St. Johns County

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St. Johns County - Bird List
St. Johns County, Florida, well known for the history and charm of St. Augustine, is also a great area for enjoying nature and birds. With 43 miles of ocean beach, two ocean inlets, three State Parks, two National Monuments, the majestic St. Johns River and the Intracoastal Waterway with its vast salt marshes, St. Johns County is a natural haven for at least 258 varieties of shore birds, parrots, wading birds, raptors and neotropical migrants.

St. Johns County Audubon members compiled this checklist and guide to birding from migratory counts, Christmas Bird Counts, and Birdathons as well as other local census surveys, observations and published data. Additions, corrections and suggestions are always welcome.

Download your printable checklist.

The following categories are available for our bird list:

Species List
Abundance Designation
Seasonal Occurrence
Notes
Locations

 

Species List
LOONS & GREBES
Species S s F W Notes Locate
Red-throated Loon       R    
Common Loon R     O   AN FD GR
Pied-billed Grebe * C R U C   AN FD GR
Horned Grebe       O   AN GR
PELICANS &  ALLIES
Species S s F W Notes Locate
Northern Gannet U     C   AN GR
American White Pelican O   O U   FD GR
Brown Pelican C C C A L AN FD GR
Double-crested Cormorant C C C A   AN FD GR
Anhinga * U U U U   AN FD GR
Magnificent Frigatebird R R R R   GR
HERONS & EGRETS
Species S s F W Notes Locate
American Bittern O     O   AN GR
Least Bittern * O U       GR
Great Blue Heron * C C C C   AN FD GR
Great Egret * C C C A   AN FD GR
Snowy Egret * C C C C L AN FD GR
Little Blue Heron * C C C C L AN FD GR
Tricolored Heron * C C C C L AN FD GR
Reddish Egret O O O R L, W GR
Cattle Egret * A A C A   AN FD GR
Green Heron * O O O O   AN FD GR
Black-crowned Night-Heron * U U U C   AN FD GR
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron * O O O O   AN FD GR
IBISES & STORKS
Species S s F W Notes Locate
White Ibis * C C C A L AN FD GR
Glossy Ibis O O O O   GR
Roseate Spoonbill U C U   L AN GR
Wood Stork * C C C C L AN FD GR
DUCKS &  ALLIES
Species S s F W Notes Locate
Fulvous Whistling-Duck R   R R   GR
Snow Goose       R   GR
Canada Goose O     O    
Wood Duck * O O O O   AN FD GR
Green-winged Teal O   O U   AN GR
American Black Duck R     R W  
Mottled Duck * U   U U W  
Mallard U   U U   AN GR
Northern Pintail O   O O    
Blue-winged Teal O R O U   FD GR
Northern Shoveler O   O O   GR
Gadwall     O O   GR
American Wigeon O   O U   GR
Canvasback     R R   AN GR
Redhead R   R O   GR
Ring-necked Duck R   O U   GR
Greater Scaup     R R   AN GR
Lesser Scaup O   O U   AN GR
Black Scoter     R R   GR
Surf Scoter     R R   AN GR
White-winged Scoter     R R   GR
Common Goldeneye       R    
Bufflehead O   O O   AN FD GR
Hooded Merganser U   U C   AN FD GR
Red-breasted Merganser U   U C   AN FD GR
Ruddy Duck O   O U   AN GR
VULTURES & HAWKS
Species S s F W Notes Locate
Black Vulture * U U U U   AN FD GR
Turkey Vulture * C C C C   AN FD GR
Osprey * C C C U   AN FD GR
Swallow-tailed Kite * U U     W FD GR
Bald Eagle * U U U U L AN FD GR
Northern Harrier U   U U   AN FD GR
Sharp-shinned Hawk U   U U   FD GR
Cooper's Hawk * O O O O   FD GR
Red-shouldered Hawk * U U U U   AN FD GR
Red-tailed Hawk * U O U U   AN FD GR
American Kestrel C   C C   AN FD GR
Merlin R   O R   FD GR
Peregrine Falcon R   O R L FD GR
QUAILS & TURKEYS
Species S s F W Notes Locate
Wild Turkey * O O O O   FD GR
Northern Bobwhite * O O O O   AN FD GR
RAILS, LIMPKINS & CRANES
Species S s F W Notes Locate
Clapper Rail * C C C C   AN FD GR
King Rail * R R R R   GR
Virginia Rail U     U   AN GR
Sora O   O O   AN GR
Purple Gallinule R R       GR
Common Moorhen * C C C C   AN FD GR
