Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge

Wildlife Sanctuary · United States

No ratings yet

Photo © Bill Golladay

Photo © Bill Golladay — CC BY-SA 4.0 — Source: Wikidata / Wikimedia Commons

Brackish marshes and palmetto scrub define this wildlife sanctuary spanning the coastal lowlands of central Florida, where the Atlantic tide meets freshwater systems in a dynamic mosaic of habitat types. The landscape alternates between open saltwater impoundments, reed-fringed wetlands, and pine flatwoods dotted with cabbage palms—a composition shaped by Florida's humid subtropical climate and the absence of any true dry season. Water availability remains consistent year-round, sustaining dense aquatic vegetation and productive breeding grounds for wading birds, waterfowl, and colonial nesting species that congregate in numbers visible from the refuge's extensive network of observation roads. Raptors hunt across both marsh and scrub, while smaller birds navigate the tangled understory. The sanctuary supports populations of mammals adapted to wetland edges, from rodents inhabiting the margins to larger predators moving through corridors of coastal scrub. This patchwork reflects the ecological character of Florida's Atlantic coast—a zone where human modification has created a managed landscape that remains genuinely wild and biologically productive.

The refuge earned its reputation among serious birders and wildlife photographers for the sheer diversity of species concentrated within accessible viewing distance, particularly during migration periods when transient populations swell the resident communities. The flat terrain and open water mean excellent visibility; morning light illuminates feeding flocks across the impoundments with clarity that rewards early starts and patience. Spring and autumn witness the heaviest passage of migratory waders and songbirds, while winter brings northbound raptors seeking abundant prey in the shallow waters. A vehicle loop system permits observation without leaving the car, ideal for scanning expansive vistas, yet pedestrian trails penetrate deeper into scrub habitat where woodland songbirds and ground-dwelling species reveal themselves to those willing to move slowly and listen. This combination of accessibility, habitat variety, and seasonal concentration of wildlife makes the sanctuary a essential destination for anyone serious about documenting the birdlife and mammals of the southeastern coastal plain.

