Guide to the Wetland Birds of Florida – ID, Habitat, and Sounds

Welcome to my Guide to the Wetland Birds of Florida, created to help birdwatchers (birders) and nature lovers identify species found across the state’s marshes, swamps, and coastal wetlands. From cranes to secretive rails, this guide includes plates that highlight each species’ key identification features, as well as, habitats, behaviors, and natural history. To make spotting easier, I’ve grouped species by size—Very Large (about the size of a crane > 10 lb), Large (about the size of a stork 5–10 lb), Medium (about the size of an egret 1–5 lb), Small (about the size of a gallinule < 1 lb), helping you recognize Florida’s wetland birds quickly and with confidence.

How to use this Guide

Use the four familiar bird sizes below as references. Assign the bird you see to the closest size group, even if it seems to fall between two categories, then click to explore that group. You can also use the Table of Contents below to browse the guide.

While weight offers a useful starting point, appearances can be deceiving—plumage, body shape, and leg length often make a bird look larger or smaller than its true size.

Birds Included in this Guide

This guide highlights birds closely associated with Florida’s wetlands. It features the classic wading species—herons, egrets, ibises, spoonbills, storks, and others—along with additional birds that, while not strict “waders,” are still strongly tied to marshes, swamps, ponds, and coastal wetlands. Ducks, geese, and mergansers are not covered here; because they form such a large and prominent group, they are presented in a separate guide dedicated entirely to them.

Florida Wetlands

Based on the information available, the state of Florida has approximately 12.5 million acres of wetlands, which is more than any other contiguous U.S. state. This represents about 12% of Florida’s total land area. Wetlands constitute less than 5% of the land area of the contiguous United States.

The contribution of wetlands to the regional bird diversity is remarkable. Wetlands birds (including ducks and shorebirds) constitute nearly a third of the region’s bird species, including 16 of the 29 federally endangered and threatened bird species.

More about wetlands: Understanding Wetlands: An Overview for State Bird Guides

Birds Included in the Guide

This guide includes a total of 48 wetland bird species. The breakdown Florida wetland birds by group is as follows:

• Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns: This is the largest group, with 11 species, representing approximately 23% of the birds listed.
• Rails, Coots, Gallinules, and Swamphens: This group contains 10 species, comprising 21% of the total.
• Raptors (Hawks, Kites, Eagles, Osprey): There are 4 raptor species, representing 8.3% of the total.
• Pelicans, Cormorants, and Anhinga: This group has 3 species, which is approximately 6.3% of the list.
• Ibises: The three species of ibises account for 6.3% of the list.
• Wood Stork & Spoonbills: This group includes 2 species, making up 4.2% of the birds.
• Cranes: The two crane species account for 4.2% of the total.
• Avocets and Stilts: The two species in this group represent 4.2% of the total.
• Terns: The two tern species make up 4.2% of the birds listed.
• Snipe & Woodcock: The two species in this group represent 4.2% of the total.
• Blackbirds: The two tern species make up 4.2% of the birds listed.
• Other Species (Limpkin, Killdeer, Kingfisher, Flamingo, Grebe): These miscellaneous species, each with a single entry, collectively make up the remaining 10.4%.

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Very Large Wetland Birds of Florida (>10 lb)

From the towering Whooping Crane to the American White Pelican, Florida’s large birds are the giants of the wetlands. This group has the smallest number of members with sizes ranging from the 16.5 lb American White Pelican to the 11 lb Sandhill Crane.

Whooping Crane

Identification: Adults are bright white with a crimson crown, and black wingtips visible in flight. Immatures are whitish below with mottled brownish-rusty plumage above.
Habitat: The Whooping Crane (Grus americana) favors open habitats, such as marshes, shallow wetlands, river flats, croplands, and grasslands.
Range: Florida once hosted two Whooping Crane flocks in the Central part of the State: a non-migratory flock and a migratory flock trained to winter in Florida by ultralight-led flights from Wisconsin.
Migration: Whooping Cranes migrate from Canada to Texas. Now, they may only make stopovers in Florida along their migration route.
Behavior: Forages by pecking, probing, and gleaning. Monogamous, forming lifelong pairs. Courtship includes elaborate dancing.
Diet: Generalist, including Invertebrates, small vertebrates, tubers, berries, waste grains, blue crabs, and clams.
Nest: A mound of vegetation, 2–5 ft across, flat or shallowly concave, built in shallow water on islands.
Breeding: Season: January-May (Florida) | Clutch: 1–3 light brown with brown splotches eggs | Incubation: 29–31 days | Hatchlings: able to walk within hours.
Lifespan: At least 28 years, 4 months.
How many are there? ~802 individuals in 2021, including 136 in captivity.
Conservation Status: Federally endangered.

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American White Pelican

Silent

Identification: Adult: Snowy white with black flight feathers visible in flight. Yellow-orange bill and legs; breeding adults show a yellow chest patch and grow a bill horn. Immature: Mostly white with dusky head, neck, and back.
Habitat: The American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) forages in shallow inland marshes, lake and river edges, estuaries, sloughs, and inlets.
Range: Winters across Florida in a variety of coastal and inland aquatic habitats.
Migration: The American White Pelican migrate from Florida to the wintering grounds in the Canadian prairie provinces and the states in the Great Plains and Great Basin. Often travels in V-formations
Behavior: Forages by dipping bill at the water’s surface to scoop fish; also upends like dabbling ducks. Known for cooperative foraging, driving fish toward shore. Highly gregarious.
Diet: Primarily small fish, but also salamanders, tadpoles, crayfish, and game fish.
Nest: A shallow depression on the ground, sometimes lined with vegetation. Nests in colonies.
Breeding: Season: April-late August | Clutch: 2 chalky white eggs | Incubation: ~30 days | Nestling period: 63–70 days.
Lifespan: At least 23 years, 6 months.
How many are there? Global population estimated at ~450,000.
Conservation Status: Low conservation concern.

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Sandhill Crane

Identification: Adult: Slate gray with rusty wash, pale cheek, red crown, black legs. Juvenile: Gray and rusty brown, lacking pale cheek and red crown.
Habitat: The Sandhill Crane (Antigone canadensis) forages in open wetlands, prairies, bogs, lakes, croplands.
Range: Florida hosts two Sandhill Crane subspecies: the resident Florida Sandhill Crane and the migratory Greater Sandhill Crane, a winter visitors from the Great Lakes.
Migration: Greater Sandhill Cranes migrate annually between their Great Lakes breeding grounds and wintering areas in Florida.
Behavior: Forages for food by gleaning/probing. Social. Pairs perform elaborate dances.
Diet: Sandhill cranes feed on invertebrates, small vertebrates, seeds, berries, tubers.
Nest: Cup-shaped structure of dominant vegetation, 30–40 in across, on the ground.
Breeding: Season: Jan to May. Breeding age: 2–7 years | Clutch: 1–3 pale brownish yellow/gray markings eggs | Broods: 1 | Incubation: 29–32 days | Offspring dependency: 9–10 months.
Lifespan: At least 37 years, 3 months.
How many are there? In Floria there are about 4,500 resident and 25,000 migratory Sandhill Cranes.
Conservation Status: Low concern.

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Large-Wetland-Birds of Florida (5-10 lb)

Large birds of Florida include four members ranging from the familiar Bald Eagle (9.5 lb) to the Wood Stork (5.2 lb). Most members of this groups, except for the bald eagle, have long legs giving the impression of being larger.

