Snail Kite, Rostrhamus sociabilis
Size: 17”
Season: Year-round in Florida
Habitat: Freshwater marshes
Also known as the Everglade Kite, the Snail Kite is a tropical species with very specific feeding habits. It relies almost exclusively on a certain “apple snail” that it snatches from the grass while in flight. It then removes the flesh from its shell with its sharply hooked bill and sharp talons. The plumage is dark overall except for the front half of the tail, which is white. Males are dark slate gray with red legs. Females are dark brown with a streaked breast and lighter facial markings. Florida is the only US state in which to find the Snail Kite, and its numbers are very sensitive to habitat changes and the availability of snails. The illustration shows a male, below, and a female, above.
White-tailed Kite, Elanus leucurus
Family Accipitridae (Raptors)
Size: 15”
Season: Year-round
Habitat: Open grasslands with trees or thickets, roadsides
The White-tailed Kite, also known as the Black-shouldered Kite, is an elegant kite with long, pointed wings, a long tail, and a small, hooked bill. It is gray above, with a large black shoulder patch and a white tail. The underside and head are white, with gray on the nape and black around the red eyes, giving an angry expression. Juveniles have brown streaking across the neck and on the crown. White-tailed Kites fly with a slight dihedral angle to the wings, and they have a black spot at the wrist on the underwing. They patrol grasslands in the air or from a perch, and hover before attacking their prey of rodents and reptiles. The adult is illustrated.
Swallow-tailed Kite, Elanoides forficatus
Family Accipitridae (Raptors)
Size: 23”
Season: Summer in Florida
Habitat: Wooded environments, wetlands
The Swallow-tailed Kite is a graceful, skilled flier that feeds on the wing, catching insects midair or snatching reptiles from tree branches. It even drinks by skimming along the water surface. It resembles a large swallow with its long, deeply forked tail and long, thin wings. The body and head are white, and the back, tail, and wings are black. The bill is small and hooked, and the eye is dark. May flock together while feeding or during migration to and from its winter home in South America. The illustration shows an adult.
Bald Eagle, Haliaeetus leucocephalus
Family Accipitridae (Raptors)
Size: 30–40”; female larger than male
Season: Year-round in Florida
Habitat: Seashores, lakes, rivers with tall perches or cliffs
The Bald Eagle is a large raptor that is widespread but fairly uncommon. It eats fish or scavenges dead animals and may congregate in large numbers where food is abundant. Its plumage is dark brown contrasting with a white head and tail. Juveniles show white splotching across the wings and breast. The yellow bill is large and powerful, and the talons are large and sharp. In flight it holds its wings fairly flat and straight, resembling a long plank. Bald Eagles make huge nests of sticks high in trees. The illustration shows an adult.
Northern Harrier, Circus cyaneus
Family Accipitridae (Raptors)
Size: 18”; female larger than male
Season: Winter in Florida
Habitat: Open fields and wetlands
Also known as the Marsh Hawk, the Northern Harrier flies low to the ground, methodically surveying its hunting grounds for rodents and other small animals. When it spots prey, aided by its acute hearing, it will drop abruptly to the ground to attack. It is a thin raptor with long, flame-shaped wings that are broad in the middle, and a long tail. The face has a distinct, owl-like facial disk and there is a conspicuous white patch at the rump. Males are gray above with a white, streaked breast and black wing tips. Females are brown with a barred breast. The juvenile is similar in plumage to the female but with a pale belly. The illustration shows a female, below, and a male, above.
Sharp-shinned Hawk, Accipiter striatus
Family Accipitridae (Raptors)
Size: 10–14”; female larger than male
Season: Winter in Florida
Habitat: Woodlands, bushy areas
The Sharp-shinned Hawk is our smallest accipiter, with a longish, squared tail and stubby, rounded wings. Its short wings allow for agile flight in tight, wooded quarters, where it quickly attacks small birds in flight. It is grayish above and light below, barred with pale rufous. Eyes are set forward on the face to aid in the direct pursuit of prey. The juvenile is white below streaked with brown. Compare it with the larger Cooper’s Hawk. The illustration shows an adult.
Cooper’s Hawk, Accipiter cooperii
Family Accipitridae (Raptors)
Size: 17”; female larger than male
Season: Winter in southern Florida, year-round in northern Florida
Habitat: Woodlands
The Cooper’s Hawk perches stealthily and then, on the wing through thickets, ambushes its prey of smaller birds or mammals. Its plumage is very similar to the Sharp-shinned Hawk, although the Cooper’s Hawk is larger in size, has a slightly longer, rounded tail, thinner wings, and a relatively larger head. Its eyes are set more in the middle of the face. Unlike the Sharp-shinned Hawk, Cooper’s Hawks may perch and hunt in open country. The illustration shows an adult.
