Living in Florida and heard some birds but are not sure which ones they were?
Florida is known for its wildlife, and according to the Florida Ornithological Society Records Committee (FOSRC), there are over 500 species of birds there.
Examples of songbirds of Florida include the northern mockingbird, painted bunting, indigo bunting, blue jay, Florida scrub-jay, house wren, American redstart, and many others.
Some of these birds, like the northern mockingbird and the blue jay, can be seen year-round in the state, while others, like the house wren, will only spend winters there.
Here are their photos and some fun facts.
Table of Contents
Songbirds Of Florida
Northern Mockingbird
Scientific name: Mimus polyglottos
Lifespan: up to 8 years
Wingspan: 12-15 in
Range In Florida: Throughout Florida
The northern mockingbird has been Florida’s state bird since 1927.
This medium-sized songbird is a permanent resident of the state and can be seen and heard in Florida throughout the year.
Northern mockingbirds are widespread and are common in habitats ranging from open country to suburbs. Both males and females sing and you will often hear them singing at night. Listen for a long series of musical and grating phrases, each repeated 3 or more times.
Northern mockingbirds have four recognized calls: the nest relief call, hew call, chat, and the begging call.
Source: Sandtouch Limited Company, a Texas limited liability company,CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The Latin name of this bird translates to “many-tongued mimic,” and for a reason – a northern mockingbird can imitate chirps of up to 35 species and learn over 200 different songs in its lifetime.
Northern mockingbirds can mimic sounds of rusty hinges, car alarms, cackling hens, and dog barks; they can mimic so well that it’s very hard to tell a difference even with an electronic analysis.
In person, you will easily identify them by their gray plumage with whitish underparts and long tails. In case you see one while it’s flying, notice the large white patches on its black wings and tail.
Those white patches help them to show off during the mating season and to flash them when defending territory against some snakes and hawks.
They are the only species out of 16 with the name “mockingbird” that are native to the US.
Northern mockingbirds are territorial birds that can be extremely good at breeding – scientists once recorded a female that managed to lay 27 eggs in a single season!
Northern mockingbirds are omnivores that feed on fruit, seeds, berries, and small insects.
Black-and-white Warbler
Scientific name: Mniotilta varia
Lifespan: up to 11 years
Wingspan: 7-9 in
Range In Florida: Throughout Florida
Black-and-white warblers are among the first to arrive in Florida in the fall, as early as August, and among the first to leave the state in the spring.
If you are a beginner birder, this bird is a good choice, as black-and-white warblers are easy to see and recognize.
Their thin and squeaky song is one of the main ways to identify black-and-white warblers. Listen for a high-pitched “wee-see” song that lasts about three seconds and is repeated around 6 times.
Black-and-white warblers also have two calls, a hard “tick” and a soft, thin “fsss.”
Source: G. McGrane, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
These small songbirds have fairly long, slightly downcurved beaks and short tails. You will also notice their black and white striped plumage that is white below. Black-and-white warblers also have black wings with two wide white wing bars.
Look for them around woods and in urban areas.
These birds can be very territorial and aggressive during their breeding season, like all warblers – they’ll attack and fight with other species that enter their territory.
Black-and-white warblers are insectivores (carnivores) that mostly feed on insects, caterpillars, beetles, ants, flies, bugs, and some spiders.
Painted Bunting
Scientific name: Passerina ciris
Lifespan: 5-10 years
Wingspan: 8-9 in
Range In Florida: Southern and coastal East Florida
A group of painted buntings is called a “mural” or a “palette,” and for a reason – they are one of the most colorful and most beautiful birds of North America.
Florida is the only state with a breeding and wintering population of painted buntings.
A western population of painted buntings can be found in southwestern Florida during winter; the eastern population is limited to coastal areas of northeastern Florida during summer. Their breeding season in Florida begins in May and lasts through mid-July.
Although painted buntings are common in the state, you might have trouble finding them there since they like to stay in deep brush. The best time to see and hear them would be early in the morning when the males usually sing.
Listen for a series of short, musical phrases of thin, sweet, high-pitched notes that last around two seconds. Painted buntings’ call is a soft “chip” or “chit.”
