AND ENJOY NATURAL HISTORY 



^w 9?cytic(a 



Edited by Margaret H. Hundley 



The number of people coming to Florida seasonally to visit 

 and to attend conventions has increased the past few years. 

 Many of them are interested in the natural history and espe- 

 cially the avifauna of the State. Florida is a large State some 

 600 miles long and of varying widths up to approximately 

 400 miles across the panhandle section from east to west. 

 People living in one section, and familiar with the birds in 

 their area, may not know what species to look for, or where 

 to find them, in a far distant part of the State. As a result, 

 the number of requests for information received by the 

 Florida Audubon Society during the past year increased to 

 the point where it became more and more difficult to find the 

 time to answer adequately all of these letters. The need for a 

 guide to specific areas especially rich in number of bird 

 species, or near the larger centers of population, became 

 evident. 



Florida has abundant and unique bird life. It is the 

 only State where all of the species of herons listed for the 

 United States may be found. These beautiful birds can 

 be seen wading along the shores of lakes and ocean, and 

 in every stream and river, throughout the State. Nowhere 

 in the United States is the Cattle Egret, that recent new- 

 comer from the Old World, more numerous. Since Florida 

 extends into the subtropics, and is close to the islands of 

 the Caribbean, many West Indian species such as the 

 White-crowned Pigeon, Gray Kingbird, and Black-whiskered 



* Field Checklists of Florida Birds may be obtained from the 

 Florida Audubon Society for five cents each in lots of ten or more. 



SECTION I— NORTH FLORIDA AREA 



Jacksonville, by Stella Robinson and Samuel A. Grimes 2 



Pensacola, by Francis M. Weston 2 



Gulf County, by Roy C. Hallman 3 



Tallahassee, by John C. Ogden and Henry M. Stevenson 4 



SECTION II— GULF COAST AREA 



Bradenton, by Allen 8. Hitch 5 



Clearwater, by Col. Frank M. Child 5 



Fort Myers, by Bradford Patten and William K. Widg-er 5 



St. Petersburg, by Frances iB. Smith 6 



Sanibel-Captiva, by Charles R. LeBuff, Jr 6 



Sarasota, by Charles Preston 6 



Tampa, by Charles C. Norris 7 



SECTON III— EAST COAST AREA 



Central Brevard Cty .-Cocoa, Merritt Island, by W. Foster White... 8 



Daytona Beach, by George L. Williams 9 



Fort Pierce, by Lyle S. Hubbard 10 



St. Augustine, by J. Evelyn Braddock 10 



Stuart, by Genevieve Trinter 10 



West Palm Beach, by H. P. Langridge and C. Russell Mason 1 1 



PREFACE 



Vireo, extend their breeding range as far north as Florida. 

 In the southern part of the State may be found the Short- 

 tailed Hawk, a tropical species. Many people interested in 

 birds visit Florida during the summer months in order to 

 see these species. During migration many northern species 

 of birds channel through the State on their way to and 

 from the West Indies, and South and Central America, and 

 many individuals spend the winter months here. Even 

 western species, such as the Western Kingbird, Scissor-tailed 

 Flycatcher, and Bullock's Oriole, spend the winter in limited 

 numbers in the State. There are interesting sjjecies such as 

 the Limpkin and the Spotted-breasted Oriole found nowhere 

 else in the United States.* 



Most of the contributors to this booklet live in the areas 

 about which they write and thus know through close 

 observation the status of the various species of birds in their 

 area and where they are most likely to be found. The 

 building of new subdivisions, highways, etc., is changing 

 almost daily the face of Florida. Some of the places de- 

 scribed here may in time no longer exist in the same form. 

 Fortunately, however, many areas have been designated 

 as parks and sanctuaries, or are contiguous to shores, bridges, 

 or places where further construction and encroachment may 

 be delayed for some time to come. 



It is hoped that this booklet will help guide both visitors 

 to, and residents of, the State to those specific areas which 

 are outstanding for the type or abundance of bird life 

 found in them. 



Margaret H. Hundley 



TABLE OF CONTENTS 



SECTON lY— CENTRAL FLORIDA AREA 



Brooksville, by Steve B. Fickett 12 



Clewiston, by George L. Espenlaub 1 3 



DeLand, by Paul E. Harris 14 



Gainesville, by Marjorie Carr 14 



Highlands Hammock State Park, by Carol H. Beck 15 



Lake Wales, by Kenneth D. Morrison ig 



Lakeland, by Jeanne Niswonger 1 5 



Zellwood, Sanford and Winter Park, by Ira J. Weigley 17 



Other Central Florida Areas, by Ira J. Weigley 17 



SECTION V— SOUTH FLORIDA AND GRAND BAHAMA 



Dry Tortugas, by Margaret H. Hundley ig 



Everglades National Park, by Richard L. Cunningham 18 



Florida Keys, by Christine Bonney jg 



Grand Bahama Island, by C. Russell Mason 20 



Homestead, by Joseph N. Grant 2 1 



Miami, by Louis A. Stimson, Carter Bundy and C. Russell Mason 22 

 COVER ILLUSTRATION: Painted Bunting— B. Brower Hall. 



