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Compiled by Brian Rapoza
Last updated December 16, 2024

Please post updates for the following on eBird (providing the specific location where the bird was seen is always appreciated) or on either of our Bird Boards (website and Facebook):

Recent Reports

Yellow-bellied Flycatcher

Cypress Swamp Boardwalk, Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge, Palm Beach County: Last reported December 16 (eBird) Photo Directions: From Florida’s Turnpike, exit at Atlantic Avenue (FL 806, Exit 81). Drive west 2 miles to US 441. Turn right and drive north 3 miles to Lee Road. Turn left and drive west to the entrance (fee, open sunrise to sunset). The parking area for the visitor center and Cypress Swamp Boardwalk is the first right after the entrance station. The bird has been seen on the east section of the boardwalk just before it curves back toward the visitor center. Map

Vermilion Flycatcher

  • Paul Rardin Park, Belle Glade, Palm Beach County: Last reported December 16 (eBird) Photo Directions: From Florida’s Turnpike in West Palm Beach, exit at Southern Boulevard/SR 80. Drive west 33 miles to FL 715. Turn right and drive north 1.8 miles to the park (no fee, open sunrise to sunset). The bird was seen near the water control structure at the south end of the park. Map

  • C-111 Canal, Homestead, Miami-Dade County: Last reported December 15 (eBird) Photo Directions: From the intersection of Florida's Turnpike and US 1 in Florida City, turn right on Palm Drive (SW 344 Street) and drive west 1.6 miles. Turn left on SW 192 Avenue and drive south 2 miles. Turn right on SW 376 Street (FL 9336) and drive west 4 miles to the C-111 Canal. The bird has been seen on the fence surrounding the water control structure on the west side of the canal. Map

Cassin’s Kingbird

Frog Pond Wildlife Management Area, Homestead, Miami-Dade County: Last reported December 16 (eBird) Photo Directions: From the intersection of Florida's Turnpike and US 1 in Florida City, turn right on Palm Drive (SW 344 Street) and drive west 1.6 miles. Turn left on SW 192 Avenue and drive south 2 miles. Turn right on SW 376 Street (FL 9336) and drive west 4 miles to the C-111 Canal. The area where this bird has been seen is about 8 miles north of FL 9336 and is only accessible on foot/bicycle. Map

Yellow-headed Blackbird

Sem-Chi Rice Mill, Palm Beach County: Last reported December 16 (eBird) Photo
Directions: From Florida’s Turnpike in West Palm Beach, exit at Southern Boulevard/SR 80. Drive west 13.5 miles to CR 880. Turn left and drive west 4 miles to Atlantic Mill Road. Turn left and drive 0.7 miles to the rice mill. Several birds have been seen around the mill. Please bird from the road and don't trespass onto the mill property. Map

Smooth-billed Ani

C-357 Sparrow Fields, Miami-Dade County: Reported December 15 (eBird) Photo Directions: From Florida's Turnpike, exit at Eureka Drive (SW 184 Street, Exit 13). Drive west 6.5 miles to Krome Avenue (SW 177 Avenue). Turn right and drive north one mile to Richmond Drive (SW 168 Street). Turn left and drive west 3.2 miles to SW 213 Avenue (road gated beyond this point). The bird was seen along the western dike of the “sparrow field” impoundments, about two miles south of Richmond Drive. Map

Ash-throated Flycatcher

Aerojet Road, Homestead, Miami-Dade County: Last reported December 15 (eBird) Photo Directions: From the intersection of Florida's Turnpike and US 1 in Florida City, turn right on Palm Drive (SW 344 Street) and drive west 1.6 miles. Turn left on SW 192 Avenue and drive south 2 miles. Turn right on SW 376 Street (FL 9336) and drive west 4.5 miles to Aerojet Road (SW 232 Avenue, gated). The bird has been seen/heard at Lucky Hammock, located 0.3 miles south of the gate. Map

Tropical Kingbird

  • L-31W Canal, Homestead, Miami-Dade County: Last reported December 15 (eBird) Photo Directions: From the intersection of Florida's Turnpike and US 1 in Florida City, turn right on Palm Drive (SW 344 Street) and drive west 1.6 miles. Turn left on SW 192 Avenue and drive south 2 miles. Turn right on SW 376 Street (FL 9336) and drive west 5 miles to the L-31W Canal. Two birds have been seen; one near where the canal crosses FL 9336, the other about 1.5 miles north, where the canal bends west. Map

