Last updated: April 15, 2021
Thing to Do
Birding at Flamingo
NPS Photo/ R DiPietro
Flamingo offers ample birding opportunities along its many trail areas as well as around the visitor center and marina. The mix of mangrove and coastal prairie habitats host a bounty of wading birds, shorebirds and waterbirds throughout the year. Additionally, there is always the chance of seeing tropical marine life close to shore, including crocodiles and manatees.
Flamingo winters are famous for birds. December – March is the best time for birding with low levels of mosquitoes, bird activity abounds in Flamingo year-round. In the winter, large mixed flocks of herons, egrets, ibis, storks and spoonbills move around the mangroves, coastal prairies and mudflats of Florida Bay for easy foraging, and American White Pelicans gather in massive flocks to spend winter on the bay. Brown Pelicans and Yellow-crowned Night-Herons, which are year-round residents, can also be seen. Many Osprey nests are found around Flamingo; be sure to keep a far distance from any nests as not to stress the parents or young. During spring and fall, migrating shorebirds including godwits, sandpipers, and plovers gather along the shore during high tide, and songbirds can be found along the Guy Bradley Trail beginning at the visitor center parking lot.
Note: In the summer, mosquitoes are in abundance in the mangrove, coastal prairie and marsh habitats. Be sure to bring extra protection when recreating in this area during the summer, including bug spray, long sleeves and bug jackets. A full head net may be needed in some areas.
Flamingo winters are famous for birds. December – March is the best time for birding with low levels of mosquitoes, bird activity abounds in Flamingo year-round. In the winter, large mixed flocks of herons, egrets, ibis, storks and spoonbills move around the mangroves, coastal prairies and mudflats of Florida Bay for easy foraging, and American White Pelicans gather in massive flocks to spend winter on the bay. Brown Pelicans and Yellow-crowned Night-Herons, which are year-round residents, can also be seen. Many Osprey nests are found around Flamingo; be sure to keep a far distance from any nests as not to stress the parents or young. During spring and fall, migrating shorebirds including godwits, sandpipers, and plovers gather along the shore during high tide, and songbirds can be found along the Guy Bradley Trail beginning at the visitor center parking lot.
Note: In the summer, mosquitoes are in abundance in the mangrove, coastal prairie and marsh habitats. Be sure to bring extra protection when recreating in this area during the summer, including bug spray, long sleeves and bug jackets. A full head net may be needed in some areas.
Details
Duration
1-4 Hours
Depending on whether you take advantage of the boat tour or rental services offered by the Flamingo Adventures concessionaire, your time birding could be anywhere from one to a few hours, and in some cases an entire afternoon or day. Camping opportunities can expand your birding by multiple days.
Activity
Birdwatching
Flamingo offers several recreation opportunities to enhance your birding throughout the coastal habitats of the Everglades. An hour-and-a-half boat tour may provide excellent views of seabirds, as may renting a canoe or kayak, giving access to areas not otherwise reachable by land. Two trails, the one-mile Guy Bradley Trail leading from the visitor center parking lot to the campground amphitheater, and the Eco Pond Trail, a mowed grass half-mile loop around Eco Pond, provide bay shoreline and coastal prairie views, respectively. Bicycle rentals allow access to the Bear Lake Road and Trail, next to the bridge at the Flamingo entrance.
Pets Allowed
Yes with Restrictions
Pets are allowed in commercial campgrounds and parking areas, but not on walking trails, inside visitor centers or in wilderness areas.
Activity Fee
No
Entrance fees may apply, see Fees & Passes information.
Flamingo Adventures offers a variety of tour, camping and rental services to enhance your birding experience.
Flamingo Adventures offers a variety of tour, camping and rental services to enhance your birding experience.
Location
Flamingo
The Flamingo visitor area is at the very end of the Main Park Road running 38 miles from the Homestead entrance to Everglades National Park. Pink buildings marking the Flamingo visitor center and marina store can been seen upon arrival.
Reservations
No
There are no reservations needed for birding along the areas in Flamingo, however, reservations are recommended for boat tours, especially during busy winter months.
