U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge 1 Wildlife Drive FLYWAYS are Sanibel, Florida 33957 J.N. Ding Darling like HIGHWAYS 239472-1100 National Wildlife Refuge ffllHMiki Common Birds These are routes that the birds fly (migrate) to get to their winter and Identification Guide summer homes. There are four different Photographs donated to the flyways in the United States: Atlantic, Refuge by: Theresa Baldwin and Mississippi, Central, and Pacific. Denny Souers, volunteers of J.N. "Ding" Darling Refuge National Wildlife Refuges are located Printing made possible by along the flyways so birds can use them "Ding" Darling Wildlife Society to rest and eat while making their long journeys. Refuges are important stopover sites for migrating birds. Who flies the furthest? Arctic terns can migrate as far as 20,000 miles per year. From the Arctic to Antarctic and back! raiurSIHIsTiMFI only the delicate Our guide to spotting wildlife: Observation Guidelines indicators of the Enjoy your experience on the Refuge- Leave nothing but footprints; take and may it be said that the wildlife was nothing but pictures. To all who take prognosis for unaware of your presence. pictures, use courtesy to fellow visitors and wildlife. human existence..." The J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge provides a sanctuary for many Enjoy and appreciate our native vege­ tation, but please leave it untouched. species of wild animals, birds and native It is the food and lodging of the wildlife. vegetations. Many people come to the refuge each year to observe and photograph Please place all trash and recyclables the inhabitants of this unique ecosystem. in receptacles. If you do not, wildlife could ingest or become entangled in While the disturbance of a single visitor plastic and other trash. They often may be small, the cumulative impact by become ill and die. nearly a million people a year is large. To enhance the experience of each visitor and Do not feed or approach the wildlife. to reduce our impact on the wildlife these Animals that are fed lose their fear of us. They become dangerous and may guidelines should be followed: have to be destroyed. CO <x> 05 a 1. Turkey Vulture 2. Magnificent Frigatebird 3. Bald Eagle QQ 4. Osprey 5. Red-Shouldered Hawk 6 Peregrine Falcon HiXhTnrffl Birds of PREY BROWN PELICAN- GREAT EGRET- RED-SHOULDERED : IS -<Pelecanus occidentalis Ardea alba • HAWK- Large brown bird with huge pouchy bill used for scoop- The great egret's larger size, its yellow bill and '. Buteo lineatus WlLLET- fish as it feeds. Unlike the white pelican, it is often black legs and feet distinguish it from the This common long-tailed and long Catoptrophorus semipalmatus >- seen diving from the air for fish. The adults have white snowy egret. Like herons and egrets, this bird winged hawk has thin crescent- Willets are year-round residents here at the heads, while the young have brown heads. holds its neck in an S-shaped posture in flight. shaped wing "windows" parallel to refuge. This large, grayish, wading sand­ the dark tips of the wings. When piper has bluish gray colored legs. When ANHINGA- SNOWY EGRET- perched, look for the cinnamon in flight, the striking black and white Anhinga anhinga) Egretta thula >- breast with reddish shoulders. Can wing stripes are the best field marks. Willets may be Often called the Similar in appearance to the often be seen perched eating small seen at low tide in the mud flats sticking their ion, "Snake bird", look great egret, the snowy is often mammals, snakes and lizards. A sharp bills into the soft mud searching for small for this bird swim­ called the "bird with the golden subspecies found in South Florida animals for dinner. ming under the slippers". Identification of these are much paler in color than those water for fish. It birds is easy, by noting its black bill found in the North. uses its sharp and legs with yellow feet. beak to spear prey. SPOTTED SANDPIPER- Soon after the hunt, TRI-COLORED HERON- Actitis macularia y they can be seen drying out their Egretta tricolor In the sea of small shorebirds along Wildlife black wings and showing you their feathers that This bird is bluish gray like the little Drive, you can identify this small shorebird resemble "white piano keys" on its wings. The female blue heron and reddish egret, but look carefully. The OSPREY- by spotting the repetitive bobbing of its tail anhinga has a light brown head and neck. most distinguishing field mark on this bird is its white Pandion haliaetus >- BLACK BELLIED PLOVER- while it walks. underparts and rust stripe down its white neck. >- This magnificent "fish hawk" Pluvialis sqttatarola A The dark spots in DOUBLE-CRESTED nests in the refuge and feeds