Last updated on May 13th, 2023 at 11:21 pm
Birding in Florida is a sight to behold, as the state is home to rich biodiversity and delicate ecosystems. There are many avian species in Florida, including wading birds like cranes.
Cranes are common birds in Florida. Specifically, the Sandhill Crane can be found in the southern part of the state during the winter and the northern part of the state year-round. You can identify this bird by its bright red head, making it unique among Florida wading birds.
Does Florida Have Cranes?
Florida does have cranes. The state is home to the Sandhill Crane, a bird that breeds in Canada and the northern U.S. and winters in the southern U.S. and Mexico.
Within Florida, you’re more likely to find the Sandhill Crane in the main peninsula of the state rather than the panhandle.
Although the Sandhill Crane is a migratory bird, some choose to spend the whole year in Florida.
Those that do tend to be found in the northernmost part of the state, whereas those in the southern part are typically only there for the winter.
Where Do Cranes Live?
Cranes live all over the world. They are found on every continent besides South America and Antarctica, and they live in grasslands, savannas, marshes, deserts, and wetlands.
There are 15 different species of cranes altogether, each with its range and preferences.
Despite being so adaptive to different climates and ecosystems, crane populations are largely declining.
Eleven of the 15 different crane species alive today are threatened, mostly due to urban development and habitat loss.
However, cranes are also hunted and poisoned on a large scale.
The most critically endangered of all crane species is the Siberian Crane, a bird with a very small range in northern Asia.
Comparatively speaking, the Sandhill Crane is much more common than this relative. However, the state has designated Florida Sandhill Cranes as endangered.
How To Identify a Crane
Cranes usually have a long neck, long, thin legs, and a wide wingspan that helps them coast through the skies.
They look similar to herons or egrets. Identifying them correctly can be a challenge, but it helps to know what birds live in your area to know what you should be looking for.
If you live in Florida, you only need to be on the lookout for the Sandhill Crane.
The Sandhill Crane has a mostly white-grey body with dark legs, and you can easily differentiate it from other wading birds by the bright red feathers on its head.
They tend to form flocks, so be on the lookout for groups of birds in the sky, as they sometimes fly in groups of hundreds or even thousands.
Because Sandhill Cranes have such long necks, they also have distinctive sounds.
Their long tracheas produce a low-pitched, rich sound that’s quite loud, like a trumpet.
These sounds are so loud that they can be heard miles away from where the birds are flying.
What Wading Birds Are Common in Florida?
Over 500 species of wading birds are common in Florida, making it a hub for diversity.
Common wading birds that you’ll find in the state include the Roseate Spoonbill, the Great Blue Heron, and others.
Many of these are migratory, but about 200 species will stay year-round.
Roseate Spoonbill
The Roseate Spoonbill is a pink wading bird with a long, flat bill shaped like a spoon on the end.
It has a mostly white body with bright pink wings and red legs, making it easily recognizable.
Their necks are long and thin and rest in an S shape, while their bodies are about the shape of a football.
You can typically find the Roseate Spoonbill wading in shallow waters, foraging for invertebrates.
Like flamingos (a bird found in Florida), they get their pink coloration from eating certain pigment-carrying crustaceans.
Roseate Spoonbills are most common in southern Florida along the coastline.
They are also found along the coast of Mexico and throughout South America, unlike the Sandhill Crane.
Great Blue Heron
Great Blue Herons are very common in the United States, and you can find them across Florida year-round.
You can most often find the Great Blue Heron foraging in shallow water.
These birds will stand waiting or walk very slowly through the shallows, then suddenly strike fish swimming near them.
Although Great Blue Herons are most often spotted alone, they sometimes nest and breed in colonies.
Their nesting sites are typically high in the trees, at least 20’ above the ground or water level, and up to 100’ high.
Great Blue Heron nests are very large and made mostly from big sticks.
You can identify the Great Blue Heron by its grey-blue color and dark coloration on the head.
These birds have an orange beak and a sleek appearance, and they can be seen gliding over the water with a large wingspan or standing waiting for prey.
When a Great Blue Heron lands, it lets out a low, croaking noise that sounds like a duck.
Great Egret
The Great Egret is a pure white bird with dark legs and a yellow bill, with an exceptionally long bill and wispy white feathers that hang from its body.
You’ll commonly find the Great Egret near ponds and lakes, both saltwater and freshwater.
They nest in colonies but hunt independently, making prey of fish, frogs, and other small aquatic species.
The Great Egret is common year-round in South America and part of the year in North America.
This migratory bird breeds in the mainland U.S. and migrates to the southern coast of the country and Mexico during the winter.
You can find the Great Egret in Florida year-round in every part of the state.
The Great Egret is somewhat smaller than the Great Blue Heron, but it still has a large wingspan and a similar body type. They are very similar in size to the Sandhill Crane.
The Great Egret is famous due to its history in the conservation movement.
People nearly hunted this bird to the point of extinction in the 19th century, but it was saved by certain laws put in place to protect birds.