You are here: Home Home / What to Do / Birding / Birding_See

 
What will I see?
Red Shouldered Hawk
 Red Shouldered Hawk
Photograph by Kevin Edwards
The official Florida bird list stands at 485 species making Florida is the most diverse state east of the Mississippi River. Florida's high degree of bird diversity can be attributed to the diversity of habitats, the extent of remaining wildlands, the geographic span of both temperate and subtropical climates, and the location on migration.

Charlotte Harbor & the Gulf Islands has ample opportunities to enjoy birding. Charlotte County's environmental parks and preserves provide a wide variety of habitats that support a diverse assemblage of bird species. There are also a number of state parks surrounding Charlotte Harbor that provide additional birding opportunities. The Charlotte Harbor area is home to diverse population of birds including Northern Bobwhite, Sandhill Crane, Bald Eagle, Reddish Egret, Purple Gallinule, Red-shouldered Hawk, Green Heron, Florida Scrub Jay, Belted Kingfisher, Swallow-tailed Kite, Yellow-crowned Night-heron, Burrowing Owl, American Oystercatcher, White Pelican, Snowy Plover, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Black Skimmer, Bachman's Sparrow, Roseate Spoonbill, Black-necked Stilt, Wood Stork, Royal Tern, White-eyed Vireo, Pine Warbler, Pileated Woodpecker, Red-cockaded Woodpecker, Red-headed Woodpecker.

All it takes to get started as a birder is binoculars and a simple field guide. Don't forget to take along water, sunscreen and bug spray.

Birds Commonly found on Charlotte County's Environmental Lands