Bald Eagle

Identification: Striking white head and tail contrasting with a dark brown body and wings, plus yellow legs and bill. Immatures are dark with mottled brown-and-white, and take about five years to acquire full adult plumage.
Habitat: The Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) is found in forests near large bodies of water with tall mature trees for nesting. In winter, they use dry open uplands as well.
Range: In Florida, Bald Eagles nest along both coasts and around large inland lakes and rivers, favoring areas with abundant prey and tall nesting trees.
Migration: Immatures roam widely. Young birds may wander from Florida to Michigan or California to Alaska.
Behavior: Powerful fliers that hunt, steal prey from other animals, scavenge carrion, and even feed on garbage.
Diet: Primarily fish, but also birds, reptiles, amphibians, crabs, rabbits, and muskrats.
Nest: Bald Eagles have the largest nests of any North American bird. Nests are placed in tall trees, cliffs, or occasionally on the ground.
Breeding: Season: December-mid-May (South) | Clutch: 1–3 dull white, usually unmarked eggs | Broods: 1 | Incubation: 34–36 days | Nestling period: 56–98 days.
Lifespan: At least 38 years.
How many are there? Over 316,000 individuals in the U.S. Lower 48.
Conservation Status: Low Concern.

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American (Greater) Flamingo

Identification: Adult: Pink with very long neck/legs and bent bill. Juvenile: Brown and white, attains adult color in 2–3 years.
Habitat: The American Flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber) lives in shallow saline lagoons, shorelines, mud flats.
Range: Once extirpated from South Florida by the early 20th century, the American Flamingo is reappearing more often. Recent influxes of hundreds of birds after Hurricane Idalia suggest a possible return of permanent populations.
Migration: They are primarily non-migratory but can move short distances (90 Kilomenter) in search of food or suitable shallow-water.
Behavior: Highly social; forages in flocks, nests in huge colonies. Filters food underwater with bill and tongue.
Diet: American Flamingoes feed on crustaceans, aquatic invertebrates, seeds, plants, algae.
Nest: Volcano-shaped mud cone or small rock pile.
Breeding: Season: March-June | Clutch: 1–2 white eggs | Broods: 1 | Incubation: 27–31 days | Nestling: 65–90 days.
Lifespan: At least 49 years.
How many are there? Global population about 180,000 breeding birds.
Conservation Status: Low concern

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Great Blue Heron

Identification: Largest North American heron with long legs, S-shaped neck, and dagger-like bill. Blue-gray plumage, black eye stripe, and shaggy head. A white morph occurs in the Florida Keys.
Habitat: Fresh, saltwater, brackish wetlands, ditches, and farmland.
Range: The Great Blue (Ardea herodias) Heron is found throughout the State of Florida.
Migration: The Great Blue Heron is nonmigratory year-round resident.
Behavior: Hunts by standing still or stalking in shallow water. Flies with neck tucked and legs trailing. Defends feeding territories.
Diet: Fish, amphibians, reptiles, mammals, insects, and birds. Prey grabbed or impaled with bill.
Nest: Great Blue Herons build a stick platform in trees; also on ground, bushes, or man-made structures. Often in colonies.
Breeding: Season: March–August | Clutch: 2–6 pale blue eggs | Broods: 1–2 | Incubation: 27–29 days | Nestling: 49–81 days.
Lifespan: At least 24 years, 6 months.
How many are there?? About 700,000 globally.
Conservation Status: Stable, low concern.

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Wood Stork

Identification: Large, white wading bird with black flight feathers and tail, bald scaly head, and thick, slightly curved bill.
Habitat: The Wood Stork (Mycteria americana) inhabits marshes, forested wetlands, swamps, and shorelines.
Range: In Florida, Wood Storks are locally common in the peninsula and Big Bend areas. They are generally rare or absent in the panhandle and Keys.
Migration: Not a true migrant. Follows food sources rather than a fixed migratory path.
Behavior: Wood storks feed by probing water and feeling for prey; may startle prey. Social, soars on thermals.
Diet: Fish, aquatic invertebrates, seeds, amphibians, nestlings, reptiles.
Nest: Large stick structure in trees above standing water, lined with greenery, secured with guano; in colonies.
Breeding: Season: December-August | Clutch: 1–5 creamy white eggs | Broods: 1 | Incubation: 28 and 32 days | Nestling: 50 days.
Lifespan: At least 22 years, 6 months.
How many are there? The U.S. Wood Stork population has rebounded from about 5,000 nesting pairs in the 1970s to over 11,000 pairs by early 2023.
Conservation Status: Low concern.

Medium-sized Wetland Birds of Florida (3.7–1 lb)

From the versatile Double-crested Cormorant to the compact Pied-billed Grebe, Florida’s medium-sized wetland birds include 17 species ranging in weight from 3.7 to 1 lb. This is perhaps the most confusing group weight wise including extremes such as the Roseate Spoonbill and the seemingly small and compact Pied-billed Greebe.

Double-crested Cormorant

Identification: Adult: Brown-black plumage, yellow-orange facial skin. Breeding adults show double crests (black/white). Immatures browner, with pale neck/breast.
Habitat: Freshwater and saltwater habitats, coasts, large inland lakes.
Range: The Double-crested Cormorant (Nannopterum auritum) is found and breeds throughout Florida but, nesting is less common in the Panhandle.
Migration: Occurs in Florida year-round, with some populations breeding, others wintering, and some migrating seasonally.
Behavior: Dives to catch small fish, spreads wings to dry. Flies in V-shaped flocks, nests colonially.
Diet: Double-crested Cormorants feed on mainly small fish.
Nest: Bulky stick nest, often in tree colonies.
Breeding: Season: Varies in every region | Clutch: 1-6 unmarked pale blue eggs | Broods: 1-2 | Incubation: 25-28 days | Nestling: 21-28 days.
Lifespan: At least 23 years, 8 months.
How many are there? Abundant.
Conservation Status: Low concern.

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Osprey

Identification: Dark brown upperparts, white underparts. White head marked with a bold brown eye stripe. Juveniles have white spots on the back and buff-tinted breast shading.
Habitat: Ospreys (Pandion haliaetus) inhabit open waters with abundant fish; plus elevated nesting sites.
Range: Ospreys occur statewide in Florida year-round, nesting near freshwater and coastal waters, with their range expanding inland thanks to population growth and artificial nesting platforms.
Migration: Florida hosts both resident and migratory Ospreys: many remain year-round, while northern breeders migrate south to Florida or beyond. Nonmigratory populations are mainly in southern Florida where fish are abundant.
Behavior: Hunts live fish by hovering and diving feet-first. Mostly solitary; males perform aerial “sky-dance” displays.
Diet: Ospreys feed almost exclusively live fish (99%), occasionally fish remains, birds, snakes, voles, squirrels.
Nest: Large, untidy stick platforms, often on poles, snags, dead trees, or artificial platforms.
Breeding: Season: mid April-early September | Breeds spring–fall | Clutch: 1–4 cream spotted with reddish eggs | Broods: 1 | Incubation: 36–42 days | Nestling period: 50–55 days.
Lifespan: At least 25 years, 2 months.
How many are there? ~1.2 million global breeding population.
Conservation Status: Low Concern.

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Roseate Spoonbill

Identification: Adult: Bright pink, partly bald head, white neck, and long spoon-shaped bill. Pink shoulders. Juvenile: Paler pink, fully feathered head until age 3.
Habitat: The Roseate Spoonbill (Platalea ajaja) lives in shallow fresh, brackish, and marine waters. Nests/roosts in trees or shrubs along water.
Range: The Roseate Spoonbill breeds in south Florida, with post-breeding dispersal sometimes carrying birds north along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts.
Migration: Nonmigratory species, present year-round.
Behavior: Forages by sweeping bill side-to-side in shallow water. Usually in flocks, often with other waders.
Diet: Roseate Spoonbill feed on shrimp, aquatic insects, and fish.
Nest: Bulky stick platform lined with moss or bark strips, built in trees/shrubs over water.
Breeding: Season: April-Mid August. Clutch: 1–5 whitish to pale green with brown spots eggs | Broods: 1 | Incubation: 22 days | Nestling: 35–42 days.
Lifespan: At least 15 years, 10 months.
How many are there? There are approximately 11,000 Roseate Spoonbills in Florida and the U.S.
Conservation Status: Low concern.

