ANHINGA - Black with white streaks on wings. 35" with a wingspan up to 45 ". Also known as Snakebird - uses its long sharp bill to skewer fish. Often seen perched near the water with its wings spread to dry.
Habitat - Quiet sheltered waters.
Family - Anhingas
HERON - GREAT BLUE - 42-52" Mostly gray with white and black markings on its head, stands motionless in shallow water waiting for fish to swim by and then spears it with its sharp beak.
Habitat - Inland rivers, ponds, swamps
Family - Herons, Egrets, Bitterns
BALD EAGLE - 31-37" with a wing span up to 7 feet. Dark brown to black/white with a white head and tail. Impales fish with its pointed bill. May mate for life, nests are high in trees and reused each year.
Habitat - Coast, rivers, large lakes
Family - Hawks and Eagles
HERON - TRI COLORED 26" Similar to Little Blue Herons but have a yellow bill and white belly.
Habitat - Quiet, shallow waters
Family - Herons, Egrets, Bitterns
CARDINAL - 8-9 " Male is red with black mask. Female is brown with tinges of red. Both have a crest. Will attack its own reflection in a window.
Habitat - Backyards, brush and semi open habitat
Family - Cardinals, Grosbecks and Buntings
HOODED MERGANSER - 16-19" Male is black and white with brown sides. Has a black crest on top of head and a white patch on either side of its head. Female is all brown with ragged crest on back of her head.
Habitat - Wooded lakes, ponds
Family - Ducks and geese
CORMORANT - 33" Similar to Anhinga but has no stripes on its wings and its bill is shorter and has a curved tip. Will be seen along the shore drying its wings.
Habitat - Aquatic
Family - Cormorants
IBIS - WHITE 25" Up to 3 ft wingspan. All white with a very long, curved orange bill, orange face and legs. Walks slowly in shallow water probing the bottom for food with its long bill.
Habitat - Shallow water
Family - Ibises and Spoonbills
EGRET, GREAT WHITE- 38" All white with long ,pointed yellow bill and black legs and feet. Often seen standing or wading in shallow water looking for fish to spear.
Habitat - Quiet, shallow waters
Family- Herons, Egrets, Bitterns
IBIS- GLOSSY 23" Up to 3 ft wingspan. Appears dark brown from a distance but has light brown head and neck with iridescent green and blue wings and tail. Long curved yellowish bill and legs.
Habitat - Shallow water
Family - Ibises and Spoonbills
EGRET, SNOWY - 24" All white with long, pointed black bill, black legs and yellow feet. Long feather plumes during breeding season. Said to be a ballerina dancing in the shadows with a white tutu , black tights and yellow slippers.
Habitat - Aqueatic
Family - Herons, Egrets, Bitterns
BLUE JAY - 12" Large bright light blue and white bird with a black necklace. White face, gray belly. Highly intelligent bird. Will scream like a hawk to scatter birds at a feeder. Known as the alarm of the forest.
Habitat - Backyards and woods
Family - Crows, Magpies, Jays
MOORHEN - 14" Nearly black all over with yellow tipped red beak. Red forehead. Thin line of white along sides, yellowish green legs. Walks on floating vegetation or swims while hunting insects. Young birds will ride on backs of adults.
Habitat - Freshwater marshes and lakes.
Family - Rails, Gallinules, Coots, Cranes
MOTTLED DUCK - 22" All brown duck with light tan neck and head. Bright yellow bill. Wing span is blue or green and outlined with black. Will breed with Mallards creating hybrids. Mates stay together all year.
Habitat - Fresh and saltwater marshes
Family - Ducks, Geese and Swans
OSPREY - 24" up to 5 ft wingspan. Eagle like bird with white chest and belly and black back. White head with a black streak through eyes. Dark bill. Plunges into water feet first to catch fish. In flight wings are cocked backwards.
Habitat - Manmade towers and tall dead trees
Family - Hawks and Allies
PELICAN - BROWN 48" up to 7 ft wingspan. Gray brown body, black belly, long gray bill. Was an endangered species in the 1970's. Captures fish by diving head first into the ocean. Nests in large colonies.
Habitat - Coastal. Often seen on posts around marinas.
Family - Tropicbirds, Boobies, Pelicans and Allies
RED BELLIED WOODPECKER 9.5" Zebra back with white rump. Red crown extends down the nape. Tan breast with tinge of red on belly. Excavates holes in rotten wood looking for spiders and beetles. Will return to same tree to excavate a new nest below that of previous year.
Habitat - Shady woodlands.
Family - Woodpecker
PELICAN - WHITE 62" up to 9 ft wingspan. A large white bird with black wing tips, white or pale yellow crown. Bright yellow bill, legs and feet. Often seen in large groups. Simultaneously dip their bills into water to scoop up fish. Fly in large V formation.
Habitat - Lakes
Family - Tropicbirds, Boobies, Pelicans, Allies
MOCKINGBIRD 10" Silvery gray head and back with light gray chest and belly. White wing patches. Very animated, imitates other birds - vocal mimicry. Performs an elaborate mating dance.
Habitat - shrubs and trees
Familly - Thrushes and Allies
ROSEATE SPOONBILL - 32" up to 4 ft wingspan. Pink bird with red highlights. White neck with a black patch on the back of the head. Heavy, spoon shaped flat bill. Long red legs. Related to Ibis and Wood Stork. Feathers were used for women's hats in the 1800's. Sifts fish and insects from shallow waters.
Habitat- Coastal, shallow waters
Family - Storks and Vultures
SANDHILL CRANE -40-48" up to 7 ft wingspan.
Elegant gray bird with long legs and neck. Wings and body often stained rusty brown. Scarlet red cap. Yellow to red eyes. One of the tallest birds in the world able to fly at great heights. Has a distinctive rattling call. Performs spectacular mating dance.
Habitat - Large fields near water.
Family - Tails, Gallinules, Coots and Cranes
VULTURE- TURKEY 26 - 32" up to 6 ft wingspan. Red head and legs. In flight, the wings appear two toned black. Long, square tail. Ivory bill. Holds it wings in a slight V during flight. Developed sense of smell, mostly mute. Closely related to storks, not birds of prey.
Habitat - Woods
Family - Storks and Vultures
SHRIKE LOGGERHEAD - 9" Gray head and back with black wings and mask across the eyes. A white chin, chest, breast and belly. Black tail, legs and feet. Black bill with hooked tip. Known as the "Butcher Bird" for skewing prey on barbed wire fences, thorns and other sharp objects to store and hold while tearing apart to eat. Migrates to Florida in the winter from northern states.
Habitat - shrubs and trees
Family - Thrushes and Allies
WOOD STORK - 40" up to 5 ft wingspan. All white body with bald, nearly black head and thick, slightly down turned bill. Tail, wing tips are black. Black legs, pink feet. On state and federal endangered lists. Nests in large colonies, often high in tress. Feeds by swinging its open bill through water until it contacts prey, than snaps shut.
Habitat - Coastal, fresh water ponds.
Family - Storks and Vultures.
LIMPKIN _ Dark brown body, white streaks on neck, back wings and breast. Bill is slightly decurved. Long neck and legs. Vaguely resembles Ibis. Feeds on apple snails, mussels and fish.
Habitat - Wooded, brushy freshwater swamps and marshes
Family - Limpkins
