aware of other motorists. other of aware road when observing wildlife and to always be be always to and wildlife observing when road roadside birding; be sure to pull entirely off the the off entirely pull to sure be birding; roadside r o P t e — Be extremely cautious and courteous when when courteous and cautious extremely Be • c t e — v r e E s detrimental. detrimental. n e r j o P y cumulative incidents from other visitors may be be may visitors other from incidents cumulative B e survival, individual’s an to harmful be not i g v r birds. Although an isolated disturbance may may disturbance isolated an Although birds. C e s y e p Avoid disrupting the natural behavior of of behavior natural the disrupting Avoid • r r P e s l s a N n extreme temperatures or predators. predators. or temperatures extreme o a i t without special permits. permits. special without or chicks left unattended are vulnerable to to vulnerable are unattended left chicks or it is illegal to collect any wildlife wildlife any collect to illegal is it Be careful not to disturb nesting birds. Eggs Eggs birds. nesting disturb to not careful Be • Birding Ethics Birding national park areas are protected, protected, are areas park national All plants and animals within within animals and plants All • Preserve brochure for locations. for brochure Preserve animal —15 feet is recommended. recommended. is feet —15 animal ideal birding areas. See the Big Cypress National National Cypress Big the See areas. birding ideal Stay a safe distance from any wild wild any from distance safe a Stay Road, and the Florida National Scenic Trail are are Trail Scenic National Florida the and Road, All wildlife is wild and unpredictable. unpredictable. and wild is wildlife All • Turner River Road, Wagonwheel Road, Birdon Birdon Road, Wagonwheel Road, River Turner View wildlife with respect. respect. with wildlife View • Within the Preserve Loop Road, Kirby Storter Trail, Trail, Storter Kirby Road, Loop Preserve the Within Recommended Birding Sites Sites Birding Recommended Never feed wildlife. feed Never • observations are important and appreciated. and important are observations natural area, remember: area, natural Please be as specific as possible. Your reported reported Your possible. as specific as be Please Cypress National Preserve, or any other other any or Preserve, National Cypress Ochopee, FL 34141 34141 FL Ochopee, and awe inspiring. While visiting Big Big visiting While inspiring. awe and 33100 Tamiami Trail East Trail Tamiami 33100 its native surroundings is spectacular spectacular is surroundings native its Attention: Wildlife Biologist Biologist Wildlife Attention: Big Cypress National Preserve National Cypress Big The thrill of watching a wild animal in in animal wild a watching of thrill The and fill out a wildlife observation card, or write to: to: write or card, observation wildlife a out fill and responsible way... responsible all), please advise Preserve staff at the visitor center center visitor the at staff Preserve advise please all), Watching wildlife the the wildlife Watching unusual birds (those listed as rare or not listed at at listed not or rare as listed (those birds unusual visitor observations. Therefore, if you see any any see you if Therefore, observations. visitor www.floridabirdingtrail.com assist the wildlife team in updating the list through through list the updating in team wildlife the assist the trail. Learn more at: at: more Learn trail. the abundance of bird species in the Preserve and 2) to to 2) and Preserve the in species bird of abundance with this symbol that identify identify that symbol this with functions: 1) to inform visitors of the presence and and presence the of visitors inform to 1) functions: Look for signs along roadways roadways along signs for Look The Big Cypress bird checklist has two primary primary two has checklist bird Cypress Big The education and economic opportunity. economic and education within the Preserve boundaries. Preserve the within promoting birdwatching activities, conservation conservation activities, birdwatching promoting is illustrated by the 207 species of birds observed observed birds of species 207 the by illustrated is to conserve and enhance Florida’s bird habitat by by habitat bird Florida’s enhance and conserve to support a wonderful array of bird diversity. This This diversity. bird of array wonderful a support 2,000-mile, self-guided highway trail is designed designed is trail highway self-guided 2,000-mile, pinelands, sawgrass prairies, and mangrove forests forests mangrove and prairies, sawgrass pinelands, birdwatching or bird education opportunities. This This opportunities. education bird or birdwatching strands, hardwood hammocks, old-growth old-growth hammocks, hardwood