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Anhinga

Identification: Spear-like bill. Adult males black with silvery-white streaks on back/wings. Females/immatures have pale tan head, neck, breast.
Habitat: Shallow freshwater lakes, ponds, brackish bays; prefers perches for drying.
Range: The Anhinga (Anhinga anhinga) occurs in the coastal plain, as well as interior freshwater systems of the State of Florida.
Migration: Year-round resident, but some are short-distance migrants, withdrawing from northern breeding grounds to the southeast.
Behavior: Anhingas forage by stalking and spearing fish underwater. Nests in loose groups with other waterbirds.
Diet: Small to medium wetland fishes, crustaceans, invertebrates.
Nest: Bulky stick platform in trees near/over water; lined with leaves/twigs.
Breeding: Season: February-October | Clutch: 2–5 pale bluish green, chalky coating eggs | Broods: 1 | Incubation: 26–30 days | Nestling: 14–21 days.
Lifespan: At least 12 years.
How many are there? Global breeding population ~2 million.
Conservation Status: Low Concern.

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Limpkin

Identification: Heron-sized, brown with heavy white spangling; long bill, often curved right.
Habitat: The Limpkin inhabits shallow freshwater swamp forests, marshes, ditches, lakes, and wet sugarcane fields.
Range: The Limpkin (Aramus guarauna) is widespread throughout peninsular Florida, including central and southern regions. It is found in scattered sites across the Panhandle.
Migration: Non-migratory.
Behavior: Limpkins forages day and night, stalking and probing for snails. Swims well.
Diet: Mostly apple snails; also mussels, seeds, insects, lizards, frogs.
Nest: Circular structure of sticks, lined with moss, in marsh grasses or in trees.
Breeding: Season: January-August | Clutch: 4–7 light grayish to olive with streaks/blotches eggs | Broods: 1–3 | Incubation: 26–28 days | Hatchlings: Able to swim, walk, run at hatching.
Lifespan: Not specified.
How many are there? 3,000–6,000 pairs in Florida.
Conservation Status: Low concern.

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White Ibis

Identification: Adult: All white with black wingtips, red/pink legs, face and bill. Juvenile: Brown above, white below, streaked brown neck, orange-pink legs and bill.
Habitat: The White Ibis inhabits shallow wetlands, swamps, mangroves, flooded pastures, lawns, and parks.
Range: The White Ibis (Eudocimus albus) is found throughout the State of Florida year-round, with its breeding and non-breeding ranges shifting with water levels and food availability.
Migration: The White Ibis is both resident and migratory in Florida, present year-round statewide but declining in northern areas during winter as some birds move south.
Behavior: Forages, flies, and nests in flocks. Feeds by walking and probing muddy bottoms.
Diet: Insects, crayfish, earthworms, fish, frogs, lizards, and snails.
Nest: Messy stick platform built in trees or shrubs within colonies. Nest locations change yearly.
Breeding: Season: March-Mid-October | Clutch: 2-4 cream to blue-green with brown splotches eggs | Broods: 1-2 | Incubation: 21-23 days | Nestling: 40–60 days.
Lifespan: At least 16 years, 4 months.
How many are there? Global population is about 2.4 million.
Conservation Status: Low concern

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Black-crowned Night-Heron

Identification: Stocky heron with light-gray body, black back and crown, and all-black bill. Immatures are brown with white spots, streaks, and yellow-and-black bills.
Habitat: The Black-crowned Night-Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) forages in freshwater, brackish, and saltwater wetlands.
Range: The Black-crowned Night-Heron breeds and winters year-round across most of Florida, favoring coastal areas.
Migration: Black-crowned Night-Herons in Florida show varied patterns: some are year-round residents or short-distance migrants, while northern populations migrate south to winter, with dispersal differing by population.
Behavior: Feeds at night or dusk; rests by day perched in trees.
Diet: The Black-crowned Night-Heron feeds on fish, frogs, insects, small mammals, birds, carrion, plant matter, and garbage.
Nest: Stick platform in trees, shrubs, or cattails; nests colonially.
Breeding: Season: January-August | Clutch: 3–5 greenish-blue eggs | Incubation: 24–26 days | Nestling: 29–34 days.
Lifespan: Up to 21 years, 5 months.
How many are there? About 3 million globally.
Conservation Status: Low concern.

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American Coot

Identification: Adult: Plump, chickenlike, dark gray to black, bright white bill and forehead, small red forehead patch. Juvenile/nonbreeding: Duller gray with less distinct forehead patch.
Habitat: The American Coot (Fulica americana) prefers freshwater wetlands with emergent vegetation. Also found anywhere with standing water; ponds, city parks.
Range: Widespread across Florida in winter; smaller numbers remain through summer, mainly in the northern and central regions.
Migration: Highly migratory in Florida, with large flocks arriving from northern states in fall and departing in spring; a smaller resident population persists year-round.
Behavior: The American Coot forages by plucking plants while walking, swimming, dabbling, or diving. Highly social in winter.
Diet: Primarily aquatic plants. Also takes insects, snails, tadpoles, and salamanders.
Nest: Floating platform anchored to emergent vegetation, woven into a shallow basket over water.
Breeding: Season: May-mid-August | Clutch: 8–12 buff with dark speckles eggs | Broods: 1–2 | Incubation: 23–25 days | Chicks: Down-covered, alert, leave nest within 6 hours.
Lifespan: At least 22 years, 4 months.
How many are there? Global breeding population about 7.1 million individuals.
Conservation Status: Low conservation concern.

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Yellow-crowned Night-Heron

Identification: Medium heron with cloudy gray plumage, black head, creamy yellow crown, and white cheek patches. Immatures are brown with fine white spots and streaked underparts.
Habitat: The Yellow-crowned Night-Heron forages (Nyctanassa violacea) in coastal wetlands; also inland in swamps, and wet fields.
Range: Found throughout Florida year-round, most common along coastal mangroves, estuaries, salt marshes, and inland wetlands.
Migration: Largely resident in Florida, though northern breeders may shift southward within the state during winter.
Behavior: Forages day and night with a hunched, forward-leaning posture.
Diet: The Yellow-crowned Night-Heron feeds primarily on small crabs and crayfish; also fish, snakes, and small mammals.
Nest: Stick platform with shallow center, built near or over water.
Breeding: Season: March–August | Clutch: 2–6 pale bluish-green eggs | Incubation: 24–25 days | Nestling: 30–43 days.
Lifespan: At least 6 years.
How many are there? About 400,000 globally.
Conservation Status: Low concern.

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American Bittern

Identification: Medium-sized heron with compact body, short legs, and thick neck. Warm brown and buff with bold streaks.
Habitat: Shallow freshwater marshes with dense reeds and emergent vegetation.
Range: The American Bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus) in Florida include northern migrants that winter in the state and a few year-round non-breeding residents.
Migration: Highly migratory; Fall and Winter marshes in Florida host more birds, while spring and summer sightings are usually resident individuals.
Behavior: When alarmed, points bill upward to blend with reeds.
Diet: The American Bittern feeds on insects, crustaceans, fish, frogs, lizards, and small mammals.
Nest: Platform of reeds lined with grasses in dense marsh vegetation.
Breeding: Season: April–August | Clutch: 2–7 beige to olive eggs | Incubation: 24–28 days | Nestling: 7–14 days, chicks remain nearby for weeks.
Lifespan: At least 8 years, 4 months.
How many are there? About 2.5 million globally.
Conservation Status: Low concern, though declining in some regions.