In the wild, you will recognize males by their stunning blue head colors, red underparts, and green backs. Females usually have bright yellow-green colors.
Painted buntings are common around woods, fields, and feeders.
They might look cute and colorful, but painted buntings are aggressive birds. They are very territorial and will attack other males of their species.
Painted buntings are omnivores that mostly feed on seeds and insects.
Besides Florida, these songbirds can be found in different parts of Texas, Arkansas, Alabama, Oklahoma, and Louisiana.
Northern Cardinal
Scientific name: Cardinalis cardinalis
Lifespan: 3 years
Wingspan: 10-12 in
Range In Florida: Throughout Florida
Northern cardinals are beautiful birds with orange bills that can be seen year-round in Florida. They are common in woodlands, brushy fields, parks, backyards, and other urban areas of the state.
You can easily attract northern cardinals to your bird feeder, especially if you add some sunflower seeds, peanut hearts, millet, or milo.
Northern cardinals are sexually dimorphic – males and females look different.
You will recognize males by their bright red plumage, crests on their heads, and black throats and faces. Females are mostly brown with crests and reddish wings and tails.
They are also known as redbirds and they get their red color from the food they eat – if there are not enough carotenoids in their food, they become brownish.
Listen for their two-or-three-second song which is a loud string of clear down-slurred or two-parted whistles that sound like “cheer cheer,” “birdie birdie,” and “wheet wheet.”
Source: G. McGrane, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Northern cardinals’ most common call is a loud, metallic chip they use to chase other males entering their territories. These birds are very territorial and aggressive – northern cardinals will often try to ferociously attack their reflections in the mirrors and windows.
They are omnivores that feed on seeds, fruit, and insects.
In case you notice male cardinals with baldness problems – it’s a sign they’re in the middle of a late summer molt.
These songbirds are also monogamous and mate for life.
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Scientific name: Polioptila caerulea
Lifespan: 3-4 years
Wingspan: 6 in
Range In Florida: Throughout Florida
Blue-gray gnatcatchers are common throughout the year in most of Florida; some populations in the southernmost parts of the state might only winter there.
These Florida songbirds are one of the angriest-looking in the state.
When the breeding season comes, males will develop dark, V-shaped “eyebrow markings” that make them look like they are constantly annoyed.
Male blue-gray gnatcatchers are easy to identify by the pale blue-gray heads and upperparts and white underparts. Females are less blue, while juveniles are greenish-gray. If you look closer, you will notice a white ring around the eyes.
Look for blue-gray gnatcatchers around open woods, oaks, pines, thickets, and urban areas.
Listen for their “szpree zpree spreeeeey spree spre sprzrreeeee” songs and high-pitched, nasal calls that sound like “zkreee, zkreee, zkreee.”
Source: G. McGrane, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Native to North America, these small songbirds are the most common of the four species of gnatcatchers on the continent.
Blue-gray gnatcatchers are monogamous and stay with their partners for life. Males can be particularly aggressive and will chase larger birds away from feeding areas or their nesting territory.
They nest in trees and both partners participate in construction. Blue-gray gnatcatchers will use grass, weeds, plant fibers, and strips of bark as the basic material and spider web to bind it all together.
Blue Jay
Scientific name: Cyanocitta cristata
Lifespan: 7 years
Wingspan: 13-17 in
Range In Florida: Throughout Florida
Blue jays are large and nonmigratory songbirds that are permanent residents in Florida. They are commonly found in forests, woods, parks, and other urban areas of the state.
Blue jays’ nesting season in the state begins in March and lasts until September – these blue and white birds are easy to recognize as males and females look the same.
Blue jays are blue above and gray below. They have crests and black collars, and white color on their tails and throats. They also have bright blue wings with white spots.
Read More: 22+ birds that have blue wings
Blue jays will often mimic hawk sounds when approaching a feeding site to drive away other birds. They make a large variety of sounds and may even learn to mimic human speech.
Blue jays’ song is a mixture of clicks, chucks, whirrs, whines, liquid notes, and elements of other calls. Their alarm call is a loud, almost gull-like scream.
Source: G. McGrane, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Despite not being a state bird in any US state, blue jays are the mascot of a Major League Baseball team called the Toronto Blue Jays.
