SEASONAL OCCURRENCE AND RELATIVE ABUNDANCE OF THE BIRDS OF EMERALDA MARSH CONSERVATION AREA.
 This list is based on my observations only, which have occurred mostly in the Lake Griffin Flow-way (Area 3) and the Long Farm
 section (Area 5).  A few of the species below have been seen at locations on EMCA other than these.  

 

HABITATS:  H – hammock;  F – field, successional, disturbed upland (non-aquatic) habitats;  M – marsh, or at edges of canals or impoundments;  W – open water of impoundments, canals, or Lake Griffin;  L – on levee roads;   E – ecotonal – at edges of two habitats.

 

ABUNDANCE: R - rare – seen (or heard) on only one or two occasions;  U – uncommon – seen (or heard) occasionally in the appropriate habitat, but not on each census;  C – common – seen (or heard) in small numbers (20 or fewer)  in appropriate habitat on nearly every census;  A  - abundant – seen (or heard) in large numbers (more than 20) in appropriate habitat on nearly every census.  N – not observed.

 

SEASONS:  Divisions between seasons are based on my impressions of the timing of changes in the bird fauna.  Winter – November-February; Spring – March – May;  Summer – June-mid-August;  Fall – mid-August – October.

 

SPECIES

  HABITATS

WINTER

SPRING

SUMMER

FALL

Pied-billed Grebe

W, M

A

U

U

C

Horned Grebe

W

R

N

N

N

Double-crested Cormorant

W

A

C

C

A

Anhinga

W,M,H

A

A

A

A

American White Pelican

W

U

U

N

N

Great Blue Heron

M

A

A

A

A

Green Heron

M

U

C

C

C

Little Blue Heron

M

C

C

C

C

Cattle Egret

M,L

U

A

A

A

Great Egret

M

A

A

A

A

Snowy Egret

M

C

C

C

C

Tricolored Heron

M

C

C

C

C

Black-crowned Night-Heron

M

C

C

C

C

Least Bittern

M

N

U

C

U

American Bittern

M

U

N

N

U

Yellow-crowned Night-Heron

M

N

U

U

U

Wood Stork

M

C

N

N

U

Glossy Ibis

M

A

A

A

A

White Ibis

M

A

A

A

A

Roseate Spoonbill

M

N

N

N

R

Mallard

W

U

N

N

U

Mottled Duck

W

U

U

U

U

Gadwall

W

U

N

N

U

Northern Pintail

W

U

N

N

U

Green-winged Teal

W

C

U

N

C

Blue-winged Teal

W

A

A

N

A

American Wigeon

W

U

U

N

U

Northern Shoveler

W

U

U

N

U

Wood Duck

W

A

U

U

A

Ring-necked Duck

W

A

U

N

A

Redhead

W

R

N

N

R

Lesser Scaup

W

U

U

N

U

Hooded Merganser

W

U

N

N

U

Red-breasted Merganser

w

R

N

N

N

Ruddy Duck

W

U

U

N

U

Bufflehead

W

R

N

N

R

Fulvous Whistling Duck

W,M

U

U

U

U

Black-bellied Whistling Duck

W

U

C

C

C

Turkey Vulture

ALL

A

C

C

A

Black Vulture

ALL

C

U

U

C

Sharp-shinned Hawk

H,F,M,L.E

U

U

N

U

Cooper's Hawk

H,F,M,L,E

U

U

N

U

Red-tailed Hawk

H,F,M,L,E

C

U

U

U

Red-shouldered Hawk

H,F,M,L,E

C

C

C

C

Short-tailed Hawk

H,F

N

N

N

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