The birds of the Everglades National Park are divided into 4-size groups based on familiar birds such as a Crane, a Duck, a Pigeon, and a Sparrow. Using the approximate size of the bird you want to identify, scroll down the list or click to jump to one of the four size groups. If it isn’t there, return to the top and try another size group.
The Everglades National Park is located on the Florida peninsula and is considered one of the most important stopovers and breeding grounds for residents and migratory birds. This park supports more than 386 species of birds in its aquatic and upland habitats.
The 40 birds to see in the Everglades National Park are large, fairly common, and favor open habitats where they can be easily spotted and heard calling. These are the birds most often reported by visitors.
This reference guide is mobile-friendly, so you can use it while in the park, watching these birds. Alternatively, you can use it to familiarize yourself with the birds you will most likely see at Everglades National Park.
THE SIZE OF A CRANE (1-7)
1. Sandhill Crane
The Sandhill Crane’s (Antigone canadensis) calls are one of the loudest among North American birds. The male and female look alike. Its large size and plumage coloration are unmistakable.
Habitat: It favors shallow lagoons and estuaries. Adam Baker/Flickr/CC by 2.0
2. American Flamingo
The male and female American Flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber) produce bright red milk to feed their chicks. The male and female look alike. Its plumage and long legs are unmistakable in the park. They are rare in the park.
Habitat: It favors shallow lagoons and estuaries. Adam Baker/Flickr/CC by 2.0
3. Roseate Spoonbill
The Roseate Spoonbill (Platalea ajaja) is now expanding its range northward from its usual South Florida range. The male and female look alike. It is similar to an American Flamingo.
Habitat: It favors the shallow areas of ponds and marshes. Jim Mullhaupt/Flickr/CC by 2.0
4. Woodstork
The Wood Stork (Mycteria americana), not long ago, was endangered of extinction. It has now recovered. The male and female look alike. It is similar to the White Ibis and Great Egret. GTM Nerr/Flickr/CC by 2.0
Habitat: Wetlands and marshes with water of 6 to 10 inches deep. GTM Nerr/Flickr/CC by 2.0
Generally Silent.
5 Great Blue Heron
The Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) has a good night vision and can fish at night on moonlit nights. The male and female look alike. It is similar to a Sandhill Crane.
Habitat: It favors the edges of ponds and wetlands. Tim Lumley/Flickr/CC by 2.0
6. Reddish Egret (Reddish morph)
The Reddish Egret (Egretta rufescens) jumps, runs, and spins as it chases fish in shallow water. It comes in reddish and white color morphs (See below). The reddish color morph is similar to a Little Blue Heron. Andrew Morffew/Flickr/CC by 2.0
Habitat: It favors the shallow edges of lagoons and estuaries. Andrew Morffew/Flickr/CC by 2.0
6. Reddish Egret (White morph)
The white color morph of a Reddish Egret can be told from other white egrets by its bicolored bill. It jumps, runs, and spins as it chases fish in shallow water. The white color morph is similar to a Great Egret.
Habitat: It favors the shallow edges of lagoons and estuaries.
7. Great Egret
The Great Egret (Ardea alba), grows beautiful plumes during the breeding season. The male and female look alike. It is similar to the white morph of a Reddish Egret and to the Snowy Egret.
Habitat: It favors the edges of ponds, wetlands, and shallow waters. Hal Trachtenberg/Flickr/CC by 2.0
THE SIZE OF A DUCK (8-24)
8. Double-crested Cormorant
The Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) is the only North American cormorant that lives in and away from the ocean. The male and female look alike. It is similar to an Anhinga.
Habitat: Ponds and lakes with plenty of fish. Dennis Church/Flickr/CC by 2.0
9. Anhinga (Male)
The Anhinga (Anhinga anhinga) does not have a waterproof plumage despite being a diver. The male and female have different plumage. It is similar to a Cormorant.
Habitat: Ponds and lakes with plenty of fish. Dennis Church/Flickr/CC by 2.0
9. Anhinga (Female)
The male and female Anhinga must dry their feathers after every dive to be able to fly. The female is told from the male by a buffy brown breast and neck.
Habitat: Ponds and lakes with plenty of fish. Greg Schechter/Flickr/CC by 2.0
10. Mottled Duck
The Mottled Duck (Anas fulvigula) tips headfirst and tail up into shallow water to obtain food. The male and female look alike and resemble the female of other duck species.
