Florida Scrub-Jay Hikes

On February 4, 2011, we presented a talk at the Florida Scrub-Jay Festival in Oscar Scherer State Park in Venice, showcasing hikes around Florida where you are most likely to see Florida Scrub-Jays. This endemic bird is an important Florida icon, a large and friendly bird whose only choice habitat – scrub – has been systematically destroyed for agriculture and development over the past century. As a result, the species is threatened and can only be found in small pockets throughout the state.

Here is the list of natural lands with known scrub-jay families or pairs that we provided to attendees at our talk. If you know of other locations, please share!

View Florida Scrub-jay Hikes: West Coast in a larger map

WEST COAST
Cedar Key Scrub Reserve, Cedar Key
Inglis Island, Inglis
Halpata Tastanaki Preserve, Dunnellon
Potts Preserve, Inverness
Withlacoochee State Forest: Citrus Tract, Inverness
Starkey Wilderness Park, New Port Richey
Golden Aster Scrub Nature Preserve, Gibsonton
Little Manatee River State Park, Sun City Center
Duette Preserve, Duette
Oscar Scherer State Park, Osprey
Caspersen Beach, Venice
Shamrock Park, Venice
Jelks Preserve, Venice
Amberjack Environmental Park, Rotunda
Tippecanoe Environmental Park, Port Charlotte
Tippecanoe II Mitigation Park, Port Charlotte
Hickey’s Creek Mitigation Park, Alva

View Florida Scrub-jay hikes: Central Ridges in a larger map

CENTRAL
Ocala National Forest
– Lake Eaton Trail / Lake Eaton Sinkhole Trail
– Florida Trail, Kerr Island
– Florida Trail, Hopkins Prairie
– Florida Trail, Juniper Prairie Wilderness
– Yearling Trail
Florida Scrub-Jay Trail, Clermont
Seminole State Forest, Sorrento
Rock Springs Run State Reserve, Sorrento
Lake Lizzie Preserve, St. Cloud
Disney Wilderness Preserve, Poiniciana
Catfish Creek Preserve State Park, Dundee
Lake Kissimmee State Park, Lake Wales
Crooked Lake Prairie, Frostproof
Lake Wales Ridge State Forest: Walk-in-Water, Frostproof
Lake Wales Ridge State Forest: Arbuckle, Frostproof
Tiger Creek Preserve, Babson Park
Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park, Okeechobee
Hickory Hammock WMA, Lorida
Lake June-in-Winter Scrub State Park, Lake Placid
Archbold Biological Station, Lake Placid
Platt Branch WEA, Venus

View Florida Scrub-jay Hikes: East Coast in a larger map

EAST COAST
North Peninsula State Park, Flagler Beach
Blue Spring State Park, Orange City
Lyonia Preserve, Deltona
Lake Monroe Brickyard Slough, Osteen
Buck Lake Conservation Area East, Mims
Salt Lake WMA, Mims
Indian Mound Station Sanctuary, Mims
Fox Lake Sanctuary, Titusville
Merritt Island NWR, Titusville
Canaveral NS, Playlinda Beach
Dicerandra Scrub, Titusville
Cruickshank Sanctuary, Rockledge
Coconut Point Sanctuary, Melbourne Beach
Jordan Scrub Sanctuary, Malabar
Malabar Scrub Sanctuary, Malabar
Micco Scrub Sanctuary, Micco
St. Sebastian Preserve State Park, Sebastian
North Sebastian Conservation Area, Sebastian
Wabasso Scrub Conservation Area, Wabasso
Indiro Scrub Preserve, Indrio
Indiro Savannahs Preserve, Indrio
Savannas Preserve State Park, Jensen Beach
St. Lucie Inlet Preserve State Park, Stuart
Rocky Point Hammock Park, Stuart
Seabranch Preserve State Park, Hobe Sound
Jonathan Dickinson State Park, Hobe Sound
Jupiter Ridge Natural Area, Jupiter
Juno Dunes Natural Area, Jupiter