These songbirds are highly intelligent and can even use tools.
Blue jays are boisterous birds that mate for life and work together to build a nest for their young. When the female sits on the eggs, the male will feed and take care of her.
Blue jays are omnivores that mostly feed on seeds, berries, nuts, and occasionally insects. They will also store food and eat it later.
Blue jays belong to the same family (Corvidae) as the similar-looking Florida scrub-jays, together with crows, ravens, rooks, jackdaws, magpies, and others.
Blue jays are common birds of Pennsylvania, Maryland, North Texas, and Central Texas.
Florida Scrub-jay
Scientific name: Aphelocoma coerulescens
Lifespan: up to 15 years
Wingspan: 13-14 in
Range In Florida: Central Florida
Florida scrub-jays are the only bird species endemic to Florida. They are mostly found in central Florida and can be seen there year-round.
According to some 2019 estimates, the largest 3 populations of these birds can be found at Ocala National Forest in Marion County, Brevard County, and Highlands County.
Florida scrub-jays are common in the Florida scrub habitat, an ecosystem that exists only in central parts of the state.
Look for large and sturdy birds with gray on the center of their backs, blue tails, wings, and heads, and gray underparts. Florida scrub-jays also have whitish foreheads and throats and have no crests.
Listen for the songs of Florida scrub-jas that include trills and high warbles. Their call is a loud harsh “shreep.”
These blue-winged birds are cooperative breeders – fledglings will stay with their parents for several years, help rear the young, watch for predators, and defend territory. Such families can include from two to eight birds.
Florida scrub-jays are listed as a threatened state species with some estimates claiming that around 4,000 individuals are left in the wild. The International Union for Conservation of Nature classifies them as vulnerable to extinction.
Florida scrub-jays are omnivores and feed on acorns, seeds, peanuts, insects, tree frogs, turtles, snakes, lizards, and young mice.
Read More: 25 birds that are native to Florida
Common Grackle
Scientific name: Quiscalus quiscula
Lifespan: 17-22 years
Wingspan: 14-18 in
Range In Florida: Throughout Florida
Common grackles are one of the more widespread blackbirds with blue head colors. They can be seen in Florida throughout the year; look for them around woods, fields, farms, and urban areas.
Common grackles are medium-sized backyard songbirds that have long, keel-shaped tails, dark beaks, and yellow eyes.
They are classified as songbirds because they have all the vocal equipment of a songbird, not because they have beautiful songs.
Their song is a high-pitched rising “readle-eak” screech that sounds like a rusty gate opening.
Source: Jonathon Jongsma,CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Common grackles can also mimic the sounds of other birds or even humans, although not as well as northern mockingbirds can.
Some scientists estimate a total population of over 73 million common grackles.
They are omnivores and feed on insects, minnows, frogs, eggs, berries, seeds, and grain.
Purple Martin
Scientific name: Progne subis
Lifespan: 5-7 years
Wingspan: 15 in
Range In Florida: Through Florida
Purple martins are the largest swallows in North America. They are famous for their chattering song and aerial acrobatics.
In Florida, these birds can be seen around fields, marshes, farms, and urban areas from late winter to fall. Purple martins are one of the earliest South American migrants to arrive in the state, reaching Florida as early as mid-January.
After wintering in the rainforests of Brazil, purple martins will undertake a 7,000-mile-long journey to the eastern US and Canada. Males will be the first to arrive before the females.
Look for birds with notched tails, slightly hooked beaks, and long pointed wings. Males have completely dark purple plumage while females are gray to mottled purple.
Purple martins are very vocal birds. Their most common songs are chirps, chortles, rattles, and croaks. When fighting over territory, purple martins will make a “hee-hee” and “zwrack” call when interacting with other species.
Source: Jonathon Jongsma,CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Males that arrive in Florida will scout for new or unoccupied martin houses, but the females are the ones that make the final decision. Pairs typically build their nests out of straw, twigs, and pine needles.
They are very social and colonial birds – the largest roosting colony ever discovered had over 700,000 birds!
Red-winged Blackbird
Scientific name: Agelaius phoeniceus
Lifespan: 2 years in the wild
Wingspan: 12-16 in
Range In Florida: Throughout Florida
Red-winged blackbirds are Florida songbirds commonly found in the state throughout the year. They can be seen around wetlands, farms, and urban areas.
