Birds are some of the most diverse species on earth and can come in either a single color or a wide array of colors. In this article, we’ll be looking at 15 green birds in Florida. Keep in mind that the birds in this article may be completely green or may have only parts of their body green (along with a variety of other colors).
1. Monk Parakeet
Scientific name: Myiopsitta monachus
Length: 23 centimeters (11 inches)
Weight: 100 grams
Wingspan: 48 centimeters (19 inches)
Lifespan: 20-30 years
Range: Southern United States, Southern Brazil, and Bolivia to central Argentina
Also known as Quaker Parrots, Monk Parakeets are a true parrot species that originated in subtropical and temperate regions of Argentina and parts of South America. Today, feral populations of these birds are a common sight in most of North America, Europe, and even eastern Asia.
The adult Monk Parakeets are sexually monomorphic, with both sexes appearing identical in plumage and size. They have a vibrant green-colored head, wings, back, and tail.
Their cheeks, throat, and breast are a dull shade of grey with a light green undertail. They also have bright blue primary feathers that are on full display during flight. Their eyes are brown, their bills are pale pink, and their legs and feet are grey.
Where can you find them in Florida?
In Florida, you’ll find established populations of Monk Parakeets in Miami, West Palm Beach, and Tampa.
2. Buff-bellied Hummingbird
Scientific name: Amazilia yucatanensis
Length: 10-11 centimeters (3.9 to 4.3 inches)
Weight: 2.9-4.7 grams
Lifespan: 11 years
Range: Southern United States, eastern Mexico, Guatemala
The Buff-bellied Hummingbirds are a hummingbird species commonly found in the United States, Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize. Some of these birds spend winters along the Gulf Coast of the United States, from Texas to Alabama, Georgia, and the Florida panhandle.
These hummers display slight sexual dimorphism in their plumage. The males have a bronze-green mantle, an iridescent greenish-blue throat and breast, and a rufous-colored belly. Their uppertail is a mix of greenish blue and brown, and the primary feathers are brown tipped with bronze.
The females are similar to the males but with lesser iridescence at the throat and back. Both sexes have black eyes and reddish-pink bills tipped with black.
The buff-bellied hummingbird inhabits a variety of habitats, ranging from open woodlands to suburban gardens. They are most commonly found, however, in dense thickets and brushy areas of the arid and semiarid areas of southern Texas down to Guatemala. They are also known to visit hummingbird feeders.
As a hummingbird, the buff-bellied hummingbird consumes mostly nectar and insects. The nectar they’ll take from flowers, especially red tubular flowers, such as the Turk’s-cap and the red salvia. They may consume tiny insects with the nectar as well.
Where can you find them in Florida?
Buff-bellied Hummingbirds can be found in north-western Florida during winter or fall near wooded and shrubby habitats. They also visit nearby feeders.
3. Red-crowned Amazon
Scientific name: Cyanoramphus novaezelandiae
Length: 10-11 centimeters (3.9-4.3 inches)
Weight: 270 grams
Wingspan: 36-40 centimeters (38-40.6 inches)
Lifespan: 20-60 years
Range: Southern Mexico through Central America to Northern Colombia
Also referred to as the Red-crowned Parrot, Red-crowned Amazons are an Amazon parrot species native to northeastern Mexico and southern Texas. Due to their declining population, these parrots have been classified as an endangered bird species by the IUCN.
The adults of this species are sexually monomorphic, which makes it impossible to tell the sexes apart by appearance. They have a bright-red crown and forehead, light green cheeks, and dark blue streaks behind their eyes. You’ll also notice white eye-rings around their eyes, which range from bright yellow to dark red in color.
Their mantle, plumage, and uppertail are dark green, while their breast, belly, and undertail are a lighter shade of green. They have dull yellow bills and greyish legs and feet.
Where can you find them in Florida?
You can find Red-crowned Amazons in the lush, vegetated lowlands, foothills, agricultural fields, and suburbs of southern Florida.
