Birding 101 Migratory Birds

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Each native plant has its own host insects. These insects in turn ... Example: Paw paw is the only larval host for the z
Birding 101

Kissimmee Valley Audubon Society Pine Lily Chapter Florida Native Plant Society

Migratory Birds

Birding 101 6:30 to 8:30 pm Nov. 19, 2014 Class 5 Florida’s Migratory and Upland Birds

•Introduce team members •Who are we? •What do we do? •Why we do it? •Master Gardeners •Master Naturalist •Audubon Society •Audubon Center for Birds of Prey •Native Plant Society •Sierra Club •The Nature Conservancy •Other environmental groups

Objectives…. • Learn to identify common birds • Learn what birds eat what foods • Learn what native plants to add to your home landscape to attract birds • Learn what habitat to find birds based on foods birds eat • Learn how to be a better consume r(spend $ wisely) • Find places to go birding • Learn about birding resources • Meet others with similar interests • Get involved in the community • Learn ways to help our feathered friends (food, plants, habitat, water, etc.)

Migration is very complicated and not completely understood. Why do birds migrate? Birds migrate in search of food and/or for nesting. *Swallowtail kites migrate to Florida to nest. *Northern sandhill cranes migrate to Florida but do not nest here.

Much of this is tied together with native plants and insect activity. Each native plant has its own host insects. These insects in turn are hosts for other birds, Migration can be very dangerous for birds. butterflies, and wildlife. What are some of the dangers birds face Example: Paw paw is the only larval host for during migration? the zebra swallowtail butterfly. What are some of the birds that migrate?

Tree Swallows are winter migrants to Florida and do

not breed here. Tree Swallows feed on small, aerial insects that they catch in their mouths during acrobatic flight. They feed from dawn to dusk in areas full of flying insects, usually foraging not far from the ground. Tree Swallows eat all kinds of flying insects: dragonflies, damselflies, flies, mayflies, sawflies, bees, ants, wasps, beetles, stoneflies, butterflies, moths, spiders, mollusks, and roundworms. Their prey may be smaller than a grain of sand or up to two inches long. Great place to see tree swallows is Kissimmee Lakefront and Twin Oaks Conservation Area.

The Gray Catbird in a winter migrant to Florida. They do not breed here. Gray Catbirds eat a wide variety of food including ants, beetles, grasshoppers, midges, caterpillars, and moths. But, they also enjoy fruits such as holly berries, mulberries, elderberries, poison ivy, greenbrier, bay, and blackberries. Named catbird for its call that sounds like a cat mewing.

We have Belted Kingfishers that are year round residents. We get an influx of migrants during the winter months so they seem more plentiful during that time. They live mostly on a diet of fish but will also eat crayfish, other crustaceans, mollusks, insects, amphibians, reptiles, young birds, small mammals, and even berries. A kingfisher looks for prey from a perch that overhangs water, such as a bare branch, telephone wire, or pier piling.

Great Crested Flycatcher

migrates to Florida during our summer months for breeding. Great Crested Flycatchers like to sit and wait for their prey which is large insects. A good location to see them in Lake Runnymede Conservation Area.

Eastern Phoebe migrate to

Florida during out winter months and do not breed here. They like wooded areas near water. They eat flying insects. Good location to see would be Twin Oaks Conservation Area.

Purple Martins-Female migrate to

Florida for Spring/Summer breeding. They get all of their food and water in flight. It skims the surface of a pond and scoops up the water with its lower bill. The Kissimmee Lakefront and Epcot where they have active purple martin houses are good locations to see them.

Ruby Throated Hummingbird

migrate to Florida for summer breeding. Feeds on nectar from trumpet flower, cardinal flower, coral honeysuckle, firebush, red buckeye, coral bean, red salvia, yellow jessamine, and tree sap. Main insect prey includes mosquitoes, gnats, fruit flies, and small bees; also eats spiders.

Yellow Throated Vireo is listed as

only a migrant for Central Florida with breeding in North Florida but this photo of a nesting yellow throated vireo was taken in Kissimmee so birds do not always follow our ideas of migration! They eat arthropods, some fruits and seeds.

Black and White Warbler migrate to Florida during the winter months and do not breed here. The eat mostly insects, butterfly/moth larvae, ants, flies, spiders, beetles, and other insects. A good location to see them would be Lake Runnymede Conservation Area.