One of North America’s most abundant birds, there are over 20 subspecies of red-winged blackbirds.
Red-winged blackbirds’ scientific name “agelaios” means “gregarious,” while the “phoeniceus” means “crimson” or “red,” which perfectly describes these birds.
Males can be identified by their black plumage with red epaulets that are edged in yellow. They will often make red-shoulder displays and emit rich and scratchy “oak-a-lee” songs.
Females are smaller, streaky brown above, and dark and white under. They have a scolding chatter that sounds like “chit chit cheer teer teer teerr.”
Source: G. McGrane, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Red-winged blackbirds’ call is a throaty “check” and a high-slurred whistle that sounds like “terrr-eeee.”
Red-winged blackbirds are omnivores and feed on insects, seeds, and grain. They have a clutch of three to four pale blue-green eggs with dark streaks.
Red-winged blackbirds are also gregarious, very territorial, and polygynous birds, where one male can have up to 10 different females making nests in his territory.
Females, on the other hand, will frequently mate with other males, and often lay clutches of mixed paternity.
Indigo Bunting
Scientific name: Passerina cyanea
Lifespan: 10 years
Wingspan: 7-9 in
Range In Florida: Central and North Florida
Indigo buntings are beautiful songbirds that can be seen in Central and Northern Florida from fall to spring, typically from September to April.
- Read More: 25+ common birds of Central Florida
Look for these small seed-eating birds around fields and woods; indigo buntings are also common around bird feeders.
You can identify adult males by their vibrant blue plumage during summer, with slightly richer blue colors on their heads. During the winter months, they become brown. Females are brown year-round.
Listen for their rapid, excited warble song with each note or phrase being given twice.
When marking their territory or attracting females, males will emit a high-pitched song that lasts from two to four seconds and sounds like “sweet-sweet chew-chew.” Both sexes will also use a sharp “chip” alarm call.
Source: G. McGrane, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Indigo buntings are territorial birds and omnivores that feed on insects, seeds, and berries.
Because of their bright blue color, many people consider indigo buntings to symbolize wisdom and spiritual realization.
These birds usually mate for life; occasionally, they may switch partners within a single breeding season.
Eastern Kingbird
Scientific name: Tyrannus tyrannus
Lifespan: up to 11 years
Wingspan: 13-15 in
Range In Florida: Throughout Florida
The Eastern kingbird is a medium-sized songbird common and easy to spot throughout Florida during summer. You will recognize it by the gray-black upperparts, white underbelly, and pointed wings.
Look for eastern kingbirds from March to September around cypress marshes, forests, and parks.
They will often perch on wires, watch for large insects, and make quick flights to snatch them. Eastern kingbirds also feed on berries and fruit, mainly during winter.
These Florida songbirds are long-distance migrants that spend winter in South America, primarily northwestern Amazonia.
Eastern kingbirds are very aggressive and if another bird enters their territory, even a larger one, it will attack fiercely. Neither hawks nor crows are safe from them.
If you go searching for these conspicuous birds, listen for the high-pitched “kit-kit” and “dzee-dzee” calls.
Source: Jonathon Jongsma,CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
They are also one of the many examples of black and white Colorado birds.
Brown-headed Nuthatch
Scientific name: Sitta pusilla
Lifespan: up to 9 years
Wingspan: 6-7 in
Range In Florida: Central and Northern Florida
Brown-headed nuthatch is a common songbird of Florida, usually found in pinewoods of the state year-round. It was also common in southern parts of Florida until the 1950s when it got extirpated as a result of habitat loss.
Around the turn of the millennium, some populations were reintroduced to Long Pine Key in Everglades National Park.
If heard or seen well, brown-headed nuthatches are almost unmistakable in nature. Look for charismatic birds that are climbing headfirst down tree trunks.
You will identify these small birds by their plumage which is gray above and white below. Brown-headed nuthatches also have long beaks, short tails, white spots on the back of their heads, and brown caps.
Pay close attention to their two-syllable songs that resemble toy rubber ducks being squeezed. Brown-headed nuthatches might also make softer “pit pit pit” calls when flying.