Habitat: On or near lakes, ponds, and wetlands. Russ/Flickr/CC by 2.0
11. Barred Owl
The Barred Owl (Strix varia) is highly sedentary and often spends its life in a single territory. The male and female look alike. It is the most conspicuous large owl in the park.
Habitat: It favors dense and mature woodlands and cypress swamps. Cuatrok77/Flickr/CC by 2.0
12. Magnificent Frigatebird (Male)
The Magnificent Frigatebird (Fregata magnificens) is the only seabird in which the male and female are very different. The black plumage of a male, slender figure, and deeply forked tail make it unmistakable.
Habitat: Soars over the ocean and shores. Lip Kee Yep/Flickr/CC by 2.0
12. Magnificent Frigatebird (Female)
The Magnificent Frigatebird (Fregata magnificens) is the only seabird in which the male and female are very different. The black and white plumage of a female, slender figure, and deeply forked tail make it unmistakable.
Habitat: More often seen in flight. David Brossard/Flickr/CC by 2.0
13. Black-crowned Night-Heron (Adult)
The Black-crowned Night-Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) is one of the few exclusively nocturnal herons. The male and female look alike, but the juvenile is very different. It is similar to the Yellow-crowned Night-Heron.
Habitat: It favors the edges of bodies of freshwater that have fish. Ken Slade/Flickr/CC by 2.0
13. Black-crowned Night-Heron (Juvenile)
The juvenile Black-crowned Night-Heron goes through several plumage stages prior to acquiring the adult plumage at the age of three. It is similar to the juvenile of the Yellow-crowned Night-Heron.
Habitat: It favors de edges of bodies of freshwater that have fish. Becky Matsubara/Flickr/CC by 2.0
14. Yellow-crowned Night-Heron (Adult)
The Yellow-crowned Night-Heron (Nyctanassa violacea) is one of the few exclusively nocturnal herons. The male and female look alike, but the juvenile is very different. It is similar to the Black-crowned Night-Heron.
Habitat: It favors the edges of salt and brackish bodies of water that have fish. Dennis Church/Flickr/CC by 2.0
14. Yellow-crowned Night-Heron (Juvenile)
The juvenile Yellow-crowned Night-Heron also goes through several plumage stages before acquiring the adult plumage at the age of three. It is similar to the juvenile of the Black-crowned Night-Heron.
Habitat: It favors the edges of salt and brackish bodies of water that have fish. Ken Slade/Flickr/CC by 2.0
15. White Ibis (Adult)
The White Ibis (Euducimus albus), is a common yard bird in South Florida. It probes into wet or moist dirt or mud in search of invertebrates. The male and female look alike. The juvenile is different and is superficially similar to a Glossy Ibis.
Habitat: It favors muddy edges of wetlands and moist pastures. Michael McCarthy/Flickr/CC by 2.0
15. White Ibis (Juvenile)
The juvenile White Ibis goes through several white and brown plumage stages before acquiring the white plumage of the adult.
Habitat: It favors muddy edges of wetlands and moist pastures. Cuatrok77/Flickr/CC by 2.0
16. Glossy Ibis
The Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus) also occurs in Asia and Africa. The male and female look alike. It is somewhat similar to a juvenile White Ibis.
Habitat: It favors muddy edges of wetlands. Matthew Paulson/Flickr/CC by 2.0
17. Red-shouldered Hawk
The Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus) is known to return to the same nesting sites and foraging grounds every year. The male and female look alike. It is superficially similar to a Snail Kite.
Habitat: It favors forest edges and edges of wetlands. Dennis Church/Flickr/CC by 2.0
18. Snail Kite (Male)
The Snail Kite (Rostrhamus sociabilis) was critically endangered of extinction but is now recovering. The male and female have different plumage. It is superficially similar to a Red-shouldered Hawk.
Habitat: It flies over the water, scanning the vegetation for apple snails. Julio Mulero/Flickr/CC by 2.0
18. Snail Kite (Female)
The female and juvenile Snail Kite look alike. The juvenile is overall more brownish and is superficially similar to a Red-shouldered Hawk.
