The Naples, Marco Island and Gulf Coast Everglades region of Southwest Florida is abundant with lush green open parks that draw birds from all species coming from different kinds of direction, both endemic and migratory. These birds in turn bring about a flock of avian enthusiasts, nature photographers and casual onlookers to capture, not the birds themselves, but just their stunning beauty. The many visitors searching for rare species like the snail kite, least bittern and wood stork do not leave this place disappointed.
The largest county in Florida by land area which is the Collier county, has about 80% of its land sealed off as some type of park or preserve, including a good part of Everglades National Park, Big Cypress National Preserve, a state forest, three state parks and numerous county, city and private parks and nature preserves. This goes to show how much importance the people in the country give to the natural environment and the eco-system it supports.
There is a Sanctuary around the region, which we will leave for you to figure out where, that is home to the world’s last old-growth bald cypress forest. It is the world’s largest nesting site for the wood stork which is considered among the endangered species of birds. This sanctuary also serves as a temporary shelter to countless migratory bird species and is the habitat of some birds that stay all year round. There are many mammal and reptile species residing here too, all can be observed and filmed from the sanctuary’s 2.25-mile boardwalk, which takes visitors through wetland, upland and cypress woods that serves as a natural habitat for many species of plants and animals.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Great Florida Birding Trail was completed in 2006. Each section of the trail has a “gateway” site with guides and information about the entire trail. A sanctuary just outside Naples is one of two gateway sites for the Southern Section of the trail. Currently, Collier County has 12 additional sites on the trail, which are listed below.
Great Florida Birding Trail Sites in Collier County:
Collier-Seminole State Park
Big Cypress National Preserve
Everglades National Park—Gulf Coast Visitor Center
CREW Marsh Hiking Trails
Conservancy of Southwest Florida Naples Nature Center
Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary
Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve
Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park
Eagle Lakes Park
Tigertail Beach, Marco Island
Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park
Picayune Strand State Forest—Sabal Palm Hiking Trail
Guests to Everglades National Park’s Gulf Coast Visitor Center in Everglades City are always rewarded with various sightings of hawk, swallow, ospreys, tailed kite and other mighty birds of prey, as well as different species of heron. In addition to this, flocks of white pelicans migrate each autumn and spend the winter and fly back to their migration path come spring. Guided boat tours are available from Everglades to Marco and even in Naples to take you through the waters both in-land and out in the open sea to catch these majestic birds so you can behold of their sublimity.