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Great Egret

Identification: Large white heron with long black legs, and yellow bill. Smaller than Great Blue Heron, larger than Snowy Egret. Breeding adults grow long back plumes.
Habitat: The Great Egret (Ardea alba) inhabits freshwater, brackish, and coastal wetlands.
Range: Year-round resident of the State of Florida.
Migration: Some populations in the State move north to breed in spring and return to the south in the Fall.
Behavior: Hunts by standing still in shallow water, striking quickly at prey.
Diet: Great Egrets feed on primarily fish; also amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals, and invertebrates.
Nest: Large stick platform in trees or shrubs, usually in colonies.
Breeding: Season: March–July | Clutch: 1–6 pale greenish-blue eggs | Broods: 1–2 | Incubation: 23–27 days | Nestling: 21–25 days.
Lifespan: Up to 22 years, 10 months.
How many are there? About 9.5 million in North America.
Conservation Status: Low concern; populations increasing.

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Red-shouldered Hawk

Identification: Adult: Barred reddish-peach underparts, strongly banded tail, checkered wings, pale wing crescents near tips. Immature: Brown above, white below streaked with brown, pale wing crescents.
Habitat: The Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus) inhabits tall woods near water, including swamps, riparian forests, and suburban parks.
Range: Common year-round across Florida.
Migration: Nonmigratory in Florida, with resident populations maintaining territories year-round.
Behavior: Hunts from perches with swift descents. Soars and glides frequently. Males perform a “sky dance” display during courtship.
Diet: Feeds on small mammals, lizards, snakes, amphibians, voles, chipmunks, and birds.
Nest: Large stick nests (~2 ft diameter), placed in tree crotches near water. Often reused in subsequent years.
Breeding: Season: Late March-July | Clutch: 2–5 dull white to bluish, brown-blotched eggs | Broods: 1 | Incubation: 32–40 days | Nestling period: 42–49 days.
Lifespan: At least 25 years, 10 months.
How many are there? Global breeding population about 1.9 million.
Conservation Status: Low conservation concern.

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Gray-headed Swamphen

Identification: Large, heavyset rail with greenish upperparts, purplish underparts, gray-blue head, red bill and legs, and white undertail.
Habitat: The Gray-headed Swamphen inhabits marshes, wetlands with emergent vegetation, agricultural fields, and urban/suburban areas.
Range: Established in southern Florida in the mid-1990s.
Migration: Nonmigratory in Florida; populations are resident and expanding locally.
Behavior: Forages by wading through vegetation. Often engages in communal breeding, with multiple males and females sharing a nest.
Diet: Omnivorous, feeding on aquatic and semi-aquatic plants, as well as invertebrates, fish, amphibians, bird eggs, and nestlings.
Nest: Loosely woven, circular structure made from local plants, placed on floating vegetation or within reed beds.
Breeding: Season: Year-round | Clutch: 3–7 eggs | Broods: Up to 3 annually | Eggs: Tan with brown speckles | Incubation: 22–26 days | Nestling period: ~60 days.
Lifespan: Not available.
How many are there? Introduced species with a population increasing rapidly in North America.
Conservation Status: Not evaluated.

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Caspian Tern

Identification: Largest tern species. White overall. Breeding adults have a black crown and a coral-red bill. In winter and juveniles, the crown is partially black with grayish speckling.
Habitat: Caspian Terns (Hydroprogne caspia) are found along ocean coasts, barrier islands, interior lakes and rivers.
Range: Found along Florida’s coasts, estuaries, and large inland lakes, especially outside the breeding season.
Migration: Mostly a migrant and winter visitor; small numbers remain year-round, but it does not breed in Florida.
Behavior: Caspian Terns fly slowly before plunging for fish. Roosts and rests in flocks.
Diet: Primarily fish; also crayfish, large insects, and occasionally scavenged invertebrates.
Nest: A shallow scrape in open areas lined with dried vegetation and ringed with pebbles, or other debris.
Breeding: Season: mid-May-late August | Clutch: 1-3 buff with dark spots eggs | Broods: 1 | Eggs: | Incubation: 25–28 days | Nestling: 1–2 days.
Lifespan: At least 32 years, 1 month.
How many are there? ~530,000 global breeders.
Conservation Status: Low Concern.

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White-faced Ibis

Identification: Adult: glossy maroon, metallic green/bronze wings. Pink legs, white mask. Juvenile/non
Breeding: matte brown, no white facial outline, duller legs.
Habitat: Shallow wetlands, marshes. Wet agricultural fields.
Range: Not in Florida, the White-faced Ibis (Plegadis chihi) breeds in North American West. Winters in the southern U.S. and Mexico.
Migration: Migrates between breeding grounds in NW U.S. and wintering grounds in Southern U.S. and Mexico.
Behavior: White-faced Ibises forage by probing in water/mud or picking surface prey. Usually in flocks.
Diet: Earthworms, crayfish, spiders, snails, leeches and insects.
Nest: Flat platform of twigs built in emergent vegetation or shrubs.
Breeding: Season: Mid-May through late July | Clutch: 3-5 bluish green to turquoise eggs | Broods: 1 | Incubation: 17-21 days.
Lifespan: At least 12 years, 3 months.
How many are there? Globally approx. 7.2 million. U.S./Canada
Breeding: 1.3 million.
Conservation Status: Low conservation concern.

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Glossy Ibis

Identification: Deep maroon body with metallic green, bronze, and violet wing coverts. It appears black in the distance.
Habitat: The Glossy Ibis uses freshwater, brackish, and saltwater marshes and rice fields.
Range: In Florida, the Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus) is found year-round, occurring throughout the Florida Peninsula and the Panhandle and along both the Atlantic and Gulf coasts.
Migration: Glossy Ibises occur year-round in Florida. Northern populations migrating south for winter, while some residents remain locally.
Behavior: Feeds and nests in flocks. Forages by probing wet substrates or gleaning.
Diet: Glossy Ibises feed on aquatic invertebrates, crabs, fish, amphibians, grain, crops.
Nest: Bulky platform of sticks/reeds, on ground or in trees up to 12 ft high, in colonies.
Breeding: Season: April-June | Clutch: 3–4 eggs | Broods: 1 | Incubation: 20–22 days | Nestling: 8–9 days.
Lifespan: At least 21 years.
How many are there? In North America: 13,000–15,000 individuals.
Conservation Status: Low concern.

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Pied-billed Grebe

Identification: Small, chunky brown waterbird. Adults have a dark crown and nape, and a whitish bill with a black band in breeding season (yellow-brown outside breeding). Juveniles show distinctive striped faces.
Habitat: The Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps) occupies ponds, marshes, lakes, sluggish rivers, and areas with emergent vegetation or open water.
Range: Found across Florida in freshwater lakes, ponds, and marshes; more widespread in winter.
Migration: Present year-round in Florida, though numbers increase in winter with migrants from farther north.
Behavior: Forages by diving to pursue prey. Typically solitary but may form small winter flocks.
Diet: Pied-billed Grebes feed on crayfish, shrimps, fish, frogs, tadpoles, and salamanders.
Nest: Floating open-bowl nest built anchored among emergent plants.
Breeding: Season: February-November | Clutch: 2–10 bluish white, unmarked eggs | Broods: 1–2 | Incubation: 23–27 days | Chicks: Leave the nest within 1 day.
Lifespan: At least 4 years, 7 months.
How many are there? Global breeding population about 3.1 million.
Conservation Status: Low conservation concern.

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Reddish Egret

Identification: Large heron with shaggy appearance. Dark morph is gray-blue with pinkish-cinnamon head and neck; white morph is entirely white. Both have pink-and-black bills and cobalt legs. Juveniles are ashy copper.
Habitat: The Reddish Egret (Egretta rufescens) forages mostly in tidal shallows, coastal salt flats, and lagoons.
Range: Restricted to coastal flats of Florida. Migration:
Migration: The Reddish Egret is a year-round resident in the State of Florida.
Behavior: Hunts actively by chasing fish, using wings to shade, herd, or startle prey; stirs sediment with feet.
Diet: Mostly small fish; also shrimp and crabs.
Nest: Reddish Egrets build a stick platform lined with grasses, in trees over water; often in mixed colonies.
Breeding: Season: March–September | Clutch: 3–6 pale bluish-green eggs | Broods: 1 | Incubation: 21–36 days | Nestling: 28–35 days.
How many are there? ~15,000 globally, with ~2,400 in the U.S.
Conservation Status: Yellow Watch List. Threatened by habitat loss, climate change, and disturbance at colonies.