4. Wilson’s Warbler
Scientific name: Cardellina pusilla
Length: 10-12 centimeters (3.9-4.7 inches)
Weight: 5-10 grams
Wingspan: 14-17 centimeters (5.5-6.7 inches)
Lifespan: 6-8 years
Range: North America, Central America, rarely in the UK
Wilson’s Warblers are a New World Warbler species found in Canada and the western United States during their breeding season. They spend their winters in Mexico and most of Central America. The Wilson’s warbler typically breeds in the mountain meadows and thickets adjacent to streams, in particular those containing willows and alders. Migrating birds can be found in just about any brushy wooded habitat.
The adults of this species display slight sexual dimorphism in plumage. The males have a black crown, bright yellow face, dark green upperparts and feathers, and light underparts.
Although the females are similar to males, you’ll notice a slight variation in the amount of black on their crown, ranging from just a little darkish shading to a prominent black cap.
Both sexes have white eye rings, black eyes, a few black feathers in their wings, and reddish-brown legs and feet. They also have long, thin tails and narrow, yellowish bills. Other standout traits include their olive-green wings and their long, narrow tail, which is often flipped while foraging.
Similar to other warblers, Wilson’s warbler feeds mainly on insects, such as bees, wasps, beetles, caterpillars, and aphids. Other common foods include spiders and occasionally berries.
Where can you find them in Florida?
You can find these Wilson’s Warblers between West Palm Beach and the Everglades in south-eastern Florida. They can also be spotted in Tallahassee, St. Petersburg, and Gainesville.
5. Blue-crowned Parakeet
Scientific name: Thectocercus acuticaudatus
Length: 37 centimeters (14.5 inches)
Weight: 140-190 grams
Wingspan: 19 centimeters (7.5 inches)
Lifespan: 20 years
Range: Extends from Mexico through Central America to northern South America
Also called the Blue-crowned Conure, Blue-crowned Parakeets are a neotropical parrot species native to most of South America. Although these birds are officially called parakeets by the AOS (American Ornithologists Society), they are often referred to as conures in aviculture.
As their name suggests, Blue-crowned Parakeets have a dull blue crown, forehead, and face. Their dark eyes are surrounded by white or bright yellow eye-rings. Their nape, back, rump, and uppertail are shades of light green, while their feathers are blue-brown with chestnut tips. Their breast and belly are yellowish green, with an iridescent reddish-brown undertail.
These birds display very slight sexual dimorphism in plumage, with the males having bolder eye-rings and longer feathers than the females.
Where can you find them in Florida?
The Blue-crowned Parakeets have established many feral populations around cities in Southern Florida, in Fort Lauderdale, Upper Keys, and St. Petersburg. You can also find them in riparian woodlands, savannahs, and forest margins.
6. Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Scientific name: Archilochus colubris
Length: 7-9 centimeters (2.8-3.5 inches)
Weight: 2-6 grams
Wingspan: 8-11 centimeters (3.1-4.3 inches)
Lifespan: 3-5 years
Range: Extends from eastern North America to Central America
Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds are among the most common hummingbird species seen east of the Mississippi River in North America. Some birds of these species can be spotted in Florida all year round, while others prefer to spend their summers in Canada and eastern North America.
Male and female Ruby-throated Hummingbirds can easily be told apart from their plumage and size. The males are more colorful than the females and slightly smaller in size.
The males have a black crown, forehead, face, and nape, with a bright, iridescent ruby-red throat patch. Their breast and belly are white with grey and black markings. The wings are covered with iridescent black, golden, and green feathers. Their forked, black tail has a slight violet sheen.
On the other hand, females have iridescent green, black, and white-spotted upper parts and plumage. Their throat, breast, and belly are white with a few darker streaks. They have notched tails with green, black, and white outer feathers.
Both sexes have black eyes, long, needle-like black bills, flesh-colored legs, and greyish feet.
Where can you find them in Florida?
Ruby-throated Hummingbirds inhabit the woodlands, parks, gardens, backyards, and meadows of South Florida almost all year round.