Red-shouldered Hawk, Buteo lineatus
Family Accipitridae (Raptors)
Size: 17”
Season: Year-round in Florida
Habitat: Wooded areas near water
The Red-shouldered Hawk is a solitary, small, accipiter-like buteo with a long tail. It waits patiently on its perch before flying down to attack a variety of small animals. It has a banded black-and-white tail and spotted dark wings. The head and shoulder are rust-colored, while the breast is light with rust barring. Its legs are long and yellow and its bill is hooked. In flight there is a pale arc just inside the wing tips, and it flaps with quick wing beats followed by short glides. The Florida population is much paler overall than its western counterparts. The illustration shows an adult, Florida race.
Short-tailed Hawk, Buteo brachyurus
Family Accipitridae (Raptors)
Size: 16”
Season: Year-round in southern Florida
Habitat: Forest or mixed woodland/grassland
The reclusive Short-tailed Hawk is a smallish, plump buteo with rounded wings and a short tail. The slim forehead runs contiguous with the upper bill, giving a flat-headed appearance. Two color morphs exist: The dark morph, more common in Florida, is dark brown overall with light wing linings, and the light morph has clean white underparts. In flight it holds its wings flat with the tips bending up. To feed, it kites above the treetops and plunges to capture prey. Florida is the only state in which to find this tropical species in the United States. The illustration shows an adult dark morph.
Red-tailed Hawk, Buteo jamaicensis
Family Accipitridae (Raptors)
Size: 20”
Season: Year-round in Florida
Habitat: Telephone poles, posts near open country, prairies
This widespread species is the most common buteo in the United States. It has broad, rounded wings and a stout hooked bill. Its plumage is highly variable depending on geographic location. In general the underparts are light with darker streaking that forms a dark band across the belly, the upperparts are dark brown, and the tail is rufous. Light spotting occurs along the scapulars. In flight there is a noticeable dark patch along the inner leading edge of the underwing. Red-tailed Hawks glide down from a perch to catch rodents, and they may hover to spot prey. Usually seen alone or in pairs, its voice is the familiar keeer! The illustration shows an adult.
Barn Owl, Tyto alba
Size: 23”
Season: Year-round
Habitat: Barns, farmland, open areas with mature trees
The Barn Owl is a large-headed, pale owl with small dark eyes, a heart-shaped facial disk, and long feathered legs. The wings, back, tail, and crown are light rusty brown with light gray smudging and small white dots. The underside, face, and underwing linings are white, with spots of rust on the breast. Females are usually darker than males, with more color and spotting across the breast and sides. The facial disk is enclosed by a thin line of darker feathers. Barn Owls are nocturnal hunters for rodents, and their call is a haunting, raspy screeee! The adult male is illustrated.
Great Horned Owl, Bubo virginianus
Family Strigidae (Typical Owls)
Size: 22”
Season: Year-round in Florida
Habitat: Almost any environment; forests to plains to urban areas
Found throughout North America, the Great Horned Owl is a large, strong owl with an obvious facial disk and sharp, long talons. Plumage is variable, but eastern forms are brown overall with heavy barring, a rust-colored face, and a white chin patch. The prominent ear tufts give the owl its name, and the eyes are large and yellow. The Great Horned Owl has exceptional hearing and sight. It feeds at night, perching on branches or posts and then swooping down on silent wings to catch birds, snakes, or mammals up to the size of a cat. Its voice is a low hoo-hoo-hoo. The illustration shows an adult.
Barred Owl, Strix varia
Family Strigidae (Typical Owls)
Size: 21”
Season: Year-round in Florida
Habitat: Wooded swamps, upland forests
The Barred Owl is a large, compact owl with a short tail and wings, rounded head, and big, dark eyes. It lacks the ear tufts seen on the Great Horned Owl and has comparatively small talons. Plumage is gray-brown overall with dark barring on the neck and breast, turning to streaking on the belly and flanks. It swoops from its perch to catch small rodents, frogs, or snakes. Its voice, often heard during the day, is a hooting, who-cooks-for-you, or a kind of bark. Its nests are made in tree cavities vacated by other species. The illustration shows an adult.
Eastern Screech Owl, Megascops asio
Family Strigidae (Typical Owls)
Size: 8.5”
Season: Year-round in Florida
Habitat: Wooded areas or parks, places where cavity-bearing trees exist
The Eastern Screech Owl is a small, big-headed, eared owl with a short tail and bright yellow eyes. The highly camouflaged plumage ranges from reddish to brown to gray, depending on the region, but the red form is most common in the East. It is darker above, streaked and barred below. The ear tufts may be drawn back to give a rounded head appearance, and the bill is grayish-green tipped with white. White spots on the margins of the coverts and scapulars create two white bars on the folded wing. It is a nocturnal bird, hunting during the night for small mammals, insects, or fish. Its voice is a descending, whistling call or a rapid staccato of one pitch. The illustration shows a red morph adult.