Website fws.gov/refuge/merritt_island

Haliaeetus leucocephalus

Black-bellied Whistling Duck

Dendrocygna autumnalis

Anser caerulescens

Spatula cyanoptera

Blue-winged Teal

Spatula discors

Northern Shoveler

Spatula clypeata

Mareca strepera

Eurasian Wigeon

Mareca penelope

American Wigeon

Mareca americana

Anas platyrhynchos

Northern Pintail

Aythya valisineria

Aythya americana

Ring-necked Duck

Aythya collaris

Somateria mollissima

White-winged Scoter

Melanitta deglandi

Melanitta americana

Bucephala albeola

Hooded Merganser

Lophodytes cucullatus

Red-breasted Merganser

Mergus serrator

Oxyura jamaicensis

Northern Bobwhite

Colinus virginianus

Meleagris gallopavo

Common Nighthawk

Chordeiles minor

Chuck-will's-widow

Antrostomus carolinensis

Eastern Whip-poor-will

Antrostomus vociferus

Yellow-billed Cuckoo

Coccyzus americanus

Eurasian Collared Dove

Streptopelia decaocto

Common Ground Dove

Columbina passerina

Zenaida macroura

Rallus crepitans

Rallus limicola

Porzana carolina

Common Gallinule

Gallinula galeata

Fulica americana

Antigone canadensis

Aramus guarauna

Pied-billed Grebe

Podilymbus podiceps

Podiceps auritus

Black-necked Grebe

Podiceps nigricollis

American Flamingo

Phoenicopterus ruber

Black-necked Stilt

Himantopus mexicanus

American Avocet

Recurvirostra americana

Pluvialis squatarola

Charadrius vociferus

Semipalmated Plover

Charadrius semipalmatus

Hudsonian Whimbrel

Numenius hudsonicus

Long-billed Dowitcher

Limnodromus scolopaceus

Short-billed Dowitcher

Limnodromus griseus

Gallinago delicata

Wilson's Phalarope

Phalaropus tricolor

Red-necked Phalarope

Phalaropus lobatus

Spotted Sandpiper

Actitis macularius

Solitary Sandpiper

Tringa solitaria

Lesser Yellowlegs

Tringa flavipes

Tringa semipalmata

Greater Yellowlegs

Tringa melanoleuca

Ruddy Turnstone

Arenaria interpres

Calidris canutus

Stilt Sandpiper

Calidris himantopus

Calidris alpina

Least Sandpiper

Calidris minutilla

White-rumped Sandpiper

Calidris fuscicollis

Pectoral Sandpiper

Calidris melanotos

Western Sandpiper

Semipalmated Sandpiper

Calidris pusilla

Gull-billed Tern

Gelochelidon nilotica

Hydroprogne caspia

Sterna forsteri

Thalasseus sandvicensis

Thalasseus maximus

Bonaparte's Gull

Chroicocephalus philadelphia

Leucophaeus atricilla

Franklin's Gull

Leucophaeus pipixcan

Ring-billed Gull

Larus delawarensis

Great Black-backed Gull

Lesser Black-backed Gull

American Herring Gull

Larus smithsonianus

Pomarine Jaeger

Stercorarius pomarinus

Wilson's Storm Petrel

Oceanites oceanicus

Leach's Storm Petrel

Hydrobates leucorhous

Mycteria americana

Magnificent Frigatebird

Fregata magnificens

Northern Gannet

Sula leucogaster

Anhinga anhinga

Double-crested Cormorant

Nannopterum auritum

American White Ibis

Eudocimus albus

Plegadis falcinellus

White-faced Ibis

Roseate Spoonbill

American Bittern

Botaurus lentiginosus

Yellow-crowned Night Heron

Nyctanassa violacea

Black-crowned Night Heron

Nycticorax nycticorax

Little Blue Heron

Egretta caerulea

Egretta rufescens

Butorides virescens

American White Pelican

Pelecanus erythrorhynchos

Pelecanus occidentalis

Coragyps atratus

Swallow-tailed Kite

Elanoides forficatus

Northern Harrier

Circus hudsonius

Red-shouldered Hawk

Short-tailed Hawk

Buteo brachyurus

Red-tailed Hawk

Buteo jamaicensis

Great Horned Owl

Bubo virginianus

Eastern Screech Owl

Belted Kingfisher

Megaceryle alcyon

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Melanerpes carolinus

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

Sphyrapicus varius

Downy Woodpecker

Dryobates pubescens

Northern Flicker

Colaptes auratus

Pileated Woodpecker

Dryocopus pileatus

American Kestrel

Falco sparverius

Falco columbarius

Peregrine Falcon

Falco peregrinus

Sayornis phoebe

Eastern Wood Pewee

Contopus virens

Eastern Kingbird

Tyrannus tyrannus

Tyrannus dominicensis

Great Crested Flycatcher

Myiarchus crinitus

Vireo olivaceus

Blue-headed Vireo

Vireo solitarius

White-eyed Vireo

Loggerhead Shrike

Lanius ludovicianus

Cyanocitta cristata

Florida Scrub Jay

Aphelocoma coerulescens

Corvus ossifragus

Tufted Titmouse

Baeolophus bicolor

Tachycineta bicolor

Hirundo rustica

Cistothorus palustris

Thryothorus ludovicianus

Northern House Wren

Troglodytes aedon

Blue-grey Gnatcatcher

Polioptila caerulea

Dumetella carolinensis

Toxostoma rufum

Common Starling

Sturnus vulgaris

Eastern Bluebird

Swainson's Thrush

Catharus ustulatus

Catharus guttatus

Catharus fuscescens

Turdus migratorius

American Goldfinch

Chipping Sparrow

Spizella passerina

Clay-colored Sparrow

Spizella pallida

Savannah Sparrow

Passerculus sandwichensis

Lincoln's Sparrow

Melospiza lincolnii

Melospiza georgiana

Pipilo erythrophthalmus

Eastern Meadowlark

Sturnella magna

Baltimore Oriole

Icterus galbula

Red-winged Blackbird

Agelaius phoeniceus

Brown-headed Cowbird

Quiscalus quiscula

Boat-tailed Grackle

Quiscalus major

Seiurus aurocapilla

Northern Waterthrush

Parkesia noveboracensis

Black-and-white Warbler

Mniotilta varia

Swainson's Warbler

Limnothlypis swainsonii

Orange-crowned Warbler

Leiothlypis celata

Common Yellowthroat

Geothlypis trichas