7. Budgerigar
Scientific name: Melopsittacus undulatus
Length: 18 centimeters (7 inches)
Weight: 30-40 grams
Wingspan: 30 centimeters (12 inches)
Lifespan: 5-8 years
Range: Native in Australia, introduced to the Americas, Europe, and Asia
Also called Shell Parakeet or Common Parakeet, Budgerigars are a seed-eating parrot species commonly nicknamed Budgie. These fun-loving parrots are the third most popular pets in the world, after dogs and cats, and rightly so.
The adults of this species are strongly sexually dimorphic in plumage. The males have a blue rump, breast, belly, and undertail. Their throat, face, and forehead are white, with several dark blue spots at the throat. They also have a distinctive blue cere atop their beaks.
You’ll also notice running from their crown to their upper back, continuing all the way down to their feathers, which are also black and white. The tip of their tail also has a little black-and-white coloration.
The females have a bright yellow throat, face, forehead, crown, nape, and mantle, with a flaky, brown cere. Their feathers are decorated in a black and yellow pattern, while the tail is tipped with blue. Their rump, undertail, belly, and breast are bright green. Both sexes have long tails, black eyes, and flesh-colored legs and feet.
Common habitats for the budgerigar include savannas, grasslands, open forests, grassy woodlands, and farmland. Due to their need to drink every day, the birds are usually found near water sources.
As granivorous birds, the budgerigar’s diet consists mainly of seeds, grains, and nuts from locally native grasses and herbs. In captivity, the bird’s diet should consist of roughly 60-80% pellets/whole foods, with the remainder being a mix of fruits, nuts, seeds, treats, and vegetables.
Where can you find them in Florida?
Budgies used to be a common sight in Florida, but their numbers are rapidly decreasing. You can find them in the urban regions along the Gulf Coast, from the Crystal River and Fort Myers to Fort Lauderdale.
8. Ovenbird
Scientific name: Seiurus aurocapilla
Length: 11-16 centimeters (4.3-6.3 inches)
Weight: 19 grams
Wingspan: 19-26 centimeters (7.5-10.2 inches)
Lifespan: 11 years
Range: North and Central America
Ovenbirds are a small songbird species of the New World Warbler family. They are called Ovenbirds not because they physically resemble ovens, but because their nests do. These birds breed in Eastern North America and winter in Central America, Florida, and northern Venezuela.
The adult Ovenbirds are slightly sexually dimorphic in size; males might be a little larger than females. Breeding grounds for the ovenbird include large, mature broadleaf, or mixed forests, particularly at sites with little undergrowth. They will winter in Central America or the Caribbean.
These birds have a brownish forehead and crown, with two dark brown streaks running from their nose to their mantle. They have an olive-green mantle, rump, feathers, and uppertail. Their throat, breast, belly, and undertail are all white with heavy brown streaking. Their legs and feet are pale pink, their eyes are black with white eye-rings around them, and they have dark greyish bills. Its relatively dull coloration is compensated by its very loud song during the breeding season.
The ovenbird feeds mainly on insects, such as adult beetles and their larvae, ants, caterpillars, flies, true bugs, among others, during the summer. Other live prey includes worms, spiders, and snails. Their winter diet is believed to include a larger portion of seeds and other plant matter, along with their usual animal diet.
Where can you find them in Florida?
You can find Ovenbirds in the dry lowlands and wet forests of South Florida, especially where the woods are heavily canopied.
9. Mitred Parakeet
Scientific name: Psittacara mitratus
Length: 34-38 centimeters (13-15 inches)
Weight: 180-250 grams
Wingspan: 36 centimeters (14.1 inches)
Lifespan: 20-30 years
Range: Native to western South America, introduced to Florida and other states around the US coastline
Also referred to as Mitred Conure, Mitred Parakeets are native to the woodlands and forests of north-central Peru, Bolivia, and Argentina. They’re an introduced species in California, Florida, and Hawaii. Typical habitats for the Mitred Parakeet include humid forests, forest edges, and partly wooded habitats along the eastern foothills of the Andes.
The adult Mitred Parakeets have an overall green plumage with several red spots on their face, thighs, mantle, and breast. They have a relatively big, bone-colored bill and bone-colored legs and feet. It resembles the red-masked parakeet, but the Mitred Parakeet has a less pronounced red color on its face and lacks the red underwings of the former.
