FLorida is blessed with so many different types of birds.  All of them get effected by our litter problem.  Knowledge is power and the more we know about this earths amazing creatures the more we tend to care.  If you're lucky hopefully you too will catch a glimpse of some these fantastic birds.

FLAMINGO

Flamingos have become a symbol of Florida.  Most of these birds were captured in the Caribbean Islands.  There are a few small colonies in the wilds of the Everglades.

Flamingos  are gregarious wading birds in the genus Phoenicopterus and family Phoenicopteridae. They are found in both the Western Hemisphere and Eastern Hemisphere, but are more numerous in the former. There are four species in the Americas while two exist in the Old World.

Swimming and wading.

•  Because flamingos have long legs, they can wade into much deeper water than most other birds. Webbed feet support them on soft mud.
•  When the water is beyond their wading depth, flamingos swim at the surface while feeding. Webbed feet allow the flamingo to swim.
• There is no evidence that flamingos dive.
•  Flamingos are often seen in dense packs floating on the surface of the water.

• Respiration.-Like other birds, flamingos breathe air using lungs. They hold their breath while feeding under water.
• Sleep-When flamingos are resting, they may sit down with their legs tucked beneath them or rest standing on one leg.
• While resting, flamingos face into the wind. This stops wind and rain from penetrating their feathers. When resting on one leg, flamingos can be seen swaying back and forth in the wind.
•  Thermoregulation.-Flamingos frequently stand on one leg. Curling a leg under the body keeps the foot warm and conserves body heat. Flamingos stand on one leg in both cool and warm environments.

Flight.

• To take off, a flamingo runs several steps, begins flapping its wings, and lifts into the air. When landing, the procedure is reversed: the bird touches down and then runs several paces.
•  A flamingo flies with its head and neck stretched out in front and its legs trailing behind.
•  Flight speed of a flock of flamingos can reach 50 to 60 kph (31-37 mph).
• Flamingos have been known to fly 500 to 600 km (311-373 mi.) each night between habitats.

BLACK–NECKED STILT

Only the Greater Flamingo has longer legs in proportion to its overall size.  The characteristics of this delicate shore bird are its bright red legs, its coloring is black and white.  In flight the long slender wings are entirely black; the rump and tail are pale gray.

It is usually observed in flocks in a wide variety of aquatic habitats, of both fresh and salt water.  It feeds upon small aquatic items, which it takes from mud in belly deep water.  Common throughout much of the Western Hemisphere, the Black-Necked Stilt is a common summer visitor but an uncommon species of nesting in southern Florida.

EAGLES

Photo taken by Bob Behrent

Most people may not know that Florida is an excellant plasce to observe this amazing bird of Prey next to Alaska.  Eagles are truly magnificient when seen and there is no question why they are the national bird after seeing one.  Florida has the most breeding pairs of any state.  The Eagle is endangered with probably less than 500 pairs remaining in the lower 48 states.

Bald Eagles are not actually bald.  The adult birds (males & females) have white feathers on their heads.  The young eagles are darker in color and do not get their white head and tail feather till about the the ages 3 to five.  The female eagle is larger then the male eagles as is common umongst other raptors as well,

Immature Eagle in flight *Photo taken by Bob Behrent*

They are members of the bird order Falconiformes (or Accipitriformes, according to alternative classification schemes), family Accipitridae, and belong to several genera which are not necessarily closely related to each other genetically.

Eagles are differentiated from other birds of prey mainly by their larger size, more powerful build, and heavier head and bill. Even the smallest eagles, like the Booted Eagle (which is comparable in size to a Common Buzzard or Red-tailed Hawk), have relatively longer and more evenly broad wings, and more direct, faster flight. Most eagles are larger than any other raptors apart from the vultures.

Photo taken by Bob Behrent

Like all birds of prey, eagles have very large powerful hooked beaks for tearing flesh from their prey, strong legs, and powerful talons. They also have extremely keen eyesight to enable them to spot potential prey from a very long distance.[1] This keen eyesight is primarily contributed by their extremely large pupils which cause minimal diffraction (scattering) of the incoming light

Eagles build their nests, called eyries, in tall trees or on high cliffs. Many species lay two eggs, but the older, larger chick frequently kills its younger sibling once it has hatched.

HAWKS

Broad Winged Hawk

The term hawk can be used in several ways:
In strict usage in Europe and Asia, to mean any of the species in the subfamily Accipitrinae in the genera Accipiter, Micronisus, Melierax, Urotriorchis and Megatriorchis. The large and widespread Accipiter includes goshawks, sparrowhawks , the Sharp-shinned Hawk and others. These are mainly woodland birds with long tails and high visual acuity, hunting by sudden dashes from a concealed perch.
More generally (especially in North America) to mean small to medium-sized members of (often) the Falconidae, Pandionidae (the Osprey) and the Accipitridae - the family which includes the "true hawks" (Accipiters) as well as eagles, kites, harriers and buzzards.

The common names of birds in various parts of the world often use hawk in the second sense. For example, the Osprey or "fish hawk"; or, in North America,
In February 2005, Canadian ornithologist Louis Lefebvre announced a method of measuring avian "IQ" in terms of their innovation in feeding habits.  Hawks were named among the most intelligent birds based on his scale.