Where To See
Roseate Spoonbills

Where to Find Roseate Spoonbills

After the spring nesting season, some birds will disperse farther north, ranging to St. Augustine on the Atlantic Coast and also the Panhandle along the Gulf Coast (St. Marks NWR is usually a reliable site).

In summer, look for roseate spoonbills at Fort Matanzas National Monument off A-1-A, 15 miles south of St. Augustine. A free ferry takes visitors to the monument daily, from 9 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.

At the mouth of the Alafia River are two spoil islands/bird sanctuaries. Access to them is not permitted, but the can be viewed from a boat; roseate spoonbills have nested here frequently.

On the Florida East Coast, look for spoonbills at the Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge, in the estuary at John D. MacArthur State Park; in North Palm Beach, take U.S. 1 to Ocean Blvd. (A-1-A) and turn east. The entrance is less than two miles away.

Fort DeSoto County Park on Mullet Key near St. Petersburg is fairly reliable for spoonbill sightings. Located on Mullet Key, it's reached by traveling west on the Pinellas Bayway, then turn south onto State Road 679; follow signs to the park.

Myakka River State Park near Sarasota has a good popuilation of spoonbills usually found in the wading marsh .From November through mid April, there is a bird naturalist at the Bird Walk from 9 am until 1pm most days. Call 941-361-6511 to see if there is one on duty when you plan to visit.

The Ding Darling NWR on Sanibel Island is one of the most reliable viewing areas in the state since the birds usually appear year after year. Spoonbills also appear in summer on the offshore islands at nearby Carl Johnson State Park, located on State Road 865 south of Ft. Myers.

Fakahatchee Strand State Preserve near Everglades City could have roseate spoonbills at anytime. In Everglades National Park, look for roseates at Paurotis Pond in winter and at Eco Pond in summer.

In the Keys, look for roseates in the flooded area behind the church at Mile Marker 93 during the winter months. At Mile Marker 22, only a short distance from Key West, look for roseate spoonbills on the mangroves surrounding Twenty-Two Mile Pond on Cudjoe Key. The pond is right across from the mile marker. In Key West, the birds sometimes favor the ponds near the airport.

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Where To See Roseate Spoonbills

Where To See
Roseate Spoonbills