Florida Hikes

Hike Bike Paddle Camp Florida with authors Sandra Friend and John Keatley as your guides

Roseate spoonbills at Orlando Wetlands Park

Birding in Florida

For birders, a slow walk down a Florida trail means an ever-unfolding adventure of discovery

Positioned as we are along major annual migratory routes and with a wealth of wetlands, Florida offers thousands of places for sightings of both common and offbeat species.

Home to the Great Florida Birding Trail and dozens of birding festivals, Florida is beloved by birders who settle in for the winter months to track those elusive finds.

Favorite Birding Locations

With so many birding destinations to choose from in Florida, where should you focus your time and effort? The map at the top of this page includes ALL destinations in Florida that we’ve visited that say they are birding spots.

The places listed below are those we consider bountiful destinations for birders and photographers. You won’t come up empty-handed on a visit to these parks and trails.

Wetlands at Circle B Bar Reserve Circle B Bar Reserve For fabulous birding and more alligators than you can count, roam the marshy edge of Lake Hancock on miles of causeways through Circle B Bar Reserve in Lakeland
boardwalk to big cypresses in Corkscrew Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary Weaving beneath a canopy knit by old-growth cypress trees in a majestic swamp forest, the boardwalk at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary is one of Florida's best hikes.
Mangroves and brownish clear water Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge Preserving more than half of Sanibel Island for the sake of its bird life, Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge is one of the top places in the United States to view rare bird species.
Pond with sky reflections, alligators, herons, egrets, and a boardwalk Gatorland Gatorland is not just a historic Florida attraction but an immersion into what this part of Central Florida used to be, a cypress swamp full of critters.
Anhinga sleeping on a boardwalk railing with water and nature center beyond Green Cay Wetlands Discover a bounty of bird life along the extensive boardwalks at Green Cay Wetlands, one of South Florida's best urban birding destinations
Lake Apopka North Shore Lake Apopka North Shore Across two counties and along the entire north rim of Florida's fourth-largest lake, this 20,000 acre conservation area is a sweep of wildlife-rich marshes.
Dusk over marshes Lake Woodruff National Wildlife Refuge Six miles of trails meander through wide open spaces preserved for wintering waterfowl at 21,500-acre Lake Woodruff NWR along the St. Johns River.
Juvenile Florida scrub-jay Lyonia Preserve Florida's best place to see a Florida scrub-jay up close is Lyonia Preserve, with 2.1 miles of loops through the highest ground in Volusia County.
Dummett Cove Merritt Island Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge With recreational activities ranging from hiking to biking, boating, fishing, and bioluminscent kayaking, Florida's top destination for birding is also home to Kennedy Space Center.
Open marsh at Orlando Wetlands Park Orlando Wetlands For a hike filled with the flutter and squawk of birds, Orlando Wetlands is one of the best birding spots in the state. This 5-mile loop follows our favorite route.
Pelican Island Pelican Island NWR The birthplace of the National Wildlife Refuge system, Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge protects more than 5,400 acres along and in the Indian River Lagoon off Sebastian.
Observation tower on a lagoon Robinson Preserve Edging Tampa Bay, the vast sweep of Robinson Preserve is a puzzle of natural and restored habitats circled by more than ten miles of mixed-use trails.
Lighthouse with palm trees and white sand beach on marsh St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge Stretching across 86,000 acres in Florida's Big Bend, St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge protects one of Florida's longest wild shorelines, more than 43 miles in three counties.
Sweetwater Wetlands Park Gainesville Sweetwater Wetlands Park A gem for Gainesville, Sweetwater Wetlands Park offers a unique perspective on Paynes Prairie.
Canal with cypresses, tall reeds, and birds Taylor Creek STA Encompassing the ancient shoreline of Taylor Creek and man-made marshes, this wetlands park is a gem for birding and wildlife watching just north of Okeechobee.
Viera Wetlands Park Viera Wetlands A prime Space Coast destination for birding and wildlife photography, Viera Wetlands is a man-made habitat perched on the edge of the St. Johns River floodplain

While the destinations listed above give you great focal points on where to spend your time looking for birds, we have some personal favorite birding locations we’d also like to share. Walk these trails slowly and you’ll be rewarded for your efforts.