Habitat: It flies over the water, scanning the vegetation for apple snails. Andrew Morffew/Flickr/CC by 2.0
19. Swallow-tailed Kite
The Swallow-tailed Kite (Elanoides forficatus) spends most of the year in Southern Brazil. The male and female look alike. Its plumage and tail shape are unmistakable.
Habitat: It forages over woodlands and semi-open habitats. Patty McGann/Flickr/CC by 2.0
20. Pied-billed Grebe
The Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps) eats its own feathers to create a protective lining in its stomach. The male and female look alike. It is superficially similar to a juvenile Gallinule.
Habitat: Always in open water where it dives for small prey items. Chuck Harris/Flickr/CC by 2.0
21. Little Blue Heron (Adult)
The juvenile Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea), is white. Subadult birds are white with blue blotches. The adult male and female look alike. It is similar to a Tricolored Heron. The juvenile resembles a Snowy Egret.
Habitat: It favors the edges of wetlands, marshes, and mudflats. Patricia Pierce/Flickr/CC by 2.0
21. Little Blue Heron (Immature)
The juvenile Little Blue Heron has white plumage and goes through a white blotched with blue plumage before acquiring the solid gray-blue plumage. The juvenile resembles a Snowy Egret.
Habitat: It favors the edges of wetlands, marshes, and mudflats. Kenneth Cole Schneider/Flickr/CC by 2.0
22. Snowy Egret
The Snowy Egret (Egretta thula) was heavily hunted for its ornate plumes used in the fashion hat industry. The male and female look alike. It is similar to a Great Egret and juvenile Little Blue Heron.
Habitat: Any body of water with plenty of fish.
23. Tricolored Heron
The Tricolored Heron (Egretta tricolor), was formerly called the Louisiana Heron. The male and female look alike. It is similar to an adult Little Blue Heron.
Habitat: It favors the edges of wetlands, marshes, and mudflats.
24. Cattle Egret
The Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis) is native to Africa and reached America on its own. The male and female look alike. It is similar to a Snowy Egret.
Habitat: Any open pasture. Not necessarily associated with water.
THE SIZE OF A PIGEON (25-34)
25. White-crowned Pigeon
The White-crowned Pigeon (Patagioenas leucocephala) nests in mangrove islands and commutes to other islands with hardwoods to find food. The male and female look alike. It is similar to a common Rock Dove or pigeon.
Habitat: Mangroves and hardwood woodlands.
26. American Crow
The American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) is among the smartest birds able to resolve simple problems. The male and female look alike. It is similar to the smaller male Boat-tailed Grackle.
Habitat: It uses a variety of habitat types. Becky Matsubara /Flickr/CC by 2.0
27. Green Heron (Adult)
The Green Heron (Butorides virescens) is one of the few birds that use bait for fishing. The male and female look alike. The juvenile is similar to a juvenile Night-Heron.
Habitat: It favors the vegetation and cattail edges of the water. Kelly Colgan Azar/Flickr/CC by 2.0
27. Green Heron (Juvenile)
The juvenile Green Heron resembles the juvenile of the Black-crowned and Yellow-crowned Night-Herons.
Habitat: It favors the vegetation and cattail edges of the water. Anita Gould/Flickr/CC by 2.0
28. Laughing Gull
The Laughing Gull (Leucophaeus atricilla) mostly forages during the day but also does so on moonlit nights. The male and female look alike. It is similar to the Ring-billed Gull, which is rare in the park.
Habitat: It favors sandy beaches and mudflats. Bruce Goodwin/Flickr/CC by 2.0
29. Pileated Woodpecker
The Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus) is the largest North American woodpecker. The male and female look alike. Its size and plumage are unmistakable.
Habitat: It favors woodlands with old trees, even in urban areas. Mick Thompson/Flickr/CC by 2.0
30. Eurasian Collared Dove
The Eurasian Collared-Dove (Streptopelia decaocto) has only recently colonized the United States from the Caribbean Region. It is native to the Indian Sub-continent. It is similar to a Mourning Dove.
Habitat: Semi-open habitats and urban areas.
31. Common Gallinule
The chicks of the Common Gallinule (Gallinula galeata) have spurs on their wings that enable them to climb on vegetation. The male and female look alike. It is similar to the Purple Gallinule.
Habitat: It favors floating and short vegetation around bodies of water. Dan Mooney/Flickr/CC by 2.0
32. Purple Gallinule
The Purple Gallinule (Porphyrio martinica) can have several broods in a year, and juvenile birds help raise younger siblings. The male and female look alike. It is similar to the Common Gallinule.
