Where Can You See Roseate Spoonbills In Florida?

Where Can You See Roseate Spoonbills In Florida?

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Have you seen Roseate Spoonbills? I bet many of us have not seen this beautiful bird. Where Can You See Roseate Spoonbills In Florida?

Where Can You See Roseate Spoonbills In Florida?
Where Can You See Roseate Spoonbills In Florida?

You can find Roseate Spoonbills on the coastlines of South Florida. Florida is ranked top when it comes to bird watching among American states. Roseate Spoonbill is among the most beautiful birds in Florida.

People always confuse them for flamingoes because of their beautiful pink plumage. Now, where can this beautiful bird be seen in Florida?

You can see Roseate Spoonbills in many places in Florida, but their population is highest in South and Central Florida. As wading birds, they are always seen around marshes, wetlands, and places that have shallow water, that is where they wade in.

The second question is, why are spoonbills pink? Are they among the endangered species of birds? As you read, you will have answers to these questions and learn more.

Where Can You See Roseate Spoonbills In Florida? 

The coastlines of South Florida are where the largest number of Roseate Spoonbills live. You will see them on the islands in the southern region of Florida Keys, Florida Bay, and Everglades. You will also see them in Tampa in the north.

At Florida Bay, which comprises Sandy Key, Tern Key, Joe Key, and other islands, you will see them between November and March.

Where Can You See Roseate Spoonbills In Florida?
Where Can You See Roseate Spoonbills In Florida?

Where to Find Roseate Spoonbills

Most birds fly farther north after the spring nesting season. They will relocate to places like St. Augustine on the Atlantic Coast and the Panhandle along the Gulf Coast. Their most reliable destination is St. Marks NWR.

You can visit Fort Matanzas National Monument, located off A-1-A, 15 miles south of St. Augustine, for Roseate Spoonbills during the summer. Between 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. daily, you will see some boats that take people to the monument for free.

Two spoil islands are bird sanctuaries you will see at the entrance of the Alafia River. You are not allowed free access to these Islands. However, you can take a view of it from a boat. There are Roseate Spoonbills that nested here recently.

You can go to Fort DeSoto County Park at Mullet Key, close to St. Petersburg, if you want to see Roseate Spoonbills. You will get there by going west on the Pinellas Bayway, at State Road 679, and turning south, following the signs on the way you will get to the park.

You will see a large population of roseate spoonbills at the Myakka River State Park near Sarasota. They are always in the wading marsh in the park. Most days between November and mid-April, from 9 am to 1 pm, there is a bird naturalist at the Bird Walk.

If you want to meet with one when you visit call 941-361-6511 to know if there will be one on duty the day you are planning to visit.

 

Another place you will have a nice view of Spoonbills is at the Ding Darling NWR on Sanibel Island. Spoonbills visit there every year. You will also see the bird on the offshore islands of Carl Johnson State Park, which is located at State Road 865, on the southern side of Ft. Myers.

You can see Roseate Spoonbills at any time at Fakahatchee Strand State Preserve, located close to Everglades City. If you visit Everglades National Park in the winter, look for Roseate Spoonbills at the Paurotis Pond, but if you visit in summer, look for them at Eco Pond.

If you visit the Keys during the winter, go to the flooded area at the back of the church at Mile Marker 93 to look for them. When you get to Mile Marker 22, very close to Key West, go to the mangroves surrounding the Twenty-Two Mile Pond on Cudjoe Key to look for Roseate Spoonbills.

You will see the pond opposite the mile marker. You often see them at the ponds near the airport in Key West.

On the east coastline of Florida, you will see Spoonbills around the estuary at John D. MacArthur State Park. From North Palm Beach, get to Ocean Blvd. (A-1-A) by U.S. 1, and turn east. You will see the entrance in less than a distance of about two miles.

You can easily access most places you can have a good view of Spoonbills, but you need to get prepared if you want to visit many of those places.

If you are prepared, you will avoid problems like sunburn, sore feet, and bug bites. Preparation can save you a possible heat stroke. Anytime you want to go birding in Florida, always have these five things at the back of your mind. They are mandatory.

Water

Take a hydration pack or a bottle of water with you. Some people come with insulated thermoses of ice water in their backpacks. The temperature of Florida is usually high, so you may soon get dehydrated.

Bug spray

You can trust us on this. There are many mosquitos in Florida, and they always share habitats with birds. With Bug spray, you can also keep ticks away.

Sturdy shoes

Do not forget to come along with your water-resistant hiking shoes. Sometimes the trails get muddy or wet. There are many roots at most outdoor places, and the terrains are mostly uneven. Remember, there are many kinds of biting ants all over Florida.

You can use Flip-flops on the beach, and you can use sneakers for the city, but anytime you want to go hiking or birding, bring with you good shoes for that purpose.

Hat and sun protection

You may be sunburned even in the dappled shade in a nature preserve or wetland.

Binoculars or a camera with a good lens

You are not permitted to get close to Roseate Spoonbills because they are on the list of threatened species of birds. With binoculars or cameras, you will have a good view of them from a distance.

FAQs

How many roseate spoonbills are there in Florida?

The actual number of Roseate Spoonbills that live in Florida presently is not known,  but officially Audubon Florida has 1,184 pairs on its record and not less than 2,368 breeding birds in the state.

When can you see spoonbills in Florida?

The coastlines of South Florida are home to Roseate Spoonbills. You will see them on the Islands that make up the southern Florida Keys, Florida Bay, and Everglades.

You will also see them in Tampa in the far north region. You will see them in Florida Bay, like Sandy Key, Tern Key, and Joe Key, between November and March.

How rare is a Roseate spoonbill?

Roseate Spoonbills is still uncommon and local. It is fast losing its feeding and nesting habitats: Coastal marshes, lagoons, mudflats, and mangrove keys.

When shallow water has a muddy bottom, be it salt or freshwater, it is known as Forage. This includes tidal ponds, coastal lagoons, and extensive inland marshes.

 


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