Explore Wildlife Species and Habitats with Your Family

Northeast Florida’s climate of moderate temperatures and diverse habitats make it a favorable birding destination. With many Floridians eager to get outside and participate in fun outdoor activities for the whole family, we have created a list of bird watching sites to visit this summer. These sites provide the chance to see a variety of wildlife species and habitats and are great for practicing safe, social distancing fun.

In our second segment featuring Northeast Florida’s best outdoor adventures, we explore birding available within our beautiful state parks within Jacksonville, St. Augustine and Amelia Island. Florida has many bird-watching hotspots within nature preserves, each showcasing an array of species and habitats. Exploring these areas will allow you to enjoy the outdoors and explore our diverse wildlife while having fun with family and friends. Check out nine bird watching hotspots we have composed below.

Amelia Island State Park

Picture this: beautiful beaches, dunes, maritime hammock, salt marshes and a variety of bird species you don’t want to miss out on! This reserve is great for spotting shorebirds such as Brown Pelicans, American Oystercatchers, Ruddy Turnstones and Willets. You can expect to see many birds feeding or loafing in the sandbars and Guided equestrian tours can be arranged through a private concession where Common Eider, Red-throated Loon, Franklin’s Gull and Iceland Gull can be spotted.

Alpine Groves Park

Home to a forested farm featuring nature trails, a fishing pier, butterfly gardens, gopher tortoises and a variety of birds. This hotspot is located in Fruit Cove, Florida and there are two butterfly gardens as well as species of night heron, bald eagle and spotted sandpipers.

Emeralda Marsh

Emeralda Marsh provides a large population of alligators, significant numbers of wading birds and natural habitats. The area started as a marshland, converted into vegetable farmlands and over the years flooded and restored to aquatic and wetland habitats. These wetlands have become home to several of wading birds. You don’t want to miss out on this preserve in Jacksonville!

Egan’s Creek Greenway Trail

On Amelia Island, Egan’s Creek Greenway Trail is the perfect destination for hiking, mountain biking, or bird watching. The trail is 5.6 miles long and offers 200 species birds such as Wilson’s Snipe, Short-billed Dowitcher, and Greater Yellowlegs. Be on the lookout for rarer species such as Snow Goose, Nashville Warbler, and Wilson’s Warbler!

Faver-Dykes State Park

This reserve features spectacular habitats with a diversity of birds and wildlife. The estuary is home to Reddish Egrets, migratory ducks, Bald Eagle, American White Pelican and Clapper Rail. There are two hiking trails several miles long through flatwoods, sandhills and a salt marsh on Pellicer Creek located in Saint Augustine.

Piping Plover | Photo via Bird Watcher’s Digest

Fort Clinch State Park

Fort Clinch is a must-see destination for bird watching as a significant natural habitat with coastal grasslands and tidal marshes located in the northern end of Amelia Island. Whether you are walking, biking or horseback riding at this state park, there are several of birds to be on the lookout for. Piping plover, Least tern, Wilson’s plover, Black skimmer, Peregrine falcon, and Clapper rail are just a few species this trail offers!

Fort Mose Historic State Park

Fort Mose Historical Park will keep you busy with several of salt marsh and a variety of wildlife species. This state park is home to birds such as Green Herons, Marsh Wrens, Common Yellowthroat and Hooded Merganser. By the scattered hardwood hammock expect to also see Great Blue Heron rookery, a flock of endangered Wood Storks, Bald Eagle and Roseate Spoonbill. Living by the live oaks and open grassy areas are Common Ground-Doves, Red-bellied Woodpeckers and Yellow-throated Warblers.

Guana River State Park

If you are driving through Ponte Vedra Beach looking for some fun, don’t travel any further! Guana River State Park features diverse options of coastal habitats. You can spot the nests of several species of sea turtles, including loggerheads, leatherbacks, and green turtles, along the beaches. Guana State Park has significant populations of endangered species including migrant raptors and a large number of Peregrine Falcons and Merlins have been spotted.

Vaill Point Park

In Saint Augustine for the day? Viall Point is a newer park that offers 20 species of wood-warbler and a variety of shorebirds. This park overlooks the Intercoastal Waterway and Moultrie Creek. At low tide, shorebirds such as Spotted Sandpiper, Lesser Yellowlegs and Semipalmated Plover can be observed. Bald Eagles, Tricolored Heron, Northern Harrier and Clapper Rail live on the salt marsh. You can also expect to see woodland birds such as White-eyed Vireo, Black-and-White-Warbler and Pileated Woodpecker. There have been up to 20 different wood-warbler species spotted at the park such as Scarlet Tanager and Veery.

Learn more about the different kinds of birds located in Northeast Florida by reading the North American Birds Guide. This guide features hundreds of birds with their conservation status, family, habitat, behaviors, diet and even listen to the noise to expect from these birds!

Fuel Up Before Your Bird Watching

Ready for an adventure? Don’t forget to fuel up on healthy dishes like wild-caught seafood and other tasty options from Timoti’s here in Fernandina Beach, Nocatee in Jacksonville or at Karibo in 5 Points Jax. See our menu below.

9 Birdwatching Sites in Northeast Florida