There are several key features that will help narrow down the species you might see and hear, primarily time of year and habitat. In the summer there may be fewer songbirds since many migrate to northern backyards and boreal forests to breed. But there is another suite of birds that come to North Florida from Central and South America to nest. In the winter you can find migrants that come to Florida to escape the cold winters. Both spring and fall provide a chance to see those passing through, stopping perhaps for a rest and some fuel. And finally there are those less common “Floridians” that live here year ‘round. If you would like to learn how to identify the birds you encounter during your visit, try using the free app called Merlin: https://merlin.allaboutbirds.org/.

Most important is that you enjoy what you see and hear. Since most visitors to the park spend their time near the water, let’s take a walk or paddle along the river and have a look and listen.

If you are coming to swim at the Head Spring or Blue Hole, the parking lot, picnic area and boardwalk provide the opportunity to hear and see songbirds. Throughout the year, you are likely to encounter the White Eyed Vireo, Northern Cardinal, and Carolina Wren.

If you are getting into your tube or kayak, you may notice the transition of the vegetation and the open edges on each side of the river. In winter, the holly trees are full of red berries and provide a smorgasbord for a noisy flock of American Robins. You may also hear a chorus of sharp chips indicating a flock of Yellow-rumped Warblers, and yes they do have a yellow patch on their rumps that is obvious when they fly. For the more seasoned observer, there are small mixed flocks of songbirds including Ruby-crowned Kinglets, a variety of warblers, and a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher. Perhaps your will hear a Red-bellied Woodpecker or a Red-tailed Hawk calling and circling overhead as the current gently moves you along this narrow stretch.

As the river becomes a bit wider and you pass Blue Hole Spring and then the Devil’s Eye Spring, you are likely to startle a family of Wood Ducks or hear the “who-cooks-for-you” call of the Barred Owl. Don’t forget to look up! You might catch a Swallow-tailed Kite elegantly circling, an Osprey carrying its catch, or a pair of Red-shouldered Hawks romancing on the wing.

Entering the area called the Grassy Flats, the water becomes very shallow attracting wading birds and dabblers foraging in the submerged aquatic vegetation. Great Egrets and Little Blue Herons stalk fish and invertebrates, Belted Kingfishers announce themselves as they fly up and down the river or hover before a dive. The apple snails provide abundant food for Limpkins who will raise their chicks on raised tussocks of organic river debris, their haunting call alerting you to their presence. Coots, Common Gallinules with their “candy corn” colored bill, maybe that same family of Wood Ducks startle you with their “oo-eek, oo-eek” while once again startled and taking flight. You may hear chatter coming from a stand of mature wild rice. Red-winged Blackbirds and Indigo Buntings harvest the ripe seed.

Rounding the bend, the river once again deepens and Cypress and Red Maple begin bring shade to the river. Here you may see White Ibis skulking back and you will see more songbirds, perhaps a Northern Waterthrush pumping is tail as it forages for insects on branches fallen by the waters’ edge. Or perhaps you will hear the ubiquitous Carolina Wren calling loudly in the distance.

Emerging from the beneath the canopy in your final stretch, the river once again provides a wide variety of habitats and opportunities for birds. Several years ago a young Roseate Spoonbill found something appealing about the low brushy area beneath the power line crossing. And then you have arrived at the official tube and kayak/canoe takeout. Perhaps a Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker or a Tufted Titmouse will be here greeting you as you unload and gather your belongings.

Good access to a wide variety of birds landed Ichetucknee Springs State Park a place on the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Great Florida Birding Trail. If you do visit and would like to share what you have seen, you can visit e-bird where the park is listed as a hotspot. E-bird at https://ebird.org/hotspot/L127274 provides a way to contribute to the largest citizen science project in the world!

You should know that Ichetucknee Springs State Park has a nationally recognized title in the bird world. In 2001, Park Biologist Sam Cole nominated the park as an “Important Bird Area”: https://www.audubon.org/important-bird-areas/ichetucknee-springs-state-park. This designation indicates either the presence of Species of Special Conservation Concern or a geographic area used by a large number of one or multiple species; Ichetucknee Springs State Park has both. The river and surrounding wetlands are known for supporting a wide variety of birds, particularly during migration; they also supply a considerable number of winter residents. The pine forest and sandhills of the xeric uplands support breeding populations of two important species. The non-migratory Southeastern American kestrel is listed as threatened in Florida by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Nesting boxes have been installed and there is an ongoing monitoring program that includes park staff and volunteers from the Fort White Schools. The Bachman’s Sparrow is the second species of general concern with populations declining at an alarming rate due to loss of habitat.

But even without these designations, the diversity of the natural resources and the abundance of water combine make for an area important for birds and people. So the next time you visit, think about bringing your binoculars.

Download the Ichetucknee Springs State Park Bird Checklist.