Brown-headed nuthatch song
Brown-headed nuthatches will frequently visit feeding stations; make sure to add sunflower seeds and suet cakes in case you want to attract one.
American Redstart
Scientific name: Setophaga ruticilla
Lifespan: up to 10 years
Wingspan: 6.3-9.1 in
Range In Florida: Southern Florida
American redstart is a lively warbler that has a relatively wide, flat bill and a fairly long tail. This medium-sized bird can be often seen hopping among tree branches in search of insects.
Female American redstarts and immature males have yellow or yellow-orange patches on their tails, wings, and sides, while the adult males are coal-black with vivid orange patches.
They will quickly open their tails, exposing yellow parts, which will scare the insects, allowing American redstarts to catch them in the air.
In Florida, these active songbirds can be seen from fall to spring in southern parts. You might be able to spot them in other parts of the state while migrating to breed in the northern parts of the US.
Look for American redstarts in woods and parks and listen for their high-pitched notes that end with an accented phrase. Males and females will also use different calls, including sharp, sweet-sounding “chips” and soft “tsips.”
Source: G. Mcgrane, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
These birds are mostly monogamous although some males might breed with several females and females will often have offspring that is not fathered by the current partner.
American redstarts have a clutch of two to five eggs.
Tree Swallow
Scientific name: Tachycineta bicolor
Lifespan: 3 years
Wingspan: 12-14 in
Range In Florida: Throughout Florida
Tree swallows are beautiful songbirds that can be seen throughout Florida during winter. They arrive as early as late August and stay through May, before departing to northern US states and Canada.
Tree swallows prefer to fly during the day and roost in large flocks at night.
Look for these small migratory songbirds in wet habitats like marshes, fields, farms, and woods. They are cavity nesters that might even use man-made nest boxes.
You will notice long, pointed wings and short, squared, or slightly notched tails. These birds have almost metallic greenish-blue backs and heads, together with white throats, breasts, and bellies.
Tree swallows’ song is a cheerful series of liquid twitters that consist of three parts: the chirp, the whine, and the gurgle. They also have several calls: the chatter, short high-pitched submission call, ticking (or rasping) aggression call, the alarm call, and others.
Source: Jonathon Jongsma,CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Tree swallows are omnivores that feed on insects, mollusks, spiders, and occasionally on fruit, berries, and seeds.
Barn Swallow
Scientific name: Hirundo rustica
Lifespan: 4 years
Wingspan: 12.5-13.5 in
Range In Florida: Northern Florida
Barn swallows are fairly large songbirds commonly found in North Florida including the Panhandle. They are the most widespread species of swallow in the world.
Look for barn swallows from spring to fall. Males are the first to return to the breeding grounds. They will select their nests and try to attract females with a circling flight and their song.
In northern parts of Florida, barn swallows are common around farms, fields, and urban areas from spring to fall. These birds have long forked tails, dark blue plumage above, and orange below.
Listen for their constant “twitter-warble” song during the breeding season that consists of a long series of continuous warbling sounds and rapid, mechanical-sounding “whirrs.”
Source: Record by Justin Wasack as stated on this site: http://www.freesound.org/samplesViewSingle.php?id=74868,CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
According to the legend, barn swallows stole fire from the gods and gave it to people. Gods became so angry that they threw a firebrand at the bird, burning its middle tail feathers.
Gray Catbird
Scientific name: Dumetella carolinensis
Lifespan: up to 17 years
Wingspan: 8.7-11.8 in
Range In Florida: Throughout Florida
Gray catbirds are medium-sized songbirds commonly found around woods, brush piles, and urban areas of Florida. In the northernmost parts of the state, gray catbirds can be seen year-round; in central and southern parts, they will only winter there.
Look for dark gray birds with black caps, beaks, legs, tails, and rufous undertails.
Gray catbirds are unmistakable for their cat-like call after which they got their name. They have a song that consists of a long, irregular succession of musical and mechanical notes and phrases.
Source: G. McGrane, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Gray catbirds’ songs can last for 10 minutes.
Just like mockingbirds, gray catbirds can mimic the songs of other birds. Unlike mockingbirds that sing perched on trees, catbirds will often sing from inside a bush or small tree while being hidden by the vegetation.