Season
Year Round
Spring- Northward migration of songbirds and shorebirds peaks in April and May. Along the Guy Bradley Trail, resident Prairie Warblers forage alongside other warbler and vireo species stopping over on flights to breeding grounds in the northern United States. Sparrows may also be found in the coastal prairie scrub at the western end of the trail and around the Flamingo campground amphitheater. Additionally, look among foraging flocks of Brown-headed Cowbirds around the visitor parking areas for a Shiny Cowbird or two.
Summer- Although mosquitoes are most abundant during the summer and fall, this is the best time of year to look for hard-to-find resident birds, including Mangrove Cuckoo and Black-whiskered Vireo, which both breed in the mangrove habitats. Swallow-tailed Kites soar in large flocks hunting dragonflies over the open fields near the Flamingo entrance. White-crowned Pigeons may also be seen around the campground area.
Fall- The overlap of fall migration season and peak tropical weather season can result in massive fallouts of birds along the shores of Flamingo. Especially at high tide, look for beached seabirds and shorebirds, including Black Skimmer, Gull-billed Tern, Marbled Godwit, Wilson’s Plover, Black-bellied Plover, Willet, and various small sandpiper species near the campground amphitheater. An occasional Wilson’s Snipe may also be found in the coastal prairie scrub by the Flamingo tent camping area before the tent campsites are mowed for the winter.
Winter- The dry season brings higher wading bird activity and movement throughout the Flamingo area as birds follow the rise and fall of tides and inflow of freshwater for food. The coastal prairies around Flamingo and sometimes the mudflats in Florida Bay close by the camping area can host large mixed flocks of ibis, Roseate Spoonbills, Wood Storks, herons and egrets. Look closely and you may find a Great White Heron, a white subspecies of the Great Blue Heron that within the United States is only found in coastal South Florida and the Keys. Large numbers of American White Pelicans also spend the winter on Florida Bay.
Summer- Although mosquitoes are most abundant during the summer and fall, this is the best time of year to look for hard-to-find resident birds, including Mangrove Cuckoo and Black-whiskered Vireo, which both breed in the mangrove habitats. Swallow-tailed Kites soar in large flocks hunting dragonflies over the open fields near the Flamingo entrance. White-crowned Pigeons may also be seen around the campground area.
Fall- The overlap of fall migration season and peak tropical weather season can result in massive fallouts of birds along the shores of Flamingo. Especially at high tide, look for beached seabirds and shorebirds, including Black Skimmer, Gull-billed Tern, Marbled Godwit, Wilson’s Plover, Black-bellied Plover, Willet, and various small sandpiper species near the campground amphitheater. An occasional Wilson’s Snipe may also be found in the coastal prairie scrub by the Flamingo tent camping area before the tent campsites are mowed for the winter.
Winter- The dry season brings higher wading bird activity and movement throughout the Flamingo area as birds follow the rise and fall of tides and inflow of freshwater for food. The coastal prairies around Flamingo and sometimes the mudflats in Florida Bay close by the camping area can host large mixed flocks of ibis, Roseate Spoonbills, Wood Storks, herons and egrets. Look closely and you may find a Great White Heron, a white subspecies of the Great Blue Heron that within the United States is only found in coastal South Florida and the Keys. Large numbers of American White Pelicans also spend the winter on Florida Bay.
Time of Day
Any Time
The Flamingo area trails are open 24 hours and can be accessed at any time.
Early morning is best for songbirds.
Wading birds like shorebirds, herons and egrets can be seen throughout the day, though their movements are largely dependent on tides. Check the Flamingo Visitor Center for updates on tidal predictions.
Early morning is best for songbirds.
Wading birds like shorebirds, herons and egrets can be seen throughout the day, though their movements are largely dependent on tides. Check the Flamingo Visitor Center for updates on tidal predictions.
Accessibility Information
The Guy Bradley Trail, Flamingo Visitor Center and campground are wheelchair and stroller accessible.
Pets are not allowed on the walking trails with the exception of service animals.
Pets are not allowed on the walking trails with the exception of service animals.