National Park Service

U.S. Department of the InteriorBig Cypress National PreserveFloridaBig CypressBirds

How You Behave Can Save Do Not Feed or Harass WildlifeEXPERIENCE YOUR AMERICA!

Preserve — Protect — En oj y

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Birds of the Swamp...Bird watching is one of the Preserve’s principal attractions. Vegetation types such as cypress strands, hardwood hammocks, old-growth pinelands, sawgrass prairies, and mangrove forests support a wonderful array of bird diversity. This is illustrated by the 207 species of birds observed within the Preserve boundaries.The Big Cypress bird checklist has two primary functions: 1) to inform visitors of the presence and abundance of bird species in the Preserve and 2) to assist the wildlife team in updating the list through visitor observations. Therefore, if you see any unusual birds (those listed as rare or not listed at all), please advise Preserve staff at the visitor center and fill out a wildlife observation card, or write to: Big Cypress National PreserveAttention: Wildlife Biologist 33100 Tamiami Trail EastOchopee, FL 34141 Please be as specific as possible. Your reported observations are important and appreciated.Recommended Birding Sites Within the Preserve Loop Road, Kirby Storter Trail, Turner River Road, Wagonwheel Road, Birdon Road, and the Florida National Scenic Trail are ideal birding areas. See the Big Cypress National Preserve brochure for locations.Birding Ethics• Be careful not to disturb nesting birds. Eggs 

or chicks left unattended are vulnerable to extreme temperatures or predators. 

• Avoid disrupting the natural behavior of 

birds. Although an isolated disturbance may not be harmful to an individual’s survival, cumulative incidents from other visitors may be detrimental. 

• Be extremely cautious and courteous when 

roadside birding; be sure to pull entirely off the road when observing wildlife and to always be 

aware of other motorists.

Watching wildlife the responsible way...The thrill of watching a wild animal in its native surroundings is spectacular and awe inspiring. While visiting Big Cypress National Preserve, or any other natural area, remember:• Never feed wildlife.• View wildlife with respect. • All wildlife is wild and unpredictable. 

Stay a safe distance from any wild animal —15 feet is recommended. 

• All plants and animals within 

national park areas are protected, it is illegal to collect any wildlife without special permits. 

Great Florida Birding Trail...The Great Florida Birding Trail is a collection of 445 sites throughout Florida selected for their excellent birdwatching or bird education opportunities. This 2,000-mile, self-guided highway trail is designed to conserve and enhance Florida’s bird habitat by promoting birdwatching activities, conservation education and economic opportunity.Look for signs along roadways with this symbol that identify the trail. Learn more at: www.floridabirdingtrail.com

* Exotic speciesE Extinct? Breeding status unknown+ Known to breed in the PreserveBREEDING STATUSrange.habitat is present and Big Cypress lies within their (confirmed) in the Preserve, although suitable in the index have never been documented being observed. The species having no information abundance in the Preserve, not on its likelihood of Each species was indexed according to its records)r -- Rare (seldom present in suitable habitat; few habitat and season)u -- Uncommon (occasionally present in proper habitat and season)f -- Fairly common (often present in the proper season)c -- Common (present in the proper habitat and INDEXW Winter (December-February) F Fall (September-November) S Summer (June-August)SP Spring (March-May)SEASONKEY:Observer(s): _____________________________ Weather: ______________________________Location: _____________________________Date: _______________ Time: ________ SP S F W SP S F W

___Turkey vulture +VULTURES

c c c c

___Black vulture + c c c c___Pied-billed grebe +GREBES

f f f f

___American white pelicanPELICANS, CORMORANTS, ETC...___Horned grebe

u u u

___Brown pelican u u u u___Magnificent frigatebird r___Double-crested cormorant + c c c c___Anhinga + c c c c___American bitternHERONS, EGRETS, ETC...

f r f f

___Least bittern + f f f f___Great blue heron + c c c c___Great egret + c c c c___Snowy egret + c c c c___Little blue heron + c c c c ___Tricolored heron + c c c c___Reddish egret r r r r___Cattle egret + f f f f___Green heron + c c c c___Black-crowned night-heron + f u f f ___Yellow-crowned night-heron + u u u u 