Their black eyes are surrounded by conspicuous white eye-rings. They generally don’t have more than a couple of red feathers in their wings. Both sexes of Mitred Parakeets look exactly alike, with no dimorphism in either plumage or size.
The exact diet of the Mitred Parakeet in its native habitat hasn’t been well documented, but it’s believed to consist mainly of nuts, fruits, berries, seeds, and maize.
Where can you find them in Florida?
In Florida, Mitred Parakeets are widespread in Miami Dadi and Broward Counties. Miami shores, Miami Beach, and Miami Springs are great places to look for these parakeets. In Broward, the Evergreen Cemetery in Fort Lauderdale and Richardson Park in Wilson are reliable locations, too.
10. Painted Bunting
Scientific name: Passerina ciris
Length: 12-14 centimeters (4.7-5.5 inches)
Weight: 13-19 grams
Wingspan: 21-23 centimeters (8.3-9.1 inches)
Lifespan: 11-12 years
Range: United States, southern Canada, Central America
The Painted Buntings are a vibrantly-colored cardinal species. They are often described as the most beautiful bird in North America and have even been nicknamed nonpareil, which means without equal.
The adult sexes of this species can easily be distinguished due to the variation in their plumage. Males have a navy-blue head, face, and mantle. They have a few shades of green in their feathers and a dark tail. Their underparts and rump are a vibrant red, and so are their eye-rings.
On the other hand, the females have an olive-green head, mantle, feathers, rump, and tail. Their underparts are yellowish-green, and they have inconspicuous white eye-rings. Both sexes have black eyes, greyish legs and feet, and greyish-silver bills.
The painting bunting can be seen in shrubby fields and forest edges during the breeding season. During the winter, the bird may be found in various weedy or thickety habitats. They are occasional visitors of bird feeders.
Seeds and insects make up the majority of the painted bunting’s diet. Seeds, such as those of grasses and weeds, as well as berries and fruits, make up much of their diet during the winter, while insects, including beetles, caterpillars, grasshoppers, and flies make up more of their diet in early summer, when they often feed them to their young.
Where can you find them in Florida?
Painted Buntings can generally be found in backyards, gardens, roadsides, and the edges of woodlands in northeastern Florida. Amelia Islands is one of the reliable locations to look for Painted Buntings all year round.
11. Orange-winged Amazon
Scientific name: Amazona amazonica
Length: 33 centimeters (13 inches)
Weight: 340 grams
Lifespan: 50-80 years
Range: United States, South and Central Canada
Also known as Loro Guaro or Orange-winged Parrot, Orange-winged Amazons are an amazon parrot species native to tropical South America. Feral populations of this species can be found in Tenerife, Puerto Rico, Florida, and the Canary Islands.
Both sexes of Orange-winged Parrots look alike, displaying no sexual dimorphism in size or color. They have an overall green plumage except for their blue forehead and yellow cheeks. They also have a few orange feathers on their wings and tail, which are visible during flight. They have red eyes with black irises, dark grey bills, and grey legs and feet.
The orange-winged amazon may be found in a variety of wooded habitats, ranging from tall humid forests to savannas. They may also occasionally venture into urban areas.
As herbivores (including frugivores and granivores), the orange-winged amazon feeds mainly on plant matter. Common foods include fruits, seeds, nuts, blossoms, leaf buds, berries, as well as the occasional mango or orange. They are fond of the fruits of palm trees and sometimes cocoa.
Where can you find them in Florida?
In Florida, Orange-winged Amazons can be found in the parks and gardens from Pompano Beach to southern Miami. Matheson Hammock, Miami Springs, and Brewer Park are some of the most reliable sites to look for these birds.
12. White-winged Parakeet
Scientific name: Brotogeris Versicolurus
Length: 22-25 centimeters (8.6-9.8 inches)
Weight: 72 grams
Wingspan: 33-36 centimeters (13-14 inches)
Lifespan: 10-15 years
Range: Native to northern South America, introduced to Florida and other states around the US coastline
The White-winged Parakeets, also called Canary-winged Parakeet, are a small parrot species that originated in the Amazon River basin. Escaped or released birds have formed feral populations in Lima, Los Angeles, Peru, San Fransisco, and Miami.