Habitat: It favor floating and short vegetation growing around bodies of water. Chris Capell/Flickr/CC by 2.0
33. Black-necked Stilt
The Black-necked Stilt (Himantopus mexicanus) can be extremely aggressive when it is nesting. The male and female look alike. Its unique plumage and long legs are unmistakable.
Habitat: It favors shallow edges of ponds and wetlands. Chris/Flickr/CC by 2.0
34. Belted Kingfisher (Female)
The female Belted kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) is more brightly colored than the male. The head shape and general appearance of a Belted Kingfisher are unmistakable.
Habitat: It favors the shallow areas of lagoons, ponds, and lakes. John Critchley/Flickr/CC by 2.0
34. Belted Kingfisher (Male)
The male Belted kingfisher is bluish and white without the rufous-brown band on the belly. The head shape and general appearance of a Belted Kingfisher are unmistakable.
Habitat: It favors the shallow areas of lagoons, ponds, and lakes. Andy Morffew/Flickr/CC by 2.0
THE SIZE OF A SPARROW (35-40)
35. Boat-tailed Grackle (Male)
The Boat-tailed Grackle (Quiscalus major) also uses a variety of urban habitats only in South Florida. The male and female have different plumage. It is similar to the larger American Crow.
Habitat: It uses a variety of habitat types. Michael Klotz /Flickr/CC by 2.0
35. Boat-tailed Grackle (Female)
The female Boat-tailed Grackle does not have an ornate tail, and it is generally smaller than the male. It uses urban habitats only in South Florida. It is similar to a female Red-winged Blackbird.
Habitat: It uses a variety of habitat types. Len Blumin/Flickr/CC by 2.0
36. Killdeer
The Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) is named after its calls that sound like killdeer, Killdeer. The male and female look alike. It is similar to other similar-sized plovers.
Habitat: Open pastures and edges of wetlands. Becky Matsubara/Flickr/CC by 2.0
37. Eastern Meadowlark
The male Eastern Meadowlark (Sturnella magna) typically has two to three mates at a time. The male and female look alike. It is similar to a female Boat-tailed Grackle.
Habitat: Open grasslands and prairies. Brian Garrett/Flickr/CC by 2.0
38. Red-winged Blackbird (Male)
The Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) is polygamous and can mate with up to 15 females in a breeding season. The male and female have different plumage.
Habitat: Edges of ponds, lakes, and agricultural land. Hal Trachtenberg/Flickr/CC by 2.0
38. Red-winged Blackbird (Female)
The female Red-winged Blackbird can be difficult to identify when not seen next to a male. It is similar to the Cape-Sable Seaside Sparrow.
Habitat: Edges of ponds, lakes, and agricultural land. Hal Trachtenberg /Flickr/CC by 2.0
39. Eastern Towhee
The Eastern Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus) tends to be a solitary bird. The male is brightly colored while the female has the same colors, but it is a dull version of the male. Its plumage is rather unique and is restricted to scrub.
Habitat: Low woodlands and scrub. Logan Ward/Flickr/CC by 2.0
40. Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow
The Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow (Ammodramus maritimus mirabilis) is currently considered critically endangered. The male and female look alike. It is similar to other sparrows but is restricted to Marsh Prairies.
Habitat: Marsh prairies. David La Puma/Flickr/CC by 2.0
Final Remarks:
To go beyond the 40 birds most likely to see in Everglades National Park, see the complete Bird Species List for Everglades National Park.
References:
- eBird Database
- David Sibley, 2000. The Sibley Guide to Birds.
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology: All About Birds.
- Bird of Everglades National Park.
Credits Sound Recordings.
Recordings: Xeno Canto.
- Andrew Spencer, American Flamingo, Seaside Sparrow, and Mottled Duck.
- Paul Marvin, All other recordings.
Excellent summary of likely sightings in Everglades National Park. It might be a stretch to say that the Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow is a likely sighting. Desirable surely, but probably not not likely.
Stanley Boynton, the Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow is definitely a stretch but at the right time and habitat one can get lucky and see one from the road singing.
We hesitated about including the sparrow but decided to leave it there as the idea was also having a list that includes the specialty birds of the park.
Thank you for stopping by!