American Coot U   O C   AN FD GR
Limpkin * O O O O L AN
Sandhill Crane R     R   AN
SHOREBIRDS
Species S s F W Notes Locate
Black-bellied Plover C C C A   AN GR
Wilson's Plover * U C U U   AN GR
Semipalmated Plover C   C C   GR
Piping Plover R   R R L AN GR
Killdeer * C C C C   AN GR
American Oystercatcher * U U U U L AN GR
Black-necked Stilt * O U O     GR
American Avocet     R      
Greater Yellowlegs U   U U   AN FD GR
Lesser Yellowlegs U   U U   FD GR
Solitary Sandpiper O   O R   GR
Willet * C C C A W AN FD GR
Spotted Sandpiper U   U U   AN GR
Whimbrel U   U U   AN GR
Long-billed Curlew     R R W  
Marbled Godwit O   O O   AN GR
Ruddy Turnstone C U C A   AN GR
Red Knot U R U U W AN GR
Sanderling A A A A   AN GR
Semipalmated Sandpiper C R C     AN GR
Western Sandpiper C   C C   AN GR
Least Sandpiper U   U U   AN GR
Dunlin C   C C   AN GR
Short-billed Dowitcher A   A C W AN FD GR
Long-billed Dowitcher R   R R   AN GR
Common Snipe U   U U   AN GR
American Woodcock O   O O   AN GR
JEAGERS, GULLS & TERNS
Species S s F W Notes Locate
Pomarine Jaeger       R    
Parasitic Jaeger       R    
Laughing Gull * A A A A   AN FD GR
Bonaparte's Gull       O   AN GR
Ring-billed Gull C O C A   AN FD GR
Herring Gull C O C C   AN GR
Lesser Black-backed Gull     R O    
Great Black-backed Gull U R U C   AN GR
Gull-billed Tern * O O O     GR
Caspian Tern U O U U   AN FD GR
Royal Tern C C C C   AN FD GR
Sandwich Tern C O C O   AN FD GR
Common Tern U   U R   AN GR
Forster's Tern U   U C   AN FD GR
Least Tern * C A C   L AN GR
Black Tern O   U     AN GR
Black Skimmer * U U U C L AN GR
DOVES
Species S s F W Notes Locate
Rock Dove * A A A A   AN GR
Eurasian Collared-Dove * C C C C E  
Mourning Dove * A A A A   AN FD GR
Common Ground-Dove * U U U U   AN FD GR
White Winged Dove U U U U    
PARROTS
Species S s F W Notes Locate
Monk Parakeet * U U U U E  
Nanday Parakeet (Black-hooded)* U U U U E  
Rose-ringed Parakeet U U U U E  
Mitred Conure * U U U U E
CUCKOOS
Species S s F W Notes Locate
Yellow-billed Cuckoo * O O O     FD GR
OWLS
Species S s F W Notes Locate
Barn Owl * R R R R   GR
Eastern Screech-Owl * U U U U   AN FD GR
Great Horned Owl * U U U U   AN FD GR
Barred Owl * U U U U   FD GR
GOATSUCKERS (NIGHTJARS)
Species S s F W Notes Locate
Common Nighthawk * U U U     AN FD GR
Chuck-will's-widow C C O   W AN FD GR
Whip-poor-will R         AN FD GR
SWIFTS & HUMMINGBIRDS
Species S s F W Notes Locate
Chimney Swift * C C C     AN FD GR
Ruby-throated Hummingbird * C C C     AN FD GR
KINGFISHERS
Species S s F W Notes Locate
Belted Kingfisher * C R C C   AN FD GR
FLYCATCHERS
Species S s F W Notes Locate
Eastern Wood Pewee * U R U     AN FD GR
Least Flycatcher     R      
Eastern Phoebe U   U C   AN FD GR
Great Crested Flycatcher * C U O     AN FD GR
Western Kingbird       R   GR
Eastern Kingbird * U O U     AN GR
Gray Kingbird * U U       GR
SWALLOWS
Species S s F W Notes Locate
Purple Martin * U C U     AN FD GR
Tree Swallow C   C C   AN FD GR
Northern Rough-winged Swallow * R R R     GR
Cliff Swallow *     R      
Barn Swallow C U C     AN FD GR
JAYS & CROWS
Species S s F W Notes Locate
Blue Jay * A A C C   AN FD GR
Florida Scrub-Jay * R R R R L  
American Crow * C C C C   AN FD GR
Fish Crow * A A A A   AN FD GR
WOODPECKERS
Species S s F W Notes Locate
Red Headed Woodpecker U U U U    
Red Bellied Woodpecker A A A C    
Yellow Bellied Sapsucker O R O U    
Downy Woodpecker C C C C    
Hairy Woodpecker U U U U    
Pileated Woodpecker U U U U    
Northern Flicker U U U U    
CHICKADEES, TITMICE & CREEPERS
Species S s F W Notes Locate
Carolina Chickadee * U U U U   AN FD GR
Tufted Titmouse * C C C C   AN FD GR
Brown-headed Nuthatch * O O O O W AN FD
Brown Creeper       R   AN
WRENS
Species S s F W Notes Locate