___White ibis +IBISES, SPOONBILLS, & STORKS

c c c c 

___Glossy ibis + u u u u___Roseate spoonbill ? u u u u___Wood stork + c c c c___Fulvous whistling-duckWATERFOWL___Common loonLoons

r r r 

___Black-bellied whistling-duck r r r r ___Snow goose r___Canada goose r___Egyptian goose r r r r___Wood duck + u u u u___Green-winged teal u u u ___Mottled duck + f f f f___Mallard r___Northern pintail r r r___Blue-winged teal f r f f

___Northern shoveler r___American wigeon___Gadwall

r

___Ring-necked duck___Redhead ___Canvasback

 r r f

Top RowBirds of Big Cypress National Preserve

 -- limpkin, red-cockaded woodpecker, eastern 

Bottombluebird

Row -- black-necked stilt, sandhill crane, anhinga
___Blue jay +

JAYS & CROWS

f f f f

___American crow + c c c c___Fish crow r r___Purple martin +MARTINS & SWALLOWS

f f u 

___Tree swallow c c c___N. rough-winged swallow r r___Bank swallow r r___Cliff swallow r r___Barn swallow ? c r c r___Tufted titmouse +TITMICE

f f f f

___Brown-headed nuthatch +NUTHATCHES

f f f f

___Brown creeperCREEPERS

r

___Carolina wren +WRENS

c c c c 

___House wren f f f___Sedge wren u u u___Marsh wren u u u___Ruby-crowned kingletKINGLETS & GNATCATCHERS

r

___Blue-gray gnatcatcher + c c c c___Eastern bluebird +THRUSHES

f f f f

___Wood thrush___Hermit thrush___Swainson’s thrush___Gray-cheeked thrush___Veery

 r r

___American robin u f c___Gray catbirdMIMIC THRUSHES

f f c

___Northern mockingbird + c c c c___Brown thrasher + f f f f___American pipitPIPITS

r r r

___Cedar waxwingWAXWINGS

f f f

___* Common myna +STARLINGS, ETC...

r r r r

___* European starling + f f f f

___Blue-winged warblerWARBLERS

r r

___Orange-crowned warbler___Tennessee warbler___Golden-winged warbler

r

___Northern parula ?

___Nashville warbler

c f c c

___Magnolia warbler___Chestnut-sided warbler___Yellow warbler

r r

___Cape may warbler r r___Black-throated blue warbler f f r___Yellow-rumped warbler f f c___Black-throated green warbler u u r___Yellow-throated warbler___Blackburnian warbler

f r f f

___Pine warbler + c c c c___Prairie warbler + f u f f___Palm warbler c c c___Bay-breasted warbler r___Blackpoll warbler r

___Black-and-white warbler___Cerulean warbler

f f f

___American redstart f f r___Prothonotary warbler + u u u___Worm-eating warbler r r___Ovenbird___Swainson’s warbler

f f f

___Northern waterthrush u u u___Louisiana waterthrush r r___Common yellowthroat +___Mourning warbler___Connecticut warbler___ Kentucky warbler

c c c c

___Hooded warbler r

___Wilson’s warbler r___Summer tanager ?TANAGERS___Yellow-breasted chat___Canada warbler

u r u

___Western tanager r___Scarlet tanager r r___Northern cardinal +CARDINALS, GROSBEAKS, & BUNTINGS

c c c c

___Rose-breasted grosbeak 

___Blue grosbeak r___Indigo bunting u u u___Painted bunting r r r___Eastern towhee +___DickcisselSPARROWS, TOWHEES, ETC...

c c c c

___Chipping sparrow___Bachman’s sparrow 

r r r

___Clay-colored sparrow r___Vesper sparrow___Field sparrow

 r

___Lark sparrow r___Savannah sparrow f f f

___Grasshopper sparrow u u u

___Cape sable seaside sparrow +___Nelson’s sharp-tailed sparrow___Salt marsh sharp-tailed sparrow___Le Conte’s sparrow___Henslow’s sparrow

u u u u

___Song sparrow___Fox sparrow

f f f

___Swamp sparrow u u u

___BobolinkORIOLESBLACKBIRDS, GRACKLES, COWBIRDS, & ___Dark-eyed junco___White-crowned sparrow___White-throated sparrow

u u

___Red-winged blackbird + c c c c ___Eastern meadowlark + c c c c___Yellow-headed blackbird r r r___Rusty blackbird r r r___Common grackle +___Brewer’s blackbird

c c c c

___Boat-tailed grackle + c c c c___Brown-headed cowbird u u u u___Baltimore oriole___* Spot-breasted oriole___Orchard oriole___Shiny cowbird

