Roseate Spoonbill Platalea ajaja is probably the most iconic of the Florida waders. It is one of 6 species of the genus Platalea (Spoonbills) worldwide, and the only one in North America. These fabulously pink big birds are always a pleasure to see, whether feeding in shallow water or flying overhead.
Great Egret Ardea alba is the largest of the white egrets of found in the south of North America It is identified by its large size, almost as big as a Great Blue Heron, and by its yellow bill and black legs. Great Egret is one of 12 egrets/herons in the Ardea genus, and one of two in North America. Here is the other:
Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias is our nearly ubiquitous large North American heron. It is marginally larger than the Great Egret, and to make things even more confusing there is an all white morph of the Great Blue Heron in far south Florida.
The next step down in our Florida white ibis collection is the Snowy Egret.
Egreta thula which is one of 12 Egretta species worldwide, and one of 4 regularly occurring in North America.
Reddish egret Egretta rufescens comes in two color morphs, this reddish one, and this:
White morph of Reddish egret. Both are often identified by their agitated twirling method of feeding where they spin in circles and stir up the water with their feed to find prey.
Tricolored heron Egretta tricolor is another in the genus.
Little Blue Heron Egretta caerulea the last of our Egretta species.
Limpkin Aramus guarauna is another of the Florida species. It is the only species in its genus, and is more closely related to the cranes than the egrets.
Cattle egret Bubulcus ibis is famous for its propensity to feed near cattle, though the American bison was where it likely originally foraged in North America.
Other big long-legged birds in Florida include the amazingly tame Sandhill Crane subspecies that seems to wander around suburbia here.
I don't have a good photo of Wood Stork which is also found here.
Good birding!
