Great Florida Birding Trail
Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail (GFBWT) is a 2,000 mile (3200 km) long collection of more than 500 locations in the U.S. state of Florida where the state's bird habitats are protected. The trail promotes birdwatching, environmental education and ecotourism. The GFBWT is a program of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, supported in part by the Florida Department of Transportation and the Wildlife Foundation of Florida. It is modeled after the successful Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail.[1] Trail sites area identifiable by prominent road signs bearing the Swallow-tailed kite logo.
The trail is divided into four sections (Panhandle, West, Eastern, and South) each containing at least two 'gateway' sites. Within each section the sites are grouped into clusters. Usually the sites in a cluster are within an hour's drive of each other.
Many of the state's 514 species can be found along the trail, including the roseate spoonbill, limpkin, swallow-tailed kite, red-cockaded woodpecker, smooth-billed ani and the endangered Florida scrub jay.
Panhandle
82 sites in 16 counties
- Big Lagoon State Park - Escambia County
- St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge - Lighthouse Unit - Wakulla County
West
119 sites in 21 counties
Eastern
182 sites in 18 counties
- Fort Clinch State Park - Nassau County
- Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge - Brevard County
- Tenoroc Fish Management Area - Polk County
South
122 sites in 12 counties
References
- "A Guide to the Great Florida Birding Trail | Visit Florida". State of Florida. September 2018. Retrieved September 18, 2018.
External links
- Official website
- Q&A With: Julie Brashears, Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail Coordinator at EcoFlorida