Fort De Soto Park
Florida · Southeast
Easy
October-April
$5 parking fee
Open daily, dawn to dusk
About This Location
Fort De Soto Park is a productive birding destination in Florida, with 354 species recorded on eBird. This urban park habitat attracts Common Ground Dove, Mourning Dove, and Laughing Gull among many others. Mild winters attract waterfowl and sparrows, while spring and fall migration bring neotropical songbirds.
Location
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Notable Species
Live Bird Data
Powered by eBird / Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Notable Sightings
Rare or unusual species spotted nearby in the last 14 days
Smooth-billed Ani
Crotophaga ani
Groove-billed Ani
Crotophaga sulcirostris
Northern Pintail
Anas acuta
Red-eyed Vireo
Vireo olivaceus
Common Tern
Sterna hirundo
Song Sparrow
Melospiza melodia
Greater Scaup
Aythya marila
Muscovy Duck x Mallard (hybrid)
Cairina moschata x Anas platyrhynchos
Mottled Duck
Anas fulvigula
White-crowned Sparrow
Zonotrichia leucophrys
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Archilochus colubris
Carolina Chickadee
Poecile carolinensis
Great Black-backed Gull
Larus marinus
Recent Observations
Species reported at this location in the last 14 days
Killdeer
Short-billed Dowitcher
Laughing Gull
Sandwich Tern
Royal Tern
White Ibis
Great Egret
Great Blue Heron
American White Pelican
Osprey
Bald Eagle
Fish Crow
Northern House Wren
Northern Mockingbird
Northern Parula
Palm Warbler
Marbled Godwit
Red-breasted Merganser
Mourning Dove
Willet
Birding Tips
- 1
Visit at dawn for peak songbird activity before crowds arrive.
- 2
Check flowering trees and berry-producing shrubs for seasonal migrants.
- 3
Check for wintering sparrows in brushy edges from November through February.
- 4
Check eBird hotspot data before visiting to see recent sightings and what species are being reported.
- 5
Bring quality optics — a good pair of binoculars (8x42 or 10x42) makes all the difference in species identification.
Amenities
Nearby Attractions
- Shell Key Preserve
- Egmont Key State Park
- Boyd Hill Nature Preserve
More in Florida
Everglades National Park
Vast subtropical wilderness with incredible wading bird concentrations and tropical species.
Dry Tortugas National Park
Remote island migrant trap with the only continental US Sooty Tern colony.
J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge
Sanibel Island mangrove refuge with spectacular wading bird viewing from Wildlife Drive.
Florida Birding Guide
Complete guide to birding in Florida →