Small Wetland Birds of Florida (< 1 lb)

From the diet specialist Snail Kite to the enigmatic Black Rail the group of small wetland birds of Florida include 21 species. Sizes in this group vary from 0.94 lb of the Snail Kite to the diminutive Black Rail, weighing 0.07 oz. This group includes some of the most secretives rails which are often heard but hardly ever seen.

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Snail Kite

Identification: Medium-sized raptor with broad wings, long tail, and a thin, hooked bill. Adult males are dark gray with darker wings, a black tail with a white base, and pinkish-red facial skin. Females are browner with a whitish face. Juveniles are brown with buff streaks below, a buffy throat, and eyebrow.
Habitat: Freshwater marshes and lakes. Avoids murky water and dense aquatic vegetation.
Range: The Snail Kite (Rostrhamus sociabilis) is restricted to central and southern Florida, especially the Everglades, Lake Okeechobee, and nearby wetlands.
Migration: Nonmigratory in Florida; local movements track fluctuating water levels and apple snail availability.
Behavior: Hunts visually, flying slowly over shallow clear water and dropping onto snails.
Diet: Snail Kites feed on almost exclusively freshwater apple snails (Pomacea spp.); rarely small freshwater turtles, crayfish, snakes, and fish.
Nest: Bulky stick structure lined with green leaves, in trees or emergent vegetation.
Breeding: Season: year-round | Clutch: 1–5 dull white with brown blotches eggs | Broods: 1 | Incubation: 24–30 days | Nestling: 26–30 days.
Lifespan: At least 14 years, 8 months.
How many are there? Global breeding population ~2 million.
Conservation Status: Federally endangered in the U.S. and in Florida.

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Snowy Egret

Identification: All-white heron with black bill, black legs, and yellow feet. Immatures have duller greenish legs. Breeding adults grow filmy curving plumes.
Habitat: The Snowy Egret (Egretta thula) forages in fresh, salt, and brackish water wetlands.
Range: Found statewide in freshwater and coastal wetlands, often in mixed heron colonies.
Migration: Resident in Florida, though populations increase in winter with migrants from farther north.
Behavior: Hunts in shallow water, spearing or chasing prey; uses yellow feet to stir or herd fish before striking.
Diet: Snowy Egrets feed on small fish, frogs, shrimp, and insects.
Nest: Shallow twig platform, usually over water.
Breeding: Season: March–July | Clutch: 2–6 pale greenish-blue eggs | Incubation: 24–25 days | Nestling: 20–24 days.
Lifespan: At least 17 years, 7 months.
How many are there? About 2.1 million globally.
Conservation Status: Low concern.

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King Rail

Identification: Large, chickenlike, rusty wings and breast, and a striped belly. Gray cheeks and whitish throat. Juveniles are darker with shorter bills.
Habitat: The King Rail (Rallus elegans) inhabits brackish and freshwater marshes, rice fields, and areas with tall emergent vegetation.
Range: Occurs in freshwater and brackish marshes throughout Florida, though more common in the northern and central regions.
Migration: Year-round resident, with some seasonal influx in winter from northern breeding populations.
Behavior: Forages slowly, stalking prey in shallow water and jabbing with its bill.
Diet: King rails feed on crayfish, crabs, fish, frogs, snakes, fruits, acorns, seeds, and rice.
Nest: Simple round platform elevated above water, made of marsh grasses or rice plants.
Breeding: Season: February-August | Clutch: 10–12 pale buff with irregular brown spots eggs | Broods: 1–2 | Incubation: 21–23 days | Chicks: Leave nest within 1 day, become independent in ~2 months.
Lifespan: Not available.
How many are there? Global breeding population about 69,000 individuals.
Conservation Status: Listed as an Orange Alert species in 2025.

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Tricolored Heron

Identification: Slim, medium-sized heron with blue-gray and lavender upperparts, white belly, and dagger-like bill. Breeding adults show pale plumes; juveniles have rusty neck and feather edges.
Habitat: The Tricolored Heron (Egretta tricolor) forages salt, fresh, and brackish water wetlands, and ditches.
Range: Tricolored Herons are common along Florida’s coasts, estuaries, and inland marshes year-round.
Migration: Resident throughout the state, with some seasonal shifts southward and slight increases from migrants in winter.
Behavior: Hunts by stalking, or chasing; often spins with sudden stops and wing flaps.
Diet: Mainly small fish; also other small vertebrates.
Nest: Tricolored Herons build a bulky stick platform in trees or shrubs; often in colonies.
Breeding: Season: May–July | Clutch: 3–5 pale greenish-blue eggs | Broods: 1 | Incubation: 21–24 days | Nestling: 17–21 days.
Lifespan: At least 17 years, 8 months.
How many are there? About 194,000 breeding in the U.S.
Conservation Status: Low concern.

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Cattle Egret

Identification: Stocky heron with short, thick neck. Adults are white with buff plumes in breeding season; bill turns bright red before pairing. Juveniles lack plumes and have black bills.
Habitat: Wet grasslands, pastures, farmlands; favors drier open areas more than other herons.
Range: The Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis) is Widespread across Florida, especially in agricultural fields, pastures, wetlands, and suburban areas.
Migration: Present year-round statewide, with local seasonal shifts; some northern breeders may move farther south in winter.
Behavior: Walks with a distinctive head-pumping strut. It often follows cattle.
Diet: Cattle Egrets feed on mainly insects and other invertebrates.
Nest: Stick platform in trees, or marsh vegetation; nests colonially with other wading birds.
Breeding: Season: March–June | Clutch: 3–4 pale bluish-white eggs | Broods: 1 | Incubation: 23 days | Nestling: 30 days.
Lifespan: Up to 15 years.
How many are there? 3.8–6.7 million globally.
Conservation Status: Least Concern.

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Little Blue Heron

Identification: Adults are dark blue-gray with purple-maroon head and neck, greenish legs, and pale gray-and-black bill. Juveniles are all white; immatures are patchy white and blue.
Habitat: The Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea) forages in most types of wetlands and flooded fields.
Range: Occurs statewide in freshwater and coastal wetlands, though less numerous than other herons.
Migration: Year-round resident in Florida; northern breeders move farther south within the state in winter, with populations augmented by migrants.
Behavior: Stand-and-wait predator, also moves slowly searching for prey.
Diet: Small fish, frogs, shrimp, insects, and other invertebrates.
Nest: The Little Blue Heron builds a porous twig platform in shrubs or small trees over water; often in mixed colonies.
Breeding: Season: March–October | Clutch: 3–4 pale bluish-green eggs | Incubation: 22–23 days | Nestling: 35–49 days.
Lifespan: Up to 13 years, 11 months.
How many are there? About 1.1 million globally.
Conservation Status: Low concern, though populations have declined.

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American Avocet

Identification: Striking black-and-white body, long upturned bill, and bluish-gray legs. In summer, the head and neck are rusty; in winter, they turn grayish-white.
Habitat: The American Avocet (Recurvirostra americana) forages in shallow freshwater and saltwater wetlands, rice fields, and flooded pastures.
Range: Rare and local in Florida, most often found along coastal flats, lagoons, and salt ponds, especially in winter.
Migration: Winter visitor to Florida; absent as a breeder.
Behavior: Forages by sweeping its bill side to side, pecking, or plunging. Often associated with other shorebirds in flocks.
Diet: American Avocets feed on aquatic invertebrates, plus small fish and seeds.
Nest: A shallow ground scrape, sometimes unlined, located on islands or dikes, with little or no vegetation.
Breeding: Season: late April-early August | Clutch: 3–4 greenish brown with dark spots eggs | Broods: 1 | Incubation: 18–30 days | Nestling: able to walk within 24 hours.
Lifespan: At least 15 years.
How many are there? Global breeding population ~450,000.
Conservation Status: Low Concern.