These birds have an overall green body with white eye rings around their black eyes. The burst of color is in their feathers: their primaries are dark green, with white secondaries and yellow greater primary coverts. When not in flight, all you can see are a few dark green, white, and yellow streaks in their feathers.
They have a pinkish-yellow bill, pale pink feet, and a long and pointed tail. The adult sexes of this species are identical in both plumage and size. Other prominent features include light pink beak and legs and white eye rings.
The white-winged parakeet feeds mainly on fruit and seeds in its native habitat, while feral populations have adapted to feed on blossoms and nectar. Feral birds are also known to visit bird feeders. When kept in captivity, the bird is typically fed vegetables, fresh fruits, grains, and a pelleted diet.
Where can you find them in Florida?
The white-winged parakeet is typically found in small groups in wooded or suburban areas. In their native habitats, the bird is found along the Amazon River basin, while in the United States, the bird is commonly seen in coastal residential and suburban areas consisting of exotic flora and palm trees. White-winged Parakeets can be spotted in the Gulf and West Coasts of Florida all year round.
13. Swainson’s Warbler
Scientific name: Limnothlypis swainsonii
Length: 12.5-16 centimeters (4.9-6.3 inches)
Weight: 11-20.5 grams
Wingspan: 23 centimeters (9.1 inches)
Lifespan: 9 years
Range: Extends from the southeastern United States to northeastern Mexico
Named after the English Ornithologist William Swainson, Swainson’s Warblers are a New World Warbler species. These warblers can generally be spotted nesting in flooded swamps, cane fields, and dense vine tangles in the Mississippi River Valley.
Unlike most other New World Warblers, there are no external differences between the adult sexes of this species.
These birds have a rusty brown forehead and crown, with a dull, olive-brown mantle, wings, and tail. Their underparts are yellowish-white, and they have a white stripe that runs above their eyebrows. They have black eyes and pale pink bills and feet.
Where can you find them in Florida?
Swainson’s Warblers spend their winters along the Gulf Coast in Florida. You can find them in West Palm Beach and Tallahassee.
14. Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Scientific name: Corthylio calendula
Length: 9-11 centimeters (3.5-4-3 inches)
Weight: 5-10 grams
Wingspan: 16-18 centimeters (6.3-7.1 inches)
Lifespan: 5 years
Range: Spans across North America, including parts of the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
The Ruby-crowned Kinglets are a very small passerine bird species of the kinglet family. These migratory birds spend their summers in mountainous regions of the United States and Canada and winters in the southern United States and Mexico.
The adult sexes of this species appear almost identical, except for a scarlet-red crown patch which is present in males but not in females. This crown patch might also be orange or yellow.
They have greyish-green upper parts and olive underparts. Their wings are brightly patterned with yellow, black, and white. Their eyes are black with broken white eye-rings around them, and their feet are brownish-orange.
Where can you find them in Florida?
In Florida, you can find Ruby-crowned Kinglets in the parks, suburbs, and shrubby habitats of Gainesville and Jacksonville.
15. Nanday Parakeet
Scientific name: Aratinga nenday
Length: 27-30 centimeters (11-12 inches)
Weight: 140 grams
Lifespan: 18-20 years
Range: Native to central South America, introduced to the United States and Europe
Also known as the Black-hooded Parakeet or Nanday Conure, the Nanday Parakeets are a small parrot species native to continental South America. These birds have overall green plumage, with a black mask on their forehead, crown, cheeks, and bill. Their wings have several trailing black feathers, and their long tail is tipped with blue feathers. Their long tail is quite noticeable both stationary and in flight.
Common habitats for the Nanday parakeet include open savannah, pastures, scrub forests, palm groves, open woodlands, and grasslands where there is an abundance of scattered trees. In the United States and Europe, the bird is mainly found around neighborhood parks and gardens.