  • Belle Glade Marina and Torry Island, Palm Beach County: Last reported December 11 (eBird) Photo Directions: From SR 80 in Belle Glade, drive west 3.6 miles on CR 717 to the marina and campground. The bird has been seen near the observation tower. Map

  • Marsh Trail, Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge, Palm Beach County: Last reported December 10 (eBird) Photo Directions: From Florida’s Turnpike, exit at Atlantic Avenue (FL 806, Exit 81). Drive west 2 miles to US 441. Turn right and drive north 3 miles to Lee Road. Turn left and drive west to the entrance (fee, open sunrise to sunset). The parking area for the Marsh Trail is the first left after the entrance station. Several birds have been seen at the end of the trail leading south from the parking area. Map

Red-throated Loon

Boynton Beach Inlet Park, Palm Beach County: Reported December 13 (eBird) Photo
Directions: From I-95 in Boynton Beach, exit at Woolbright Road (Exit 56). Drive east 1 mile to SR A1A. Turn left and drive north 2 miles to the inlet. Free parking is available at Ocean Inlet Park, just south of the inlet on SR A1A. The bird was seen offshore from the inlet. Map

Yellow-headed Caracara

  • Florida International University, Biscayne Bay Campus, Miami-Dade County: Last reported December 12 (eBird) Photo Directions: From I-95, exit at FL 826 E (NW 163 Street, Exit 12). Drive east 3.6 miles to US 1. Turn left and drive south 0.8 miles to NE 151 Street. Turn right and drive east 1.2 miles to the campus entrance. No specific location has been provided for this sighting. This bird has also been seen at adjacent Oleta River State Park and Haulover Park. Map

  • Haulover Park, Miami Beach, Miami-Dade County: Last reported December 10 (eBird) Photo Directions: From I-95, exit at FL 826 E (NW 163 Street, Exit 12). Drive east 5.8 miles to Collins Avenue (A1A). Turn right and drive south 1.3 miles to the park entrance (fee, open 8:00 AM to sunset). The bird has been seen around the bait shop in the park’s marina area. This bird has also been seen at Oleta River State Park and the adjacent Biscayne Bay campus of Florida International University. Map

Older Reports

Bananaquit

Gumbo Limbo Nature Center, Boca Raton, Palm Beach County: Last reported December 9 (eBird) Photo Directions: From I-95 in Boca Raton, exit at Palmetto Park Road. Drive east 2.8 miles to N Ocean Blvd. Turn left and drive north 1 mile to the entrance (no fee, open 9 AM to 4 PM). The bird has been seen in the butterfly garden. Map

Yellow-headed Caracara

Oleta River State Park, Miami-Dade County: Last reported December 8 (eBird) Photo Directions: From I-95, exit at FL 826 E (NW 163 Street, Exit 12). Drive east 4.7 miles to the park entrance (fee, open 8:00 AM to sunset). The bird has been seen in the beach picnic areas, including around dumpsters in the parking lot. This bird has also been seen at the adjacent Biscayne Bay campus of Florida International University and at Haulover Park. Map

Tropical Kingbird

C-357 Sparrow Fields, Miami-Dade County: Last reported December 5 (eBird) Photo Directions: From Florida's Turnpike, exit at Eureka Drive (SW 184 Street, Exit 13). Drive west 6.5 miles to Krome Avenue (SW 177 Avenue). Turn right and drive north one mile to Richmond Drive (SW 168 Street). Turn left and drive west 3.2 miles to SW 213 Avenue (road gated beyond this point). The bird has been seen along Richmond Drive west of the gate. Map

Warbling Vireo

Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Palm Beach County: Last reported December 3 (eBird) Photo Directions: From I-95 in Boca Raton, exit at Spanish River Blvd. (NW 40 St., Exit 48). Turn left on Spanish River Blvd, then make an immediate right to enter the research park at the north end of the university campus. The bird has been seen in vegetation adjacent to the parking area of the 600 Building on the east side of the research park. Map

South Florida as defined here includes the following counties: Broward, Collier, Hendry, Lee, Miami-Dade, Monroe and Palm Beach. Only sightings at publicly accessible locations are listed here. Click on each county to view that county’s eBird Rare Bird Alert.

Click here for locations to see regularly occurring south Florida specialties. Click here for directions to those locations. 

Banner photo: White-tailed Tropicbird by Daniel Gribbin

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