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Common Gallinule

Identification: Charcoal gray with a distinct white side stripe. Adults feature a bright red forehead shield and red bill tipped in yellow. Immatures are similar but lack the red shield and bill coloration.
Habitat: The Common Gallinule (Gallinula galeata) inhabits freshwater and brackish wetlands. Also found in ditches, rice fields, sewage, and stormwater ponds.
Range: Widespread statewide.
Migration: Resident throughout Florida, with populations stable year-round and supplemented by migrants in winter.
Behavior: Swims, walks on floating vegetation with a crouched posture, often flicking its tail. Highly territorial during breeding.
Diet: Aquatic vegetation and seeds, plus snails and insects.
Nest: A broad bowl, typically 10–12 inches wide, placed on thick aquatic plant mats.
Breeding: Season: April-August | Clutch: 3–15 light gray with darker specks/spots eggs | Broods: 1–2 | Incubation: 19–22 days | Chicks: leave the nest within 1 day.
Lifespan: At least 9 years, 10 months.
How many are there? Apparently declining.
Conservation Status: Low Concern.

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Clapper Rail

Identification: Chickenlike with a stout orange bill, stubby tail, and laterally compressed body. Barred sides and belly, pink legs. Chicks covered in black down with pied bills.
Habitat: The Clapper Rail(Rallus crepitans) inhabits saltmarshes with dense vegetation, mangroves, and shallow saltwater habitats.
Range: Restricted to coastal salt marshes and mangroves around Florida’s shoreline.
Migration: Nonmigratory in Florida; populations are resident year-round along the coast.
Behavior: Forages hidden among marsh vegetation. Territorial, sometimes in loose colonies.
Diet: Eats small crabs, shrimp, fish, and plant material.
Nest: Bulky platform of marsh plants, often tall and camouflaged, sometimes with domes or ramps.
Breeding: Season: April-October | Clutch: 2–16 creamy white to buff with irregular brown blotches eggs | Broods: 1–2 | Incubation: 18–24 days | Chicks: Leave the nest within 1 day.
Lifespan: At least 7 years, 6 months.
How many are there? Global population about 210,000 individuals.
Conservation Status: Low conservation concern.

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Purple Gallinule

Identification: Adult: Purplish body with green wings and back, yellow-tipped red bill, blue frontal shield. Juvenile: Brown upperparts, khaki underparts, duller bill.
Habitat: The Purple Gallinule (Porphyrio martinicus) favors freshwater marshes and wetlands with emergent or floating vegetation such as water lilies.
Range: Found mainly in central and southern Florida wetlands, especially the Everglades and other marsh systems.
Migration: Year-round resident in Florida, though northern breeders shift south within the state in winter.
Behavior: Forages slowly over vegetation, pecking at food and flicking its tail. Juveniles often help feed younger siblings.
Diet: Omnivorous—feeds on aquatic plant seeds, invertebrates, small frogs, fish, and bird eggs.
Nest: Cup-shaped platform of rushes, floating or anchored to vegetation, sometimes partially roofed.
Breeding: Season: May-August | Clutch: 6–8 creamy white with small irregular brown spots eggs | Broods: 1 | Incubation: 20–23 days | Nestling: Leaves nest within 1 day.
Lifespan: At least 7 years, 4 months.
How many are there? Estimated 390,000 individuals.
Conservation Status: Low Concern.

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Green Heron

Identification: Small heron with velvet-green back, rich chestnut body, and dark cap. Juveniles are browner with pale neck streaks and wing spots.
Habitat: The Green Heron (Butorides virescens) forages in most types of wetlands and ditches.
Range: Occurs throughout Florida in freshwater and coastal wetlands, often along wooded edges of ponds, lakes, and marshes..
Migration: Resident in Florida, with some seasonal influx from northern breeders in winter.
Behavior: Hunts by standing still or walking slowly in shallow water; strikes quickly when prey approaches.
Diet: Green Herons feed on small fish, shrimp, frogs, and insects.
Nest: Simple stick platform, in trees or shrubs. It is a solitary breeder.
Breeding: Season: February–July | Clutch: 3–5 pale green to bluish eggs | Broods: 1–2 | Incubation: 19–21 days | Nestling: 16–17 days.
Lifespan: Up to 8 years, 11 months.
How many are there? About 1.2 million globally.
Conservation Status: Bird in steep decline (~51%).

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American Woodcock

Identification: Plump bird, very long straight bill, short tail. Cryptic plumage. Hatchlings covered in thick down.
Habitat: The American Woodcock (Scolopax minor) if founs in forests openings and clearings, young shrubby deciduous forests, old fields, wet meadows.
Range: Primarily found in northern and central Florida, favoring moist woodlands, and young forests, especially near wetlands and agricultural fields. Less common in the extreme south.
Migration: The American Woodcock is a winter resident and transient throughout much of its range in Florida, arriving in fall and departing by early spring to breed further north..
Behavior: Forages probing soil for earthworms. Often rocks body while walking. Generally solitary; sometimes small clusters (2–4).
Diet: Earthworms, invertebrates, snails, millipedes, spiders, flies, beetles, ants. Plant material: sedges, pigweed.
Nest: Shallow depression on ground. Made by the female in leaf and twig litter. Usually in young upland woods.
Breeding: Breeding Months: January through May | Clutch: 1-5 grayish orange with splotches of brown eggs | Incubation: 20–22 days | Nestling: ~30 days (Independence).
Lifespan: 11 years, 4 months.
How many are there? Global population ~3.5 million individuals.
Conservation Status: Low Concern.

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Black-necked Stilt

Identification: Elegant black-and-white with long rose-pink legs, slender black bill, and a white patch around the eye. Females and juveniles show browner-black plumage in dark areas.
Habitat: The Black-necked Stilt (Himantopus mexicanus) is found in shallow wetlands, mudflats, sewage or evaporation ponds, and mangrove swamps.
Range: Widespread in shallow wetlands across Florida, including freshwater marshes, coastal flats, and ponds.
Migration: Resident in Florida, though numbers increase in winter with the arrival of migrants from farther north.
Behavior: Forages by wading and pecking, sometimes swinging the bill through water. Loud alarm calls and group displays help deter predators.
Diet: Black-necked Stilts eat primarily aquatic invertebrates; also take small amounts of seeds and plant material.
Nest: Shallow ground scrape on islands, in vegetation, or on floating mats.
Breeding: Season: April-August | Clutch: 2–5 tawny olive, dark brown speckling eggs | Broods: 1 | Incubation: 24–29 days | Nestling: Able to run within ~2 hours.
Lifespan: At least 12 years, 5 months.
How many are there? Estimated global, 900,000 individuals.
Conservation Status: Low Concern.

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Boat-tailed Grackle

Identification: Males are glossy black with a long, V-shaped tail. Females are dark brown above and russet below. Juveniles look like females.
Habitat: The Boat-tailed Grackle (Quiscalus major) is found in coastal saltwater and freshwater marshes. It is also found in urban areas and cultivated fields.
Range: Common year-round in coastal marshes, wetlands, and suburban areas throughout Florida.
Migration: Nonmigratory in Florida; resident statewide.
Behavior: Probes soil and water, dunks food before eating. Highly gregarious. Males employ a harem mating system.
Diet: Omnivorous scavenger; Boat-tailed Grackles feed on invertebrates, frogs, lizards, grains, seeds, and human food scraps.
Nest: A woven cup built in cattails or marsh grasses. Constructed as a woven cup with mud and lined with fine materials. Often breeds in colonies.
Breeding: Season: March-July | Clutch: 1–5 light blue with brown scrawls eggs | Broods: 1–2 | Incubation: ~13 days | Nestling: ~13 days.
Lifespan: At least 13 years, 1 month.
How many are there? Global breeding 2 million.
Conservation Status: Low Concern.