on This stocky shorebird's grayish all over, summer on white CORMORANT- REDDISH EGRET- larger fish found in the waters. darker above than below and has an eye underparts and •< Phalacrocorax auritus Egretta rufescens Easily identified by its white ring giving it a "big eye" look. During the pinkish orange bill This bird is often mistaken for the anhinga The bluish gray body with the reddish neck can head with darker markings. The summer, it can easily be identified by its with darker tip since they feed in the water similarly. This make it hard to identify from other egrets and female can be identified by her characteristic black belly plumage. In all are also clues. bird is also black but look for its orange throat herons, but this bird can be easily identified by "necklace of brown feathers". seasons it can be identified in flight by its pouch and beak with a slight down curve at the how it eats. Watch it "dance and stumble" through black "wingpits". end. They too will be drying out their wings after the water flapping its wings, creating shade for fish. As swimming for their food. the fish flock to the shade, this egret catches its meal. LITTLE BLUE WOOD STORK- HERON- Seen SEASONALLY Mycteria americana • Egretta caerulea This is the only American stork Look for its uniform blue-gray plumage (in It is larger than the white ibis, the light the neck has a reddish cast) and its WHITE PELICAN- PlED-BILLED GREBE and is often called the "Bird black tipped bill. Look for its bright blue beak i Pelecanns Erthrorhynchos Podilymbus podiceps > with the iron head". Look for its in breeding plumage. Large white bird with up to a 10 ft. The pied-billed grebe is a small, stocky brown grebe featherless dark head and neck. ' wingspan, this is the largest of the birds that visit with a short stout bill, floating in the water in the This endangered species can also GREAT BLUE HERON- the Refuge. These birds spend the winter here on refuge. Look for the black ring around the white be identified by its bubble gum pink feet. Ardea herodias >~ Sanibel and migrate to Central Canada for the summer. bill, this is more obvious in the summer season. The largest Sanibel wading bird is the You must come in the winter to see this all white pelican great blue heron. Its white head, Using "teamwork" these birds swim and encircle their RED-BREASTED WHITE IBIS- grey-blue plumage and tremendous size prey together while scooping up their meals. MERGANSER- Eudocimus albus distinguish it from the other herons. * Mergus serrator This common bird will never be confused Also note the black stripe over the eye BELTED KINGFISHER- This merganser has a long with another when seen at close range. and plume on the head. Ceryle alcyon bill that is thin at the Uniformly white, its orangish red face The belted kingfisher can be base making its forehead and down-curved bill are unique. identified by its large bill, appears abrupt and vertical. Often you can see the immature YELLOW-CROWNED blue-grey head, back and wings. The male has a dark green ibis feeding. They are all brown or NIGHT-HERON- Look for the giant white collar around crested head, white neck brown turning white. Immature Nyctanassa violacea >- its neck. The female has a reddish brown ring, rusty breast and red plumage is kept for 1 year. belly band unlike the male. Look for this Look for this stocky grey heron, with a black head bill. The female is a a bird hovering over the water and plunging and buffy-white crown alon brown duck with red-crested • into the water along Wildlife Drive. ROSEATE Wildlife Drive. Like its head that gradually shades to SPOONBILL- name says, this medium the white breast, red bill also. These BLUE-WINGED TEAL- birds winter here at the refuge, preferring sheltered Ajaia ajaja >- sized heron feeds •<Anas discors coastal salt waters. Watch for this large pink wading bird, mostly at night, but Look for the moon shaped white patch often mistaken for pink flamingos. can also be seen during behind this bird's bill to identify the male These birds feed by swinging their the day. The juvenile bird BLACK-NECKED STILT of the species. The small brown duck is the flat bills from side to side, using is grayish brown overall with Himantopus mexicanus • female. In flight you can see the flashy, them to filter out food. They can be fine white streaks on its breast Black above, white below with long pink legs powdery, blue wing patches in both sexes. seen at the refuge all year round. and dots on back and wings. and needle-like bill. Seen at the refuge in spring and This bird spends winters on marshes and When this bird hatches it is nearly This immature plumage is summer wading belly-deep in shallow water feedin; protected coastal areas.