Wings Over Florida - Spring Migration Hotspots

Wings Over Florida Bird Program

Thanks for subscribing to receive Wings Over Florida bulletins from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Each quarter, you’ll receive a seasonal highlight bulletin, which we hope will inform and encourage you to head outdoors and enjoy the birds and wildlife Florida has to offer.

Spring migration

Spring is an exciting time of year for birders in Florida….millions of birds visit our state between late March and mid-May. Some species such as the Prothonotary Warbler will stay and raise their families. Other songbirds, such as the Rose-breasted Grosbeak will rest here for a short while, then continue north to nest in the Appalachian Mountains. Shorebirds like the Red Knot will migrate as far north as the Arctic!

You can witness migration firsthand by heading out to the Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail. Look for songbirds in inland and coastal hammocks, shorebirds on the mudflats and hawks in the skies above. When you see these birds, many will have just completed an epic journey from the Caribbean or Central America where they spent the winter months. Florida’s coastal sites are critical as they are the first habitats these tired, hungry birds reach after crossing the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico. While in Florida, they build up their energy levels so they can complete the next leg of their incredible migration to northerly latitudes.

Birding Trail spring hotspots

The following Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail sites are renowned for producing quality spring migration experiences in April and May. When you visit the Trail site webpages below be sure to click on the latest eBird sightings button to see what migratory birds have been spotted.

South Section

• Dry Tortugas National Park
• Tigertail Beach Park

West Section

• Fort De Soto Park
• Robert K. Rees Memorial Park (Green Key)

East Section

• Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge
• Big Talbot Island State Park

Panhandle Section

• St. George Island State Park
• Fort Pickens