Belted Kingfisher

Identification: Stocky, large-headed bird with shaggy crest, thick bill. Blue-gray above, white below with blue breast band. Females have rusty belly bands. Juveniles show rusty spotting.
Habitat: The Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) forages at streams, rivers, ponds, lakes, estuaries, and human-made pits.
Range: Common throughout Florida along rivers, lakes, marshes, and coastal waters.
Migration: The Belted Kingfisher is a year-round resident in the northern half of Florida. Nonbreeding visitor in the southern half of the State.
Behavior: Forages alone from a perch or by hovering, diving for prey. Territorial and solitary. Loud rattling calls.
Diet: Fish, crayfish, insects, amphibians, young birds, small mammals, berries.
Nest: Burrow in earthen bank near water, 3–6 ft deep, sloping upward to unlined chamber.
Breeding: Season: Mid-March-Late July | Clutch: 5–8 pure white eggs | Broods: 1–2 | Incubation: 22–24 days | Nestling: 27–29 days.
Lifespan: Typically 6 to 10 years.
How many are there? Global breeding population ~1.8 million.
Conservation Status: Low Concern.

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Wilson’s Snipe

Identification: Pudgy bird, very long straight bill. Intricately patterned. Hatchlings tan/chestnut down, black blotches, white crown streak.
Habitat: The Wilson’s Snipe (Gallinago delicata) forages in marshes, bogs, fens, wet meadows, rivers, ponds, wet pastures, muddy pond edges, and damp fields.
Range: Widespread winter visitor across Florida, particularly in the northern and central parts, becoming less common southward.
Migration: A common winter resident throughout Florida, arriving in fall and departing by spring, with no breeding populations.
Behavior: Probes wet soil methodically. Swallows prey without removing bill. Elusive. Performs winnowing courtship display.
Diet: Wilson’s snipes feed on aquatic invertebrates, insect larvae, worms, snails, crustaceans. Occasionally lizards, frogs, and fish.
Nest: Shallow scrape in moist soil. Lined with coarse and finer grasses. Hidden on ground near water.
Breeding: Breeding Months: Mid-March-late August | Clutch: 2-4 olive brown splotched dark brown eggs | Incubation: 18-20 days | Nestling: Chicks leave the nest day of hatching.
Lifespan: At least 9 years, 3 months.
How many are there? Global population ~2 million individuals.
Conservation Status: Low Concern.

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Forster’s Tern

Identification: Breeding adults are gray above, white below, with a black cap and an orange bill tipped in black. Nonbreeding adults have a thick black eye patch and a pale head. Juveniles resemble nonbreeding birds but have tan upperparts, a pale bill base, and shorter tails.
Habitat: The Forster’s Tern (Sterna forsteri) uses freshwater, brackish, and saltwater wetlands and bodies of water.
Range: Common along Florida’s coasts, bays, and estuaries, especially in winter.
Migration: Primarily a winter visitor to Florida; absent as a breeder.
Behavior: Forages mainly by plunge-diving for fish; sometimes hunts from perches. Highly social, often in flocks.
Diet: Forster’s Terns feed on small fish and insects.
Nest: A shallow scrape or rough bowl on the ground in marsh vegetation, floating mats, or atop muskrat lodges.
Breeding: Season: May-mid August | Clutch: 1–4 olive with dark spots eggs | Broods: 1 | Incubation: 23–28 days | Nestling period: 2–7 days.
Lifespan: At least 15 years, 10 months.
How many are there? ~98,000 global breeders.
Conservation Status: Low Concern.

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Killdeer

Identification: Brownish-tan above, white below, with two distinct black breast bands and a black-and-white patterned face. Chicks with a single black breast band.
Habitat: The Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) forage on lawns, pastures, golf courses, athletic fields, parking lots.
Range: Widespread across Florida in open fields, shores, pastures, and wetlands.
Migration: Year-round resident in Florida, supplemented by winter migrants from farther north.
Behavior: Forages by running and stopping to search the ground for food. Famous for the “broken-wing” distraction display to protect nests.
Diet: Killdeer feed on earthworms, grasshoppers, beetles, aquatic insect larvae, seeds, and frogs.
Nest: A shallow ground scrape, often decorated with rocks, shells, sticks, or debris.
Breeding: Season: March-October | Clutch: 4–6 buff with heavy blackish markings eggs | Broods: 1–3 | Incubation: 22–28 days | Nestlings: leave nest as soon as down is dry.
Lifespan: At least 10 years, 11 months.
How many are there? ~2.3 million global breeders.
Conservation Status: Low Concern.

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Least Bittern

Identification: Tiny heron; males are blackish above and buffy-brown below, females and juveniles are more uniformly brown. Juveniles appear scaly.
Habitat: The Least Bittern (Ixobrychus exilis) forages in freshwater and brackish marshes with tall cattails or reeds.
Range: Scattered throughout Florida in dense freshwater and brackish marshes with tall emergent vegetation.
Migration: Breeds widely in Florida; northern populations migrate south, leading to increased numbers in winter.
Behavior: Hunts by standing still perched on standing reeds. When disturbed, compresses the body, raises neck and bill, and sways with reeds for camouflage.
Diet: The Least Bittern feeds on small fish, frogs, shrimp, mice and, dragonflies.
Nest: Well-hidden platform of reeds and sticks, about 6-30 inches above water.
Breeding: Season: April–July | Clutch: 2–6 pale blue or green eggs | Broods: 1–2 | Incubation: 17–20 days | Nestling: 6–15 days.
How many are there? About 310,000 globally.
Conservation Status: Low concern.

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Virginia Rail

Identification: Small, chickenlike with bill and short, upturned tail. Rusty overall with a gray face and black-and-white barred sides. Legs and bill are reddish.
Habitat: The Virginia Rail (Rallus limicola) inhabits shallow freshwater wetlands as well as muddy bottoms, saltmarshes, and brackish wetlands.
Range: Found in freshwater and brackish marshes across Florida, especially during the cooler months.
Migration: Primarily a winter visitor to Florida; small numbers may remain year-round in suitable northern wetlands.
Behavior: Forages by probing mud for prey. Usually solitary. Notable for jerky movements and frequent tail flicking.
Diet: Virginia Rails feeds on insects, small fish, frogs, and plant material including seeds in winter.
Nest: Woven basket of wetland vegetation, placed on floating mats at or just above the water surface.
Breeding: Clutch: 4–13 white/buff with sparse irregular brown spots eggs | Broods: 1–2 | Incubation: 18–20 days | Young: Leave nest after 3–4 days.
Lifespan: Not available.
How many are there? Trends appear stable, though difficult to estimate due to secretive behavior.
Conservation Status: Low conservation concern.

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Sora

Identification: Small, chubby rail with mottled gray and brown plumage. Distinctive yellow bill, black mask and throat patch. Females are duller with less black on the face and throat; juveniles lack the mask. Short tail is often cocked upward.
Habitat: The Sora (Porzana carolina) inhabits freshwater and brackish wetlands, wet pastures, ditches, and flooded fields during migration and winter.
Range: Found in freshwater and brackish marshes across Florida, most common in fall and winter.
Migration: Primarily a winter visitor to Florida; rarely breeds in the state.
Behavior: Forages slowly along muddy edges or over floating vegetation, pecking for seeds and insects. Usually stays hidden in dense cover.
Diet: Soras feed on seeds and aquatic invertebrates.
Nest: Shallow basket of cattails or sedges, built on mounds or attached to stems above shallow water.
Breeding: Season: May-August | Clutch: 6–10 cream to cinnamon with irregular brown spots eggs | Broods: 1–2 | Incubation: 17–20 days | Chicks: Leave the nest within 1 day.
Lifespan: Not available.
How many are there? Stable; Considered abundant.
Conservation Status: Low conservation concern.

