Everglades Birding: A Guide to America's Wetland Wilderness

Everglades National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, offers some of the most unique birding in North America. This vast wilderness of sawgrass prairies, mangrove forests, and coastal wetlands hosts over 360 bird species, including spectacular wading birds and tropical specialties.

Wading Bird Spectacle

The Everglades is famous for its wading birds. From November through April, thousands of herons, egrets, ibises, and the iconic Roseate Spoonbill concentrate in the park. Wood Storks, America's only native stork, nest in large colonies during winter and spring.

Rare and Endemic Species

The Everglades is the best place in the United States to find Snail Kite, a raptor that feeds exclusively on apple snails. Mangrove Cuckoo, a secretive tropical species, breeds in the coastal mangroves. The endangered Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow is found only in the Everglades.

Best Birding Locations

Anhinga Trail offers incredible close-up views of wading birds and wildlife. Shark Valley provides expansive wetland vistas perfect for spotting raptors and waders. Flamingo and Eco Pond are essential stops for waterbirds and coastal species.