American Redstart

Setophaga ruticilla

Cape May Warbler

Setophaga tigrina

Northern Parula

Setophaga americana

Bay-breasted Warbler

Setophaga castanea

American Yellow Warbler

Setophaga aestiva

Black-throated Blue Warbler

Setophaga caerulescens

Setophaga palmarum

Setophaga pinus

Setophaga coronata

Yellow-throated Warbler

Setophaga dominica

Prairie Warbler

Setophaga discolor

Cardellina canadensis

Northern Cardinal

Cardinalis cardinalis

Fulvous Whistling Duck

Dendrocygna bicolor

Branta canadensis

Anser cygnoides

Alopochen aegyptiaca

Cairina moschata

American Black Duck

Melanitta perspicillata

Long-tailed Duck

Clangula hyemalis

Common Goldeneye

Bucephala clangula

Helmeted Guineafowl

Numida meleagris

Common Pheasant

Phasianus colchicus

Chaetura pelagica

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Archilochus colubris

Smooth-billed Ani

Black-billed Cuckoo

Coccyzus erythropthalmus

White-crowned Pigeon

Patagioenas leucocephala

White-winged Dove

Zenaida asiatica

Purple Gallinule

Porphyrio martinica

Grey-headed Swamphen

Porphyrio poliocephalus

American Oystercatcher

Haematopus palliatus

American Golden Plover

Pluvialis dominica

Charadrius melodus

Upland Sandpiper

Bartramia longicauda

Long-billed Curlew

Numenius americanus

Hudsonian Godwit

Limosa haemastica

American Woodcock

Phalaropus fulicarius

Calidris pugnax

Curlew Sandpiper

Calidris ferruginea

Baird's Sandpiper

Calidris bairdii

Onychoprion fuscatus

Onychoprion anaethetus

Sternula antillarum

Sterna paradisaea

Black-legged Kittiwake

Rissa tridactyla

Larus hyperboreus

Long-tailed Jaeger

Stercorarius longicaudus

Parasitic Jaeger

Stercorarius parasiticus

White-tailed Tropicbird

Phaethon lepturus

Red-throated Loon

Band-rumped Storm Petrel

Hydrobates castro

Cory's Shearwater

Calonectris borealis

Scopoli's Shearwater

Calonectris diomedea

Sooty Shearwater

Great Shearwater

Manx Shearwater

Puffinus puffinus

Sargasso Shearwater

Puffinus lherminieri

Sula dactylatra

Neotropic Cormorant

Nannopterum brasilianum

Sharp-shinned Hawk

Accipiter striatus

Mississippi Kite

Ictinia mississippiensis

Rostrhamus sociabilis

Broad-winged Hawk

Buteo platypterus

Swainson's Hawk

Buteo swainsoni

American Barn Owl

Short-eared Owl

Red-headed Woodpecker

Melanerpes erythrocephalus

Red-cockaded Woodpecker

Leuconotopicus borealis

Crested Caracara

Caracara plancus

Blue-crowned Parakeet

Thectocercus acuticaudatus

Yellow-bellied Flycatcher

Empidonax flaviventris

Acadian Flycatcher

Empidonax virescens

Willow Flycatcher

Empidonax traillii

Alder Flycatcher

Empidonax alnorum

Least Flycatcher

Empidonax minimus

Western Kingbird

Tyrannus verticalis

Scissor-tailed Flycatcher

Tyrannus forficatus

Ash-throated Flycatcher

Myiarchus cinerascens

Black-whiskered Vireo

Vireo altiloquus

Philadelphia Vireo

Vireo philadelphicus

Yellow-throated Vireo

Vireo flavifrons

Corvus brachyrhynchos

Bombycilla cedrorum

Carolina Chickadee

Poecile carolinensis

Riparia riparia

Northern Rough-winged Swallow

Stelgidopteryx serripennis

American Cliff Swallow

Petrochelidon pyrrhonota

Petrochelidon fulva

Golden-crowned Kinglet

Regulus satrapa

Brown-headed Nuthatch

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Sitta canadensis

Bahama Mockingbird

Mimus gundlachii

Ixoreus naevius

Hylocichla mustelina

Grey-cheeked Thrush

Catharus minimus

Passer domesticus

Haemorhous purpureus

Haemorhous mexicanus

Plectrophenax nivalis

Bachman's Sparrow

Peucaea aestivalis

Grasshopper Sparrow

Ammodramus savannarum

Chondestes grammacus

Spizella pusilla

Dark-eyed Junco

White-crowned Sparrow

Zonotrichia leucophrys

White-throated Sparrow

Zonotrichia albicollis

Pooecetes gramineus

LeConte's Sparrow

Ammospiza leconteii

Seaside Sparrow

Ammospiza maritima

Nelson's Sparrow

Ammospiza nelsoni

Saltmarsh Sparrow

Ammospiza caudacuta

Melospiza melodia

Yellow-breasted Chat

Yellow-headed Blackbird

Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus

Dolichonyx oryzivorus

Icterus spurius

Molothrus bonariensis

Rusty Blackbird

Euphagus carolinus

Worm-eating Warbler

Helmitheros vermivorum

Louisiana Waterthrush

Parkesia motacilla

Golden-winged Warbler

Vermivora chrysoptera

Blue-winged Warbler

Vermivora cyanoptera

Prothonotary Warbler

Protonotaria citrea

Tennessee Warbler

Leiothlypis peregrina

Nashville Warbler

Leiothlypis ruficapilla

Connecticut Warbler

Oporornis agilis

Kentucky Warbler

Geothlypis formosa

Setophaga citrina

Cerulean Warbler

Setophaga cerulea

Magnolia Warbler

Setophaga magnolia

Blackburnian Warbler

Setophaga fusca

Chestnut-sided Warbler

Setophaga pensylvanica

Blackpoll Warbler

Setophaga striata

Black-throated Grey Warbler

Setophaga nigrescens

Black-throated Green Warbler

Setophaga virens

Wilson's Warbler

Cardellina pusilla

Scarlet Tanager

Piranga olivacea

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Pheucticus ludovicianus

Spiza americana

Passerina caerulea

Passerina cyanea

Painted Bunting

Passerina ciris

Eurasian Whimbrel

Numenius phaeopus

Myiopsitta monachus

Mangrove Warbler

Setophaga petechia

West Indian Manatee

Trichechus manatus

Virginia Opossum

Didelphis