Carolina Wren * C C C C   AN FD GR
House Wren U   U U   AN FD GR
Sedge Wren U   U U   GR
Marsh Wren * U U U U   GR
KINGLETS & GNATCATCHERS
Species S s F W Notes Locate
Ruby-crowned Kinglet C   C C   AN FD GR
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher * U U U U   AN FD GR
BLUEBIRDS, THRUSHES & THRASHERS
Species S s F W Notes Locate
Eastern Bluebird * U U U U   FD
Veery O   O     GR
Gray-cheeked Thrush O   O     GR
Swainson's Thrush O   O     GR
Hermit Thrush O   O O   AN FD GR
Wood Thrush O   O   W AN GR
American Robin C   U C   AN FD GR
Gray Catbird * C R C C   AN FD GR
Northern Mockingbird * C C C C   AN FD GR
Brown Thrasher * U U U U   AN FD GR
PIPITS & WAXWINGS
Species S s F W Notes Locate
American Pipit       O   GR
Cedar Waxwing U   O U   AN FD GR
SHRIKES & STARLINGS
Species S s F W Notes Locate
Loggerhead Shrike * U U U U   AN FD GR
European Starling * A A A A E AN GR
VIREOS
Species S s F W Notes Locate
White-eyed Vireo * C O C U   AN FD GR
Blue-headed (Solitary) Vireo U   U U   FD GR
Yellow-throated Vireo * U O U     FD GR
Red-eyed Vireo * C U C     AN FD GR
WOOD WARBLERS
Species S s F W Notes Locate
Blue-winged Warbler R   R      
Golden-winged Warbler R   R      
Tennessee Warbler U   U     AN GR
Orange-crowned Warbler O   R U   GR
Nashville Warbler R   R     AN GR
Northern Parula * C U U R   FD GR
Yellow Warbler O R O     AN FD GR
Chestnut-sided Warbler O   O     GR
Magnolia Warbler R   U     AN GR
Cape May Warbler R   R     GR
Black-throated Blue Warbler U   U     FD GR
Yellow-rumped Warbler A   A A   AN FD GR
Black-throated Green Warbler O   O     FD GR
Blackburnian Warbler R   R     GR
Yellow-throated Warbler * U U U U   AN FD GR
Pine Warbler * U U U U   AN FD GR
Prairie Warbler * U R U O W AN FD GR
Palm Warbler U   U U   AN FD GR
Bay-breasted Warbler R   R     GR
Blackpoll Warbler O   R     GR
Cerulean Warbler R   R      
Black-and-White Warbler U   U U   AN FD GR
American Redstart C   C     FD GR
Prothonotary Warbler * U O U   W GR
Worm-eating Warbler U   U   W FD GR
Ovenbird U   U R   AN FD GR
Northern Waterthrush U   U     FD GR
Louisiana Waterthrush R   R     FD GR
Kentucky Warbler         W  
Common Yellowthroat * C U C U   AN FD GR
Hooded Warbler O   O     FD GR
Yellow-breasted Chat * R R R    
TANAGERS, BUNTINGS & TOWHEES
Species S s F W Notes Locate
Summer Tanager * U U U     AN FD GR
Scarlet Tanager R   R     GR
Northern Cardinal * C C C C   AN FD GR
Rose-breasted Grosbeak O   O     AN GR
Blue Grosbeak * U R U     GR
Indigo Bunting * U R U     GR
Painted Bunting * U U U   W AN FD GR
Eastern Towhee * C C C C   AN FD GR
SPARROWS & JUNCOS
Species S s F W Notes Locate
Bachman's Sparrow * O O R R W FD
Chipping Sparrow U   U U   AN FD GR
Field Sparrow R   R U   AN
Vesper Sparrow R   R R   AN GR
Lark Sparrow R   R      
Savannah Sparrow C   U C   AN FD GR
Grasshopper Sparrow R   R R   GR
Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow O   O U W  
Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow O   O U   AN GR
Seaside Sparrow * U U U U W AN GR
Fox Sparrow       R    
Song Sparrow U   U U   GR
Swamp Sparrow O   O O   GR
White-throated Sparrow U   U U   GR
White-crowned Sparrow R   R R   GR
Dark-eyed Junco O     O   AN GR
BLACKBIRDS, ORIOLES & FINCHES
Species S s F W Notes Locate
Bobolink U   U   W GR
Red-winged Blackbird * A A A A   AN FD GR
Eastern Meadowlark * U U U U   AN GR
Rusty Blackbird       R    
Boat-tailed Grackle * A A A A   AN FD GR
Common Grackle * C C C C   AN FD GR
Brown-headed Cowbird * O   O O   AN GR
Orchard Oriole * O O       AN GR
Baltimore Oriole O   O O   AN GR
House Finch* R     R    
Pine Siskin       R    
American Goldfinch U   O U   AN FD GR
OLD WORLD SPARROWS
Species S s F W Notes Locate
House Sparrow * C C C C E AN GR
 