strands, sites throughout Florida selected for their excellent excellent their for selected Florida throughout sites attractions. Vegetation types such as cypress cypress as such types Vegetation attractions. The Great Florida Birding Trail is a collection of 445 445 of collection a is Trail Birding Florida Great The Bird watching is one of the Preserve’s principal principal Preserve’s the of one is watching Bird Great Florida Birding Trail... Birding Florida Great Birds of the Swamp... the of Birds Date: _______________ Time: ________ SP S F W SP S F W Location: _____________________________ VULTURES IBISES, SPOONBILLS, & STORKS Weather: ______________________________ ___Turkey vulture + c c c c ___White ibis + c c c c Observer(s): _____________________________ ___Black vulture + c c c c ___Glossy ibis + Service Park National Interior of the Department U.S. Preserve National Cypress Big Florida u Cypress Big u u Birds u GREBES ___Roseate spoonbill ? u u u u KEY: ___Pied-billed grebe + f f f f ___Wood stork + c c c c ___Horned grebe Loons SEASON PELICANS, CORMORANTS, ETC... ___Common loon SP Spring (March-May) ___American white pelican u u u WATERFOWL S Summer (June-August) ___Brown pelican u u u u ___Fulvous whistling-duck r r r F Fall (September-November) ___Magnificent frigatebird r ___Black-bellied whistling-duck r r r r W Winter (December-February) ___Double-crested cormorant + c c c c ___Snow goose r ___Anhinga + c c c c ___Canada goose r INDEX HERONS, EGRETS, ETC... ___Egyptian goose r r r r c -- Common (present in the proper habitat and ___American bittern f r f f ___Wood duck + u u u u season) ___Least bittern + f f f f ___Green-winged teal u u u f -- Fairly common (often present in the proper ___Great blue heron + c c c c ___Mottled duck + f f f f habitat and season) ___Great egret + c c c c ___Mallard r u -- Uncommon (occasionally present in proper ___Snowy egret + c c c c ___Northern pintail r r r habitat and season) ___Little blue heron + c c c c ___Blue-winged teal f r f f r -- Rare (seldom present in suitable habitat; few ___Tricolored heron + c c c c ___Northern shoveler r records) ___Reddish egret r r r r ___Gadwall ___Cattle egret + f f f f ___American wigeon r Each species was indexed according to its ___Green heron + c c c c ___Canvasback abundance in the Preserve, not on its likelihood of ___Black-crowned night-heron + f u f f ___Redhead being observed. The species having no information ___Yellow-crowned night-heron + u u u u ___Ring-necked duck r r f Behave How You Can Save Do Not Feed or Harass Wildlife AMERICA! EXPERIENCE YOUR in the index have never been documented (confirmed) in the Preserve, although suitable habitat is present and Big Cypress lies within their range. BREEDING STATUS + Known to breed in the Preserve ? Breeding status unknown E Extinct * Exotic species Birds of Big Cypress National Preserve Top Row -- limpkin, red-cockaded woodpecker, eastern bluebird Bottom Row -- black-necked stilt, sandhill crane, anhinga SP S F W SP S F W SP S F W ___Black-bellied plover ___Great horned owl + u u u u WATERFOWL, cont... ___Wilson’s plover ? u u u u ___Barred owl + c c c c ___Lesser scaup r ___Semipalmated plover u u u GOATSUCKERS ___Common goldeneye+ r r r ___Piping plover r r r ___Common nighthawk + c c c ___Bufflehead ___Killdeer + c c c c ___Whip-poor-will u u u ___Hooded merganser u u u ___Black-necked stilt + u u u u ___Chuck-will’s-widow + c c c r ___Common merganser ___American avocet SWIFTS ___Red-breasted merganser u u u ___Greater yellowlegs f f f ___Chimney swift + r r r ___Ruddy duck ___Lesser yellowlegs u u u HUMMINGBIRDS ___*Muscovy duck r r r r ___Solitary sandpiper r r r r ___Ruby-throated hummingbird + u r u r HAWKS & ALLIES ___Willet KINGFISHERS ___Osprey + c c c c ___Spotted sandpiper u u u ___Belted kingfisher c r c c ___Swallow-tailed kite + f f u r ___Whimbrel WOODPECKERS ___White-tailed kite + r r r r ___Marbled godwit ___Ivory-billed woodpecker E ___Snail kite + u u u u ___Semipalmated sandpiper ___Red-headed woodpecker r ___Mississippi kite ___Western sandpiper u u u ___Red-bellied woodpecker + c c c c ___Bald eagle + u u u u ___Least sandpiper u u u ___Yellow-bellied sapsucker u u u ___Golden eagle r ___White-rumped sandpiper ___Downy woodpecker + f f f f ___Northern harrier u u u ___Dunlin ___Hairy woodpecker + r r r r ___Sharp-shinned hawk u u u ___Short-billed dowitcher ___Red-cockaded woodpecker + f f f f ___Cooper’s hawk r r r ___Long-billed dowitcher ___Northern flicker + c c c c ___Red-shouldered hawk + c c c c ___Wilson’s snipe f f f ___Pileated woodpecker + f f f f ___Broad-winged hawk r r r ___American woodcock r r FLYCATCHERS ___Short-tailed hawk + u u u u ___Wilson’s phalarope ___Eastern wood-pewee ___Red-tailed hawk + u u u u GULLS, TERNS, ETC..