You might be able to attract them by “pishing” sounds.
These fearless birds are not scared of invaders and will often attack and peck predators that come close to their nests. Gray catbirds will also destroy brood parasitic eggs laid in their nests.
These songbirds are omnivores and feed on insects and berries.
Prothonotary Warbler
Scientific name: Protonotaria citrea
Lifespan: 3 years
Wingspan: 8.75 in
Range In Florida: Central and Northern Florida
This small songbird has blue-gray wings, an olive-colored back, yellow underparts, a long pointed beak, and black legs. You will also identify it by its ringing “sweet-sweet-sweet” song and a canary-like flight song. The call of a prothonotary warbler is a loud, metallic “tisk” or “tschip.”
Source: G. McGrane, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Prothonotary warbler can be found in the moist woods of Florida during summer. It is a cavity nester (uses sites other birds made) and nests mostly in north-central parts of the state and the Panhandle.
Prothonotary warbler has a nickname “golden swamp warbler” and got its name “prothonotary” from the bright yellow robes notaries attached to the Byzantine court once wore.
This bird with blue wings is also known for brood parasitism, a behavior where females lay eggs in nests of other members of their species.
Northern Parula
Scientific name: Setophaga americana
Lifespan: up to 6 years
Wingspan: 6-7 in
Range In Florida: Throughout Florida
Northern parula is a small songbird commonly found around woods and urban areas throughout Florida. In central and northern parts of the state, this songbird can be seen during summer; in southern Florida, the northern parula is common during the winter months.
You will identify it by its plumage which is white below and gray above with a greenish area on the center of the back. Northern parula also has a yellow throat and upper chest and white eye crescent.
Listen for its song that sounds like a click-like trill or buzz “zee-yip,” and the soft “chip” call.
Source: G. McGrane, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Northern parula is a monogamous species with only a few cases of polygamy. It is an omnivore that feeds on insects, spiders, and some berries.
House Wren
Scientific name: Troglodytes aedon
Lifespan: up to 7 years
Wingspan: 6 in
Range In Florida: Throughout Florida
House wrens are common backyard birds of Florida and can be seen there from fall to spring. They arrive in the state around October and stay there until May.
Look for them around weedy areas, fields, and brush piles, and listen for their rush-and-jumble songs. House wrens will often make different harsh sounds: churrs, chatters, rattles, and scolds.
Source: Jonathon Jongsma,CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
You will identify these small songbirds by their flat heads, curved beaks, pinkish or gray legs, and short tails that are usually held cocked.
House wrens usually have subdued brown plumage with blackish barrings on their wings and tails.
They got their name due to their tendency to nest around human homes and in birdhouses.
There are 32 subspecies of house wrens in total.
They might never visit your bird feeder but house wrens might fly through your backyard hunting insects. If you want to attract house wrens to your yard, all you need to do is to add a birdhouse.
Among other places, these birds are also common in Northern California.
Loggerhead Shrike
Scientific name: Lanius ludovicianus
Lifespan: 7-8 years
Wingspan: 13 in
Range In Florida: Throughout Florida
These songbirds with raptor habits are permanent residents of Florida.
Loggerhead shrikes resemble northern shrikes – the main difference between the two is the loggerhead’s smaller size, darker gray plumage, and larger black face mask that covers the eye completely.
Of those two species of shrike in North America, they are the only ones present in the state.
Look for loggerhead shrikes around farms, fields, and urban areas of Florida throughout the year. Listen for their songs that consist of a variety of harsh and musical notes, rasps, and trills.
Generally speaking, males are more vocal than females.
Loggerhead shrikes have been nicknamed “butcherbirds” due to their carnivorous tendencies.
They are known for hunting down and impaling their prey on thorns or barbed wire. Instead of talons, these birds have a single tomial tooth that helps them kill and tear prey.
Loggerhead shrikes have a remarkable vision and can spot an insect that is over 50 yards away.
They mostly feed on large insects, rodents, and small birds, sometimes killing prey larger than themselves.