Their breast is bluish-green, while their belly is pale green. They also have a few red patches on their thighs. They have white eye-rings around their brown eyes and pale brown feet. The adults of this species are sexually monomorphic, with no external differences between males and females.
As herbivores, the Nanday parakeet consumes mainly grass seeds, fruits, palm nuts, berries, flowers, grains, and buds, with the occasional insect. In captivity, the bird is often fed a balanced diet of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. A pellet diet may also be suitable.
Where can you find them in Florida?
Nanday Parakeets are widespread in Florida, especially in Pasco, Broward, Palm Beach, Sarasota, Miami-Dade, Pinellas, and Manatee Counties.
16. Red-Masked Parakeet
Scientific Name: Psittacara erythrogenys
Length: 30 to 33 cm (12 to 13 inches) long
Weight: 150 to 200 grams (5.3 to 7 oz)
Lifespan: 15 to 28 years
Range: Native to Peru, introduced to the United States and Spain
The red-masked parakeet is a medium-sized parakeet with overall light green plumage, a long tail, red underwings, and red thighs. The bird overall resembles the Mitred parakeet, but the former has a larger patch of red on its face, of which it extends below and behind the eyes. The red patches on the underwings also separate the two species.
Jungles and deciduous forests are the preferred habitats for the red-masked parakeet. Other habitats include nearby cultivated areas, dry scrubland, and sparsely vegetated deserts. They are overall frequent visitors of arid environments.
Red-masked parakeets feed on a large range of seeds, fruits, and flowers. Relatively nomadic, this bird tends to make seasonal movements to trees that provide fruits and seeds during different seasons throughout the year.
Where can you find them in Florida?
They are commonly spotted in the southern parts of the state, particularly in the Miami-Dade County area. They have established feral populations in urban and suburban areas, including parks, residential neighborhoods, and agricultural lands.
17. Green Heron
Scientific Name: Butorides virescens
Length: 16-18 inches (40-46 centimeters)
Weight:8-12 ounces (230-340 grams)
Lifespan: 7-15 years in the wild
Range: North and Central America, as well as parts of the Caribbean.
The green heron is a small heron with a blue-green back, a reddish-brown colored neck, and a dark cap. Juveniles tend to display more reddish-brown throughout its body, with the blue-green hue coming in later. During flight, the bird resembles a crow with broad wings, a tucked in neck, and legs that extend just past the tail.
Typical habitats for the green heron include small wetland areas such as lakes, ponds, marshes, streamsides, and swamps. There, the herons may be seen foraging in various small bodies of freshwater, in particularly those adjacent to trees, shrubs, and tall marsh vegetation.
Small fish, such as minnows, sunfishes, gizzard shad, make up a large portion of the green heron’s diet. Other common aquatic foods include crayfish, other crustaceans, aquatic insects, frogs, and tadpoles. Grasshoppers, snakes, earthworms, snails, and small rodents make up the green heron’s terrestrial prey.
Where can you find them in Florida?
Green Herons can be found throughout Florida, as they are year-round residents in the state. They inhabit a variety of wetland habitats, including freshwater marshes, swamps, ponds, lakes, and mangrove forests. They are also known to frequent wooded areas near water bodies. In urban and suburban environments, they can be found in parks, golf courses, and residential areas with suitable water sources. Keep an eye out for them perched near the water’s edge or stealthily hunting for fish, insects, and other small prey.
18. Red-Eyed Vireo
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-960655750-0de5ecf4397841d2a9024ef9fdd16861.jpg)
Scientific Name: Vireo olivaceus
Length: 4.7-5.9 inches (12-15 centimeters)
Weight: 0.4-0.5 ounces (11-14 grams)
Lifespan: 7-10 years
Range: North America, Central America, northwestern South America, Western Europe
The red-eyed vireo is a small songbird consisting of plain olive-green plumage above and whitish plumage below with an absence of wing bars. The red eyes of the adults are not very clearly seen; juveniles have brown eyes. Other traits include a dark stripe that goes through and above the eye and a larger and thicker beak (compared to warblers).
The red-eyed vireo is fond of deciduous forests, especially where there are deciduous trees with large leaves (i.e. maple). During migration, the bird may be seen in just about any kind of forest, woodland, or woodlot.