Accidental Species

Totally unexpected. Seen less than 5 times in St. Johns County. Accidental species are listed with their year of last sighting. Many of the accidentals were observed at Guana River State Park.

Brant 1970's Audubon's Shearwater 1995  
Tundra Swan 1970's Iceland Gull 1996
Northern Saw-whet Owl 1982 Black-headed Grosbeak 1997
Short-eared Owl 1983 Yellow-headed Blackbird 1997
Oldsquaw 1988 Wilson's Storm-Petrel 1997
Sooty Tern 1995 Vermilion Flycatcher 1997
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher 1995 Greater Shearwater 1997
American Golden Plover 1995 Golden-crowned Kinglet 1997
    Mute Swan 2006

Seasonal Occurrence

S Spring: Mar., Apr., May
F Fall: Sept., Oct., Nov.
s Summer: June, July, Aug.
W Winter: Dec., Jan., Feb.

Abundance Designation

A ABUNDANT -- easily observed
C COMMON -- observed regularly
U UNCOMMON -- observed in low numbers
O OCCASIONAL -- observed in low numbers with special effort
R RARE -- not expected, may not be present every year

Notes

* Probably breeds in St. Johns County.
E Exotic - not native to this area.
L Listed by Florida or Federal government as endangered,threatened, or species of special concern.
W Species listed on the National Audubon Society Watch List.

 

Popular Birding Locations

AN Anastasia State Recreation Area
FD Faver-Dykes State Park
FM Ft. Matanzas National Monument
GR Guana River State Park
AF St. Augustine Alligator Farm
AG St. Johns Agricultural Center
SL Stokes Landing Conservation Area
VB Vilano Boat Ramp and Beach
WO Washington Oaks State Gardens

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