Read More: 5 beautiful pink birds from Florida
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Scientific name: Setophaga caerulescens
Lifespan: up to 10 years
Wingspan: 7.5 in
Range In Florida: Southern Florida
Black-throated blue warblers are small songbirds with sharp and pointed beaks. They are common in woods and parks of Southern Florida, from fall to spring.
You will identify males by their deep midnight blue color above, on their heads and backs, white bellies, and black faces and sides. They do not change their appearance as the season changes; black-throated blue warblers can be easily recognized in the fall and the spring. Females are brownish; both sexes have white wing patches.
When first discovered, since males and females look so different, people used to describe them as two separate species.
Black-throated blue warblers have a buzzed “zee-zee-zee” song with an upward inflection; their call is a flat “ctuk.”
Source: G. McGrane, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
These cute-looking and very small songbirds weigh just 0.34 oz.
They feed on insects, especially caterpillars, moths, crane flies, and also spiders. They might occasionally supplement their insectivorous diet with some fruit.
Read More: 25+ stunning Southern California birds
Swainson’s Warbler
Scientific name: Limnothlypis swainsonii
Lifespan: up to 7 years
Wingspan: 9.1 in
Range In Florida: Florida Panhandle
Swainson’s warblers are solidly built songbirds with flat heads, heavy beaks, and strong legs. You will find them around moist woods and marshes from spring to fall in Florida Panhandle.
They got named after William Swainson, an English ornithologist.
Sexes are similar and have plain olive-brown color above and pale yellow-white color below.
Swainson’s warblers are loud when their breeding season starts (March-April); they sing less frequently the rest of the year. Males have a loud cascading “teer teer teer” song that is similar to the one of Louisiana Waterthrush.
Males and females will also emit sharp, resonant “chip” calls.
These birds are mostly monogamous and pairs will together defend a nesting territory.
Read More: List of unique birds in Florida with long bills
American Crow
Scientific name: Corvus brachyrhynchos
Lifespan: 7-8 years in the wild
Wingspan: 33-39 in
Range In Florida: Throughout Florida
Despite their harsh-sounding calls, crows are considered songbirds. They are permanent residents found year-round throughout Florida.
You will often find them around woods and urban areas and recognize them by their all-black plumage, large bills, and loud, short, and rapid “caaw-caaw” calls.
Source: G McGrane, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Often associated with trickery and death, American crows are large and intelligent birds with an IQ similar to that of chimpanzees.
They can be often seen holding “funerals” – when one crow discovers a dead one, it will call others. Groups of crows will gather, spend 10 to 15 minutes around the cadaver, and disperse and fly off silently.
These birds are omnivores and feed on earthworms, insects, other small animals, seeds, fruit, even garbage, and carrion.
Read More: 25+ examples of Western Pennsylvania birds
Eastern Bluebird
Scientific name:Sialia sialis
Lifespan: 6-10 years
Wingspan: 9-12 in
Range In Florida: Central and Northern Florida
Eastern bluebirds are small North American migratory thrushes. They have big, rounded heads, large eyes, and alert posture.
You will recognize male Eastern bluebirds by vivid royal blue wings, heads, and back plumage, and warm red-brown and white breasts.
They are the most widespread of the three bluebird species and can be found in open country with scattered trees, farms, and roadsides in eastern parts of North America.
Similar to their relatives, mountain bluebirds, the eastern bluebirds are cavity nesters that love nest boxes. They are also very social birds that can live in flocks with over 100 individuals.
Eastern bluebirds can be very territorial. To attract a female, a male bluebird will sing over 1,000 songs per hour; it sings without opening its beak wide.
The song of the eastern bluebirds is a soft melodious warble while their call is a liquid and musical “turee” or “queedle.”
Source: Jonathon Jongsma,CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
These birds are omnivores that mostly feed on insects, including grasshoppers, crickets, beetles, caterpillars, and some fruit.
The eastern bluebird is the official bird of Missouri and New York.
Read More: 17+ biggest Florida birds
Summary
This concludes our list of songbirds of Florida.
There are plenty of these inhabiting Florida, from house wrens and tree swallows to gray catbirds and blue jays.
Next time you see or hear any of these birds in person, you should be able to recognize them with ease!
And if you enjoyed our article, explore our other popular reads on North American songbirds:
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