Hobbies And Interests
Seabirds and Gulls
Florida is home to two species of pelican, the American white pelicans are winter visitors to Florida. With a wingspan of up to 9 1/2 feet, it is one of North America's largest birds. Brown pelicans are long-lived birds as well as strong swimmers. Nine species of gulls are can be found in Florida although only laughing gulls, which are most common in coastal areas, breed in the state. Two species of terns are also common in Florida. These are the saltwater and freshwater-dwelling Forster's tern and the royal tern which inhabits beaches. Other terns, such as the least and roseate terns are much less common and are threatened species. Black skimmers are one of Florida's species of special concern. They nest in small colonies on undisturbed sandy beaches and islands.
Long-Legged Wading Birds
Florida offers an ideal habitat for several species of long-legged wading birds. The state's wetlands are inhabited by six species of heron. The great blue heron is the most abundant and widespread of these. The least bittern is at home in the freshwater marshes of central and south Florida. Several species of egrets also live in Florida, including the reddish egret which puts on a spectacular show when foraging. While Ibises usually inhabit Florida's inland marshes, wet prairies and swamps, spoonbills often prefer coastal waterways. The roseate spoonbill and white ibis are both species of special concern. Florida's other long-legged wading birds include cranes, the endangered wood stork and the limpkin, which is another species of special concern.
Smaller Wading Birds
There are also several species of smaller wading birds in Florida. These include rails such as the clapper rail, which are more often heard than seen. Purple gallinules inhabit shallow freshwater wetlands in Florida. Oystercatchers in the state include the American oystercatcher which is a species of special concern. Other smaller wading birds in Florida include plovers, such as the snowy plover and ping plover. Both of these are threatened species.
Ducks
Dabbling ducks inhabit Florida's marshes, streams and fresh and brackish ponds. Florida's dabbling ducks include gadwalls, wood ducks and Muscovy ducks. The redhead, canvasback and ring-necked duck are listed amongst the diving ducks in Florida. These birds dive to forage on aquatic animals and plants. Two species of whistling duck, the black-bellied and fulvous whistling duck, can also be found in Florida.
Greater Flamingo
The greater flamingo is an iconic bird that is often associated with Florida. However, this bird is not a Florida native. It is found naturally in southern parts of the state, such as the Everglades, as a traveler from Caribbean or Yucatan populations. When the first Europeans arrived in Florida, there was a small breeding population of Flamingos in the most southern parts of Florida. Wild flamingos no longer breed in Florida although captive, semi-domestic flocks began to establish themselves in South Florida in the 1930s. These birds, along with Florida's native roseate spoonbill, are often confused with flamingos that occur there naturally.