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Bird Watching Section

Bird Watching

From their discovery in 1513 by Ponce de Leon, through the visit of naturalist John James Audubon in 1832, to the present, the Dry Tortugas have been known for their amazing richness in migrating land birds and vast seabird colonies. Imagine, 100,000 Sooty Terns all in one place, all at one time. That’s what you can see if you’re near Bush Key in the Dry Tortugas National Park during the nesting season each year from March through September. Though Bush Key is closed during nesting, the rookery may be observed with binoculars from Fort Jefferson on nearby Garden Key. Also seen nesting in the rookery are some 4,500 Brown Noddy Terns and occasionally Black Noddies are seen among them.

the 7 islands Section

A brown black and white seabird floating in the water surrounding the Dry Tortugas the 7 islands Tablet the 7 islands Mobile
the 7 islands

The seven tiny islands of Dry Tortugas are a vital layover for migrating birds traveling between South America and the United States making a staple in the Great Florida Birding Trail. Here you may find a ruby–throated hummingbird, peregrine falcon, yellow billed cuckoo and white-eyed vireo all in one day! Nearly 300 species of birds have been spotted here and it is not uncommon to see 70 or more species in the spring in a single day.. Spring is the optimal time to view birds, but any season offers the chance to see something unique at this exquisite Florida Keys Birding spot. Even the untrained eye is easily impressed by the seven–foot wingspan of the magnificent frigate bird, often seen soaring above the fort’s harbor light. Visitors between the months of February and September will also have the opportunity to watch in awe as thousands of sooty terns soar above Bush Key. Their raucous calls warn outsiders to stay clear of guarded chicks*.

rare species Section

Rare species of bird on a branch in the Dry Tortugas rare species Tablet
rare species

Some of the common and rare species you will encounter along the Florida Birding Trail at the Dry Tortugas National Park include: Roseate and Bridled Terns, Masked and Brown Boobies, Red-Necked Phalarope, Red-Footed Boobie, Double-Crested Cormorants, Brown Pelicans, Frigate Birds, the Caribbean Short-Eared Owl, White-Tailed Tropicbird, Shiny Cowbird and the Golden Warbler. Come and enjoy the magnificent creatures that call the Dry Tortugas home. Roseate and bridled terns feed on fish and squid in open ocean waters surrounding the park. Often seen near Ft. Jefferson are masked and brown boobies, double crested cormorants, brown pelicans and magnificent frigate birds. During spring and fall migrations, Caribbean short eared owls, shiny cow birds, warblers, and thrushes grosbeaks cuckoos are seen on Garden Key where the fort was constructed. Summertime, look for white tailed tropic birds. Fall brings many acceptors. All year round there are always special birds to be seen at the Dry Tortugas.

Click here to download a Dry Tortugas National Park Florida Birding Checklist

SOOTY TERN Section

A sooty tern seabird nestled on a gravely surface in the Dry Tortugas SOOTY TERN Tablet
SOOTY TERN

About 80,000 nest annually on Bush Key, the only important breeding colony in the continental U.S. Outside the nesting season, they resort to the high seas and seldom approach mainland shores. Sooties are first heard in late December at night. Their numbers increase gradually until they land and begin nesting in early February. Each female produces one egg, and the male and female alternately incubate it for 29 days. They then care for the chick for 8 to 10 weeks. Their food is primarily fish and squid caught at sea surface, at times 50 miles or more away from the colony. Sooties begin to leave during June and by mid-August the colony is almost deserted. Extensive bird-banding shows that most adults spend their off -season in the eastern Caribbean, whereas young birds migrate to the eastern tropical Atlantic where they spend up to 5 years aloft off West Africa before they return to the Dry Tortugas.

BROWN NODDY Section

Close-up of a black noddy seabird resting amongst a bundle of small branches BROWN NODDY Tablet
BROWN NODDY

About 4,500 Brown Noddies also breed on Bush Key, placing their bulky nest of seaweed and sticks in the bushes and mangrove trees. They arrive with the Sooty Terns, but tend to stay longer, sometimes as late as October. From band returns, they seem to range much less widely than Sooties, seldom leaving the Gulf-Caribbean region.

BLACK NODDY Section

A black noddy seabird standing in a field of white flowers with the lighthouse on Ft. Jefferson in the distance BLACK NODDY Tablet
BLACK NODDY

First discovered at the Dry Tortugas in 1960, a few have been found in most years since then. They appear as early as late March and as late as September. Most often they are seen perched on the north coaling dock on Garden Key, or in mangroves on Bush Key. As yet, there is no evidence that they nest in the area.

MAGNIFICENT FRIGATEBIRD Section

A flock of black frigate birds sitting in a barren tree with some unidentified red fruit in the Dry Tortugas MAGNIFICENT FRIGATEBIRD Tablet
MAGNIFICENT FRIGATEBIRD

Long Key contains the only current nesting colony for the Magnificent Frigatebird in the continental U.S. They first nested in this area in 1988, and may be the same population that nested for 25 years at the Marquesas Keys until driven away by human disturbance. Long Key contains approximately 100 nests.

MASKED BOOBY Section

Black and white masked booby seabird in flight over the Dry Tortugas MASKED BOOBY Tablet
MASKED BOOBY

Present year-round in numbers up to about 40. Usually seen perched on buoys or roosting on the smaller islands. Since 1984, a few pairs have nested each winter/spring on Hospital and Middle Keys.

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