The marsh along the St. Johns River near Orlando is one of the best birding spots in Central Florida, and most of it hides in shallow water you cannot reach on foot. That is exactly where an airboat earns its keep. At Switchgrass Outfitters, we run private birding trips that slip right into the flats where the birds actually feed.
Want to get out there? Call us at (321) 900-2494 or reach out to our team to check dates and put a morning on the calendar.
What birds can you see birding near Orlando?
More than most people expect. On one morning the St. Johns marsh can turn up roseate spoonbills sweeping their spoon bills through the shallows, a bald eagle carrying a fish back to the nest, and a great blue heron stabbing a catfish in the grass. It is a lot of bird for a short drive from town.
Beyond the headliners you will find great egrets, anhingas holding their wings out to dry, purple gallinules walking the lily pads, and common gallinules paddling the open water. Then there are the specialties that make a birder's year. The snail kite, a federally endangered raptor that eats almost nothing but apple snails, works this marsh, and so does the crested caracara. A birding airboat tour puts all of that within camera range.
No two trips turn up the same list, which is half the fun. The mix shifts with the season and the water level, so a birder who comes back in a different month often adds species they missed the first time. Herons and egrets are close to a daily sight. A snail kite is the kind of bird that makes the whole drive worth it.
Why go birding by airboat instead of on foot?
Because the birds are where your feet cannot go. An airboat rides on top of a few inches of water and matted grass, so it reaches the shallow marsh and hidden sloughs where wading birds and rails tuck away. A boardwalk or a kayak simply cannot follow them in there.
The other advantage is quiet. Captain Seth grew up on this river, and he can cut the engine and let the boat drift so you get close without flushing the flock. Every trip is private, just your group of up to six, launching from Christmas, Florida, about 30 minutes east of Orlando. There is no crowd and no waiting your turn for the good angle.
It is also the reason your photos come out. From a low, stable boat you shoot at eye level with the bird instead of squinting up into the sky, and nothing sits in the frame but marsh. Bring a long lens if you have one, because the caracara and the snail kite do not always let you get close, and the light off the water in the early hours is worth the early alarm.
When is the best time to go birding near Orlando?
Fall through spring is prime. As the water drops and northern birds move south for the winter, the marsh fills up and wading birds crowd into the shrinking pools to feed, which makes them far easier to find and photograph.
Nesting season pushes eagles and spoonbills right out into view, and a cool, clear morning in that stretch is about as good as Florida birding gets. Come at first light if you can, when the birds are hunting and the water lies flat. If you would rather shoot birds against a painted sky, our sunset airboat tours turn the evening roost into a beautiful last hour on the water.
Summer birding still delivers, just earlier in the day before the heat and the afternoon storms roll in. Wood storks, limpkins, and clouds of ibis move through with the water, and the young birds of the year are out learning to fish. Whatever month you pick, book the first slot of the day and you will simply see more.
How long is a birding trip, and what should you bring?
You have two options. The 90 minute tour is $75 per person for up to six guests, and the three hour trip is a flat $900 for up to six who want more time to work the marsh. Both are private, so the pace is entirely yours.
Bring binoculars, a zoom lens if you have one, a hat, sunscreen, and water. Because we are not racing anyone, there is time to actually identify birds, wait out a shy one, and get the shot. Most guests leave with a longer list than they came for, and a few photos they did not expect.
First timers and serious listers both do well out here, because the guide does the hard part. Captain Seth knows which flats held spoonbills last week and where the eagle nest sits, so you spend your time watching birds instead of hunting for a place to start. Come with a target species in mind and we will do our best to put you on it.
Central Florida birding does not get much better than a quiet morning on the St. Johns. Call (321) 900-2494 or book your birding trip with us, and let's go find that spoonbill.