A large variety of insects, such as caterpillars, moths, beetles, wasps, bees, ants, and true bugs, make up most of the red-eyed vireo’s diet during summer. Other common foods include berries, snails, and spiders.
Where can you find them in Florida?
Red-Eyed Vireos can be found in various parts of Florida, particularly during their breeding season. They are known to inhabit forested areas, including hardwood forests, mixed woodlands, and hammocks. They can also be found in wooded edges, parks, and gardens with suitable tree cover. Some popular birding locations in Florida where Red-Eyed Vireos can be spotted include Big Cypress National Preserve, Everglades National Park, Ocala National Forest, and the various state parks throughout the state. During their migration, they may be seen in other parts of Florida as well.
19. Green-Winged Teal
Scientific Name: Anas crecca
Length:13-16 inches (33-41 centimeters)
Weight: 10-20 ounces (280-570 grams)
Lifespan: 5-10 years
Range: North America, Eurasia, and even parts of northern Africa.
The green-winged teal is a very small duck with a small, thin beak. Males consist of a brown head with a wide green swatch behind the eyes, a creamy speckled breast, and an otherwise mainly gray body. Females are brown throughout and are darker compared to other dabbling ducks.
The green-winged teal can be commonly found near marshes, rivers, and bays, with them particularly preferring open country near shallow freshwater lakes and marshes in the summer. During migration and the winter, the bird is found on coastal estuaries, tidal marshes, shallow lakes, and inland ponds. They are fond of various habitats that contain many standing or floating vegetation.
As you might have guessed, the green-winged teal is fond of the seeds of grasses, sedges, pondweeds, and many other types of vegetation. They, however, also consume a variety of live prey as well. Common candidates include aquatic insects, crustaceans, mollusks, tadpoles, and occasionally earthworms and fish eggs. Their summer and winter diets usually consist more of animal and seed matter, respectively.
Where can you find them in Florida?
Green-Winged Teals can be found in various locations throughout Florida, particularly during the winter months. They are migratory birds that visit the state as part of their wintering range. They can be seen in a variety of wetland habitats, including marshes, ponds, lakes, and shallow freshwater areas. Some popular birding spots in Florida where you may find Green-Winged Teals include the Everglades National Park, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge, Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park, and various other wetland areas across the state. Keep an eye out for their small size, distinctive green wing patch, and their characteristic teal-colored plumage.
20. Yellow-Chevroned Parakeet
Scientific Name: Brotogeris chiriri
Length: 9-10 inches (23-25 centimeters)
Weight: Around 2.5-3 ounces (70-85 grams)
Lifespan: 10-15 years
Range: Native to central South America, introduced to the United States
The yellow-chevroned parakeet is a small parakeet with a long narrow tail, bright white eye rings, and a short pale beak. The body is green throughout, with a bright yellow border separating the darker flight feathers and the paler inner wings.
In its native South America, the yellow-chevroned parakeet I found more often in open woodlands, savannas, and sometimes disturbed savannas and towns. In the United States, the bird prefers more open habitats, towns, and may sometimes be seen with the similarly appearing white-winged parakeet.
In its native habitat, the yellow-chevroned parakeet commonly feeds on seeds (including sprouted seeds) and fruits (i.e. berries and figs). Meanwhile, feral populations have taken a liking to blossoms and nectar. In captivity, the bird is best fed a diet consisting of fresh fruits, vegetables, sunflower seeds, and commercially sold pellet mix.
Where can you find them in Florida?
Yellow-Chevroned Parakeets can be found in certain areas of Florida, particularly in urban and suburban environments. They are considered an introduced species and have established feral populations in specific localized pockets. Some known locations where Yellow-Chevroned Parakeets have been observed in Florida include the Miami-Dade County area, including neighborhoods such as Coconut Grove, Coral Gables, and South Miami. They are often seen in parks, residential areas with mature trees, and areas with abundant food sources, such as fruit-bearing trees.
Related articles:
7 Pink Birds in Florida Gracing the Sunshine State