Burrowing Owl, Athene cunicularia
Family Strigidae (Typical Owls)
Size: 9.5”
Season: Year-round in Florida
Habitat: Open grasslands and plains
The Burrowing Owl is a ground-dwelling owl that lives in the burrows that have been vacated by rodents or tortoises. It is small, flat-headed, and has a short tail and long legs. Plumage is brown above spotted with white and extensively barred brown and white below. It has a white chin and throat and bright yellow eyes. The Florida variety is darker and more barred than western counterparts. Burrowing Owls can be seen during the day or night perched on the ground or a post, scanning for insects and small rodents. Sometimes they exhibit a bowing movement when approached. The Burrowing Owl’s voice is a chattering or cooing, and sometimes imitative of a rattlesnake. The illustration shows an adult.
Belted Kingfisher, Megaceryle alcyon
Family Alcedinidae (Kingfishers)
Size: 13”
Season: Year-round in Florida
Habitat: Creeks, lakes, sheltered coastline
The widespread but solitary Belted Kingfisher is a stocky, large-headed bird with a powerful, long bill and shaggy crest. It is grayish-blue-green above and white below with a thick, blue band across the breast and white dotting on the back. At the lores is a white spot. The female has an extra breast band of rufous and rufous along the flanks. Belted Kingfishers feed by springing from a perch along the water’s edge or hovering above the water, and then plunging headfirst to snatch fish, frogs, or tadpoles. Its flight is uneven and its voice is a raspy, rattling sound. The illustration shows an adult female.
Red-headed Woodpecker, Melanerpes erythrocephalus
Size: 9”
Season: Year-round in central and northern Florida
Habitat: Woodlands, areas with standing dead trees, suburbs
The Red-headed Woodpecker has a striking bright red head and a powerful, tapered bill. It is black above with a large patch of white across the lower back and secondaries, and white below. The juvenile has a pale brown head and incomplete white back patch. In all woodpeckers the tail is very stiff, with sharp tips to aid in support while clinging to a tree trunk. To feed, it pecks at bark for insects but may also fly out to snatch its prey in midair. Nuts will also be taken and stored in tree cavities for winter. This species has been losing nesting cavities since the introduction of the European Starling. The illustration shows an adult.
Red-bellied Woodpecker, Melanerpes carolinus
Family Picidae (Woodpeckers)
Size: 9”
Season: Year-round in Florida
Habitat: Woodlands, wooded swamps, parks, urban areas
The Red-bellied Woodpecker is a fairly common, large-billed woodpecker with extensively barred back and wings. The under-parts are pale buff with a barely discernable hint of rose on the belly that gives the bird its name. The crown and nape are reddish-orange. Females lack the red crown, and juveniles have an entirely gray head. Like all woodpeckers, the Red-bellied Woodpecker has two toes pointing forward and two toes pointing back to allow a secure grip on tree trunks as it pecks away bark to find insects. It also feeds on nuts and oranges. Its flight is undulating wing beats and glides. The illustration shows an adult.
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Sphyrapicus varius
Family Picidae (Woodpeckers)
Size: 8.5”
Season: Winter in Florida
Habitat: Woodlands, swamps, scrub
The sapsuckers are so named for their habit of drilling rows of pits in tree back, and then returning to eat the sap that emerges and the insects that come to investigate. They will also flycatch and eat berries. The Yellow-bellied Sapsucker is medium-size with pied black-and-white plumage and barring across the back. The head is boldly patterned black and white with a red crown and red chin (white in females). The belly is unbarred and pale yellow, while the surrounding flanks are white with black barring. In flight there is a distinct white patch on the upper wing. The illustration shows an adult male.
Downy Woodpecker, Picoides pubescens
Family Picidae (Woodpeckers)
Size: 6.5”
Season: Year-round in Florida
Habitat: Woodlands, parks, urban areas, streamsides
The Downy Woodpecker is a tiny woodpecker with a small bill and relatively large head. It is white underneath with no barring, has black wings barred with white, and a patch of white on the back. The head is boldly patterned white and black, and the male sports a red nape patch. The base of the bill joins the head with fluffy nasal tufts. Juveniles may show some red on the forehead and crown. It forages for berries and insects in the bark and smaller twigs of trees. The very similar Hairy Woodpecker is larger with a longer bill and more aggressive foraging behavior, sticking to larger branches and not clinging to twigs. The illustration shows an adult male.