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Red-winged Blackbird

Identification: Adult males are glossy black with bright scarlet-and-yellow shoulder patches. Females are streaky dark brown with a paler breast and a whitish eyebrow.
Habitat: Freshwater or saltwater marshes and the like, agricultural fields, feedlots, wet roadsides, and even golf courses.
Range: The Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) is widespread statewide in wetlands, marshes, fields, and agricultural areas.
Migration: Resident throughout Florida, with winter numbers increasing as northern migrants join local populations.
Behavior: Males sing from high perches and aggressively defend territories. Highly social, with winter roosts often numbering in the millions, mixed with other blackbirds.
Diet: Red-winged Blackbirds feed on insects in summer; seeds and grains in winter.
Nest: Females build a cup-shaped nest in marsh vegetation, shrubs, trees, or crops.
Breeding: Season: April-early August | Clutch: 2–4 pale blue-green to gray with dark markings eggs | Broods: 1–2 | Incubation: 11–13 days | Nestling: 11–14 days.
Lifespan: At least 15 years, 9 months.
How many are there? ~180 million globally.
Conservation Status: Low concern.

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Yellow Rail

Identification: Small, brownish-yellow plumage. Paler yellowish face and breast with a dark cheek smudge. Juveniles are duller with fine barring on the nape, sides, and breast.
Habitat: The Yellow Rail (Coturnicops noveboracensis) inhabits shallow freshwater sedge marshes, wet meadows, saltgrass marshes, agricultural fields, and grassy cover.
Range: Rare and local in Florida, mainly in northern and central marshes during the cooler months.
Migration: Winter visitor only; does not breed in Florida.
Behavior: Walks quietly picking invertebrates and seeds. Rarely flies. Runs quickly through grass like a rodent.
Diet: Feeds on aquatic invertebrates, crustaceans, as well as seeds.
Nest: Yellow Rails nest on the ground. Build a small cup (~3.4 in across) covered with a canopy.
Breeding: Season: mid-May-early September | Clutch: 4–10 creamy buff with brown speckling eggs | Chicks: leave the nest within 1 day.
Lifespan: Not available.
How many are there? Global population over 12,000 individuals.
Conservation Status: Species of concern with more than 50% decline in the past 50 years.

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Black Rail

Identification: Tiny bird with gray-black plumage speckled white, black crown, chestnut nape, and red eyes. Immatures have less white and amber to hazel eyes.
Habitat: The Black Rail (Laterallus jamaicensis) occupies shallow wetlands, riparian zones, coastal prairies, saltmarshes, and rice fields.
Range: Very rare and local in Florida, occurring in scattered coastal and freshwater marshes.
Migration: Present year-round in small numbers; primarily resident, though seasonal movements within the state may occur.
Behavior: Forages by gleaning invertebrates. Males defend territories and sing.
Diet: Black Rails feed on small invertebrates, as well as seeds from bulrush and cattail.
Nest: Circular bowl of fine grasses placed on the ground at the base of tall vegetation, often with a ramp of dead plant material.
Breeding: Season: March-early September | Clutch: 4–13 creamy white with fine brown spots eggs | Broods: 1–2 | Incubation: 17–20 days | Chicks: Leave the nest within 1 day.
Lifespan: Estimated at 5–9 years.
How many are there? Eastern subspecies numbers only 355–815 breeding pairs.
Conservation Status: The eastern subspecies is listed as Threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act.

Foraging Strategy and Habitat use as tools to Identify Florida Wetland Birds

Even though many birds share wetlands, they don’t all feed in the same way. Each species uses specific strategies—diving, wading, probing mud, or hunting from the air—based on its food preferences and adaptations. For birdwatchers, knowing these foraging groups helps predict where certain species are most likely to be found in a wetland, making it easier to spot and identify them.

The table below summarizes the main foraging groups of Florida’s wetland birds, their preferred habitats, and representative species.

Foraging Group	General Description of Strategy	Preferred Habitat Type	Representative Species
Diving Birds	Forage by diving beneath the water’s surface to find food.	Open, deep water (lakes, rivers, coastal areas)	Grebes, cormorants, anhingas
Open Water Waders	Forage by wading in shallow water with low-density vegetation.	Shallow water with low vegetation	Herons, egrets, ibises, storks, cranes, spoonbills, avocets, stilts
Dense Vegetation Waders	Forage by wading in shallow water surrounded by dense vegetation.	Shallow water with dense vegetation	Night herons, green herons, bitterns, rails, limpkin
Dipping/Dabbling Foragers	Forage by surface dipping or “tipping” in shallow water.	Shallow water, ponds, marshes with dense vegetation	Coots, gallinules
Moist-soil Foragers	Forage in muddy or moist-soil areas along the shoreline.	Muddy areas, moist soil, shorelines	Ibises, killdeer, rails, gallinules
Aerial Piscivores/snail eaters	Use perches or flight to spot and dive for prey.	Open water, often near perches or trees	Terns, kingfishers, eagles, osprey, snail kite

Where to find Wetland Birds in Florida

Florida’s wetlands shape the state’s landscape and provide essential habitats for birds. From vast marshes to dense swamps and coastal mangroves, each ecosystem supports unique species and offers outstanding birdwatching opportunities.

Major Florida Wetland Ecosystems

1. The Everglades
Known as the “River of Grass,” the Everglades spans 1.5 million acres of marshes, swamps, and mangroves. It is one of North America’s most important breeding grounds for wading birds, hosting species like the Snail Kite, Wood Stork, Flamingos, and Roseate Spoonbill. Top birding sites include Everglades National Park and the Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge.

2. Mangrove Forests
Along Florida’s southern coasts and Keys, mangroves shelter tropical wetland birds such as Reddish Egrets, Flamingos, and Roseate Spoonbills.

3. Cypress Swamps
Towering Baldcypress trees dominate these wetlands, offering nesting and foraging sites for many birds that favor this habitat type. Big Cypress National Preserve protects much of this habitat.

4. Marshes
Grass and sedge-dominated marshes provide cover for species like bittern, rail, some egrets, and limpkin among others. Both tidal and non-tidal marshes thrive in Florida, with prime sites including Wakodahatchee Wetlands and the St. Johns River marshes.

5. Riverine and Floodplain Swamps
River systems such as the St. Johns and Apalachicola support floodplain forests and estuaries rich in wetland birdlife. St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge is a standout location.

Photo Credits:

The photographic material used in this guide was made available on various websites. Many thanks to Andrew Morffew, Mark Mochell, Elizabeth Milson, Duzan Brinkhuizen, Dennis Church, Wendy Miller, Rick From Alabama, John Benson, Mick Thompson, Steve Guttman, Victor Espinoza, Kelly Colgan-Azar, Andy Reago, Chrissy McLaren, Garry C., Linda Fortuna, Vicky DeLoach, Paul Hurtado, Tom Murray, Tom Wilberding, Kenneth Cole-Schneider, Doug Greenberg, Brian Garrett, David White, Becky Matsubara, Dan Mooney, Hal Trachtenberg, Lloyd Davis, Denis Fournier, Gregory Heaton, hharryus, Greg Lavaty, Dona Hilkey, Joshua Mayer, Aaron Maizlish, Ashley Tubs, Richard George, Sandra Minica, Nick, Jon valentine, Steve Valasek, Mitch Walters, Kurayba and Julio Mulero.

Voices:

Most recordings were made by Paul Marvin (Xeno-canto https://xeno-canto.org/contributor/RFTXRYBVBX)

References and Sources:

• Allaboutbirds.org
• eBird. (https://ebird.org/)
• Birds of the World: https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/home
• Gill, Frank B., 1994. Ornithology – 2nd Edition, W. H. Freeman and Company.
• Sibley, David, 2000, The Sibley Guide to Birds. Alfred A. Knopf, Publisher.
• Species Longevity Data: United States Geological Survey (https://www.usgs.gov/)
• The Sibley Guide to Bird Life and Behavior, 2001. Chris Elphick, John Dunning, and David Sibley (eds). Alfred A. Knopf, New York.

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