Green Wing Teal-Male

A dabbling duck that migrates to Florida during the winter months.

Blue Winged Teal-Male A dabbling duck that migrates to Florida during the winter months.

Northern Shoveler migrates to

Florida during our winter months but do not breed here. They have a long bill with about 110 fine projections (called lamellae) along the edges, for straining food from water.

Ring Neck Duck-Female

Ring Neck Ducks migrate to Florida during our winter months but do not breed here. They are diving ducks and feed on mollusks, invertebrates, and submerged aquatic vegetation.

Cape May Warbler pass Yellow Warbler pass through

Florida during migration. They eat mostly insects. Best location to see one Turkey Creek Sanctuary Palm Bay.

through Florida during migration. They eat insects and nectar. This one was feeding on gumbo limbo fruit nectar at Lori Wilson park in Cocoa Beach.

Yellow-rumped Warbler

migrate to Florida during the winter months and do not breed here. They are versatile eaters but eat mostly insects. They can be seen just about anywhere during the winter months.

Bobolink migrate through Florida.

Bobolinks are birds of tall grasslands, uncut pastures, overgrown fields and meadows, and the continent’s remaining prairies. While molting and on migration, look for them in marshes and in agricultural fields. A good location to see them at is Mac Overstreet Regional Park and Joe Overstreet Road St Cloud.

Northern Parula migrates to Florida to breed during our summer months. They're closely associated with epiphytic plants that grow on the branches of canopy trees. In the southern U.S. they use Spanish moss. Their diet consists of spiders and many kinds of insects, particularly caterpillars. Also eats beetles, moths, ants, wasps, bees, flies, locusts, and others.

Swallow tail kites arrive in

Florida in March for summer breeding. This kite captures flying insects or plucks insects and lizards from the tops of trees. Will also eat nestlings.

White Pelicans

They migrate to Florida during the winter months and do not breed here. Several pelicans may fish cooperatively, moving into a circle to concentrate fish, and then dipping their heads under simultaneously to catch fish. Good locations to see white pelicans include Lake Toho, Circle B Bar Reserve in Lakeland, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge.

Summer TanagerFemale Good location to see them include Lake Runnymede Conservation Area.

Summer Tanager-Male

They migrate to Florida for breeding during our summer months. They eat spiders, cicadas, beetles, ants, termites, grasshoppers, flies, moths, and other bugs—as well as fruits such as mulberries, blackberries, pokeweed, They capture flying insects during short flights, carrying their prey back and beating it repeatedly against the perch.

Indigo Bunting-Male

Indigo Bunting is a migrant to Florida. This indigo bunting is eating seeds off of native salt bush at Fort Desoto Park.

Painted Bunting-Male

Painted buntings migrate to Florida during the winter months. Best place to see them is the visitor center at Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge.

American Robin are winter

non-breeding migratory birds to Florida. Robins eat a variety of foods. They eat earthworms, insects, and fruit. Because the robin forages largely on lawns, it is vulnerable to pesticide poisoning and can be an important indicator of chemical pollution.

Cedar Waxwing migrate to Florida during

the winter months but do not breed here. They can survive on fruit alone for several months. They eat mulberries, juniper, holly berries, cabbage palm berries, Brazilian pepper berries, strawberry, and other fruits. They also supplement their diet with protein-rich insects including mayflies, dragonflies, and other insects. Best location to see cedar waxwings is where ever there are ripe berries!

Savannah Sparrow migrates to Florida

during the winter and does not breed here. Savannah Sparrows eat nutritionally rich insects and spiders. When white frothy spittle masses appear on goldenrod plants, Savannah Sparrows hop up on the plant and devour the spittlebug nymphs inside the foam. They also eat seeds. A great location to see Savannah sparrows is Twin Oaks Conservation Area.

Chipping Sparrows

migrate to Florida during the winter months and do not breed here. They eat mostly seeds with supplemental insects.

http://floridakeyshawkwatch.wordpress.com/

Many of our hawks migrate and a great place to see and help count is at the Florida Keys Hawk Watch at Curry Hammock State Park.

Unusual Migrants or Rare Birds Sometimes, we get rare birds migrate through or rare birds who decide to spend a winter with us in Florida. This Yellow Breasted Chat decided to spend a winter at Orlando wetlands park.

Snowy Owl made a rare

appearance in Jacksonville this past winter. Only the 3rd sighting of a snowy owl in Florida!