Red-cockaded Woodpecker, Picoides borealis
Family Picidae (Woodpeckers)
Size: 8.5”
Season: Year-round in Florida
Habitat: Old-growth pine forests
The Red-cockaded Woodpecker nests only in mature pine trees, and is therefore rare and declining in numbers as it loses this habitat to development. It is a thin-looking, medium-size woodpecker with a long tail. Plumage is barred with black and white on the back and is white beneath with numerous spots and bars. The patterned head has a large white cheek patch and nasal tufts. The red cockade spot at the back of the crown on the male is rarely apparent in the field. Juveniles show a red forehead spot. This bird forms small groups called clans that forage together, pecking into tree bark for beetles and other insects. The illustration shows an adult male.
Northern Flicker, Colaptes auratus
Family Picidae (Woodpeckers)
Size: 12.5”
Season: Year-round in Florida
Habitat: A variety of habitats, including suburbs and parks
The common Northern Flicker is a large, long-tailed woodpecker often seen foraging on the ground for ants and other small insects. It is barred brown and black across the back, and buff below with black spotting. The head is brown with a gray nape and crown and a small red patch behind the head. On the upper breast is a prominent half-circle of black, and the male has a black patch at the malar region. Its flight is undulating and shows the golden yellow wing lining and white rump. Its voice is a loud, sharp keee, and it will sometimes drum its bill repeatedly at objects like a jack-hammer. The illustration shows an adult male.
Pileated Woodpecker, Dryocopus pileatus
Family Picidae (Woodpeckers)
Size: 16.5”
Season: Year-round in Florida
Habitat: Old-growth forests, urban areas with large trees
The Pileated Woodpecker is our largest woodpecker, except for the probably extinct, huge Ivory-billed Woodpecker. It is very large, powerful, long-necked, and crested. The body is all black with a white base to the primaries, which are mostly covered in the folded wing. The head is boldly patterned black and white with a bright red crest that is limited on the female. The male has a red malar patch instead of the black of the female. In flight one can see the contrasting white wing lining. To forage, Pileated Woodpeckers chip away chunks of bark to uncover ants and beetles, but will feed on berries during winter months. Its voice is a high-pitched, uneven, resounding wok-wok-wok. The illustration shows an adult male.
Crested Caracara, Caracara cheriway
Size: 23”
Season: Year-round in Florida
Habitat: Dry prairies and scrubland
The Northern Caracara is a falcon that is somewhat vulturelike in its behavior. It forages on carcasses or immobile prey, which it finds by soaring on flat wings or cruising over pastures and open savanna. It may also perch on poles or on the ground. Its head seems large for its body, and it has a long neck and long legs. It is an overall dark bird with a white neck, black cap, and large, hooked bill. The face has a large patch of reddish bare skin. In flight the white wing tips and tail are distinctive. This tropical falcon is rare in the United States and was once a threatened species here. The illustration shows an adult.
American Kestrel, Falco sparverius
Family Falconidae (Falcons)
Size: 10”
Season: Year-round in Florida
Habitat: Branches or wires in open country, urban areas
Our most common falcon, the American Kestrel is a tiny, robin- size falcon with long, pointed wings and tail and fast flight. It hovers above fields or dives from its perch to capture small animals and insects. Its upperparts are rufous barred with black, its wings are blue-gray, and its breast is buffy or white streaked with black spots. The head is patterned with a gray crown and vertical patches of black down the face. The female has rufous wings and a barred tail. Also known as the Sparrow Hawk, it has a habit of flicking its tail up and down while perched. The illustration shows an adult male.
Budgerigar, Melopsittacus undulatus
Size: 7”
Season: Year-round in Florida
Habitat: Urban areas, telephone wires
The Budgerigar is the familiar bird known simply as “parakeet” in most pet stores. Originally from Australia, it has established populations here from escaped captive birds and is seen in urban areas. It is a small parakeet with a long, tapered tail. The plumage is variable, but the most common form is green below with yellow above, streaked with darker bars. In flight it shows a distinctive yellow stripe along the mid-wing. Its voice is a warbling call. The illustration shows an adult.
Monk Parakeet, Myiopsitta monachus
Family Psittacidae (Parrots)
Size: 11”
Season: Year-round in Florida
Habitat: Urban areas
The Monk Parakeet is an introduced species from South America and is now the most common parrot in Florida. It forms large breeding colonies, roosting and building its nest in urban areas on tall poles, towers, or trees. It is relatively large-headed with short, stubby wings and a tapered tail. It is overall bright green with blue flight feathers, a yellow belly band, and pale grayish breast and forehead. The thick, short bill is orange. There have been no native parrots in Florida since the extinction of the Carolina Parakeet. The illustration shows an adult.