Birds

Of water fowl, in winter there are great abundance;besides the common English wild goose, duck,mallard,and teal, there is a kind of wild goose like the brand geese,and ducks of many kinds hardly known in Europe. There is a hooping crane, a fowl with great feathers,five or six feet high, numbers of the heron kind of different species and colors,some small ones of the most beautiful white,which are called poor Jobs,from their being generally very lean. Of birds of prey,there are the land and sea eagle,with different kinds of hawks;there are also numbers of pelicans and cormorants. - Frances Moore, Voyage to Georgia -

Bird Species at Fort Frederica

There are many different species of birds that reside in the natural surroundings at Fort Frederica National Monument. If one's hobby is birding, use the handy bird species checklist to record your observations. They are also available in the park visitor center. We invite you to visit the park, take a walk on the nature trail, sit by the dock, or walk through the historic area. Bring binoculars and insect repellent!

Fort Frederica Bird Species Checklist

 

male and female cardinals

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Male and female Northern Cardinals (Cardinalis cardinalis) are often visible in the trees on park grounds. The males are easliy recognizable with their bright red plummage; while females with brown feathers often blend into their surroundings. Cardinals are mainly seed eaters and are regular visitors at bird feeders.

 

Bald Eagle

NPS Files

The bald eagle (haliaeetus leucocephalus) is America's symbolic national bird. The species, once in decline, is now increasing due to bans on DDT and protection laws. Bald eagles can occasionaly be seen flying over the Frederica river. Eagles are birds of prey and feed on fish.

 

Wood Stork

NPS Files

Wood storks (Mycteria americana) can be seen along coastal areas in Florida and Georgia. They stalk through marshes or sit quietly on tree branches in search of food. They nest in pairs, amongst large colonies of storks. Their numbers are declining due to development and declining marshland.

 

osprey in tree

NPS Files

Osprey(Pandion haliaetus) can also be seen flying over rivers in search of fish. They watch the surface below, and when prey is sighted, they dive and splash into the water. In years past, their number declined rapidly due to pesticides, but in recent years, the species has made a comeback.