Steflik Preserve Flagler Beach Betty Steflik Preserve Betty Steflik Memorial Preserve protects 320 acres of mangrove marsh, mud flats, and coastal uplands fronting downtown Flagler Beach.
Levee in Big Cypress Swamp CREW Bird Rookery Swamp Rich with wildlife, CREW Bird Rookery Swamp near Naples provides up to 12 miles of hiking/biking in Big Cypress habitats on tramways through a primordial swamp
Expansive view of needlerush marsh on Gulf of Mexico Florida Trail, Apalachee Bay 14.3 miles. Hugging the Big Bend coastline, this hike through Aucilla WMA and St. Marks NWR offers some of the most breathtaking panoramas you'll find along the Florida Trail, and a profusion of wildlife.
Clear spring water between palm trees Gemini Springs Park With nearly 5 miles of gentle woodland paths and paved trails, playgrounds, picnic area, paddling trail and a dog park, Gemini Springs Park is a popular, well-connected getaway
Panorama of wet prairie with water lilies floating Grassy Waters Preserve Protecting a sheet flow of rainfall moving steadily southward and parallel to the Atlantic Ocean, Grassy Waters Preserve bears a striking resemblance to the Everglades - because it is.
Lake Okeechobee view on a windy day Harney Pond Canal Recreation Area Discover uniquely wild panoramas along Lake Okeechobee with a walk on this paved trail in Lakeport
Lengthy boardwalk heading towards mangrove flats John R. Bonner Nature Park A hidden gem surrounded by neighborhoods, John R. Bonner Nature Park offers excellent birding opportunities along short loop trails and a scenic boardwalk.
Pelican Island Centennial Trail Pelican Island Centennial Trail Designed the first Federal Bird Reserve in 1903, Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge celebrated its century mark by creating this short, scenic, accessible trail for birding.
View through mangroves of mud flats beyond Weedon Island Preserve Tunneling through mangrove forests and palm hammocks to overlooks on Tampa Bay, the trails of Weedon Island Preserve offer unique perspectives for birders while interpreting one of Florida's ancient settlements.
Wild Birds Unlimited Trail Wild Birds Unlimited Trail An easy walk for birding along Black Point Wildlife Drive in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Wild Birds Unlimited Trail is a short trail with observation platforms.

Of course, there are many more locations worth birding in Florida. Find even more destinations on our website.

Top Birding Destinations All Birding Destinations

Identifying Birds

Do you know the difference between an anhinga and a cormorant? A roseate spoonbill and a flamingo? Can you name all those different-but-similar white birds standing around on the mud flats in January? If not, browse through our information on bird identification.

Many species of birds browsing mud flats Identifying Birds in Florida Identification of common and unusual bird species seen in Florida.

Birding Articles

More of our information on birds and birding.

Greenish but clear spring basin in forest Horn Spring Trail (12/12/2023) Four miles upriver from Natural Bridge Battlefield as the trail winds, scenic Horn Spring is a destination within an expansion of the park protecting springs of the St. Marks River.
Ormond Memorial Gardens Vietnam Veteran Ormond Memorial Gardens (6/22/2019) Spilling across the Atlantic Coastal Ridge, Ormond Memorial Gardens leads you into a contemplative world mere steps from a major highway
Turkey Creek paddle Palm Bay Paddling Turkey Creek (2/26/2019) A chance meeting of old friends leads to my first paddling trip down Turkey Creek and the opportunity to connect with our local paddling club, the Space Coast Paddlers, by talking about our most recent guidebook.
Key West Au Naturel (7/1/2015) On a recent visit to Key West, we sought its natural side - what it looked like before it became a city. And since it's been a city for more than 150 years, it takes a bit of sleuthing to find natural habitats.
Ten Thousand Islands mangrove atoll Ten Thousand Islands (6/26/2015) Where the waters of Big Cypress and the Everglades meet the Gulf Coast, the Ten Thousand Islands are a maze of mangrove forest: the second largest mangrove forest in the world, bested only by Bangladesh
Snowy plover on nest (Florida Fish and Wildlife) Shorebird Nesting Season (3/24/2014) A seasonal reminder from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to walk softly on Florida's beaches during shorebird nesting season.
Lyonia Preserve Florida Scrub-Jay Hikes (2/2/2012) Natural lands in Florida with known Florida scrub-jay families or pairs that you might glimpse along the trails as you're hiking.
Osprey watching at Honeymoon Island (7/26/2009) It's an easy walk out to the osprey nesting grounds on Honeymoon Island, and an unforgettable experience.
Big Lagoon tower Towering over Big Lagoon (4/7/2009) The tower at Big Lagoon State Park offers a sweeping view of the park, the lagoon, the Gulf of Mexico, parts of Gulf Islands National Seashore, Perdido Key, and the surrounding shorelines.
Clear Creek Nature Trail Great Florida Birding Trail complete in Florida’s Panhandle (2/3/2009) With the final signs up and brochures circulated, the Great Florida Birding Trail's Panhandle Section is finally complete. It points you to places of special beauty in Northwest Florida.