r r

___American goldfinchNORTHERN FINCHES

f f f

___* House sparrow +OLD WORLD SPARROWS

r r r r

___Lesser scaupWATERFOWL, cont...

r

___Common goldeneye+ r r r___Hooded merganser___Bufflehead

u u u

___Red-breasted merganser___Common merganser

u u u

___*Muscovy duck___Ruddy duck

r r r r

___Osprey +HAWKS & ALLIES

c c c c

___Swallow-tailed kite + f f u r___White-tailed kite + r r r r___Snail kite + u u u u___Bald eagle +___Mississippi kite

u u u u

___Golden eagle r___Northern harrier u u u___Sharp-shinned hawk u u u___Cooper’s hawk r r r___Red-shouldered hawk + c c c c___Broad-winged hawk r r r___Short-tailed hawk + u u u u___Red-tailed hawk + u u u u___Rough-legged hawk r___Crested caracara r r___American kestrel f f c

___Merlin r r r___Peregrine falcon r r r___Wild turkey +TURKEY & QUAIL 

f f f f

___Northern bobwhite + f f f f___Black rail___Yellow railRAILS, GALLINULES, COOTS, ETC...

r r r

___King rail + f f f f___Virginia rail r r r___Sora rail u u f___Purple gallinule + u u u u___Common gallinule + c c c c___American coot ? c r c c___Limpkin + f f f f___Sandhill crane +CRANES

u u u u

PLOVERS, SANDPIPERS, & ALLIES

___Wilson’s plover ?___Black-bellied plover

u u u u

___Semipalmated plover u u u___Piping plover r r r___Killdeer + c c c c___Black-necked stilt + u u u u___Greater yellowlegs___American avocet

f f f

___Lesser yellowlegs u u u___Solitary sandpiper r r r r___Spotted sandpiper___Willet

u u u

___Western sandpiper___Semipalmated sandpiper___Marbled godwit___Whimbrel

u u u

___Least sandpiper u u u___Wilson’s snipe___Long-billed dowitcher___Short-billed dowitcher___Dunlin___White-rumped sandpiper

f f f

___American woodcock r r___Laughing gullGULLS, TERNS, ETC...___Wilson’s phalarope

r r r r

___Ring-billed gull r

___Caspian tern___Gull-billed tern___Herring gull

r r r

___Royal tern r r r r___Least tern + u f f___Black skimmer r r r r___White-crowned pigeonPIGEONS & DOVES

r r r r

___* Rock pigeon r r r r___White-winged dove r r r r___* Eurasian collared dove r r r r___Mourning dove + f f f f___Common ground-dove + f f f f___Yellow-billed cuckoo +CUCKOOS

u u u

___Mangrove cuckoo r r r r___Barn owl +OWLS

u u u u

___Eastern screech owl + f f f f

___Great horned owl + u u u u___Barred owl + c c c c___Common nighthawk +GOATSUCKERS

c c c

___Whip-poor-will u u u___Chuck-will’s-widow + c c c r___Chimney swift +SWIFTS

r r r

___Ruby-throated hummingbird +HUMMINGBIRDS

u r u r

___Belted kingfisherKINGFISHERS

c r c c

___Red-headed woodpecker___Ivory-billed woodpecker EWOODPECKERS

r

___Red-bellied woodpecker + c c c c___Yellow-bellied sapsucker u u u___Downy woodpecker + f f f f___Hairy woodpecker + r r r r___Red-cockaded woodpecker + f f f f___Northern flicker + c c c c___Pileated woodpecker + f f f f___Eastern phoebe___Least flycatcher___Willow flycatcher___Alder flycatcher___Acadian flycatcher___Yellow-bellied flycatcher___Eastern wood-peweeFLYCATCHERS

f f f f 

___Great crested flycatcher + c c c c ___Eastern kingbird + c c c___Western kingbird___Gray kingbird ?

 r 

___Scissor-tailed flycatcher r r r___Fork-tailed flycatcher r r r___Loggerhead shrike +SHRIKES

f f f f

___White-eyed vireo +VIREOS

c c c c

___ Blue-headed vireo u u u___Red-eyed vireo ?___Philadelphia vireo___Warbling vireo___Yellow-throated vireo

f f f

___Black-whiskered vireo r

Bird Checklist_FINAL.indd on HQ shareall, interp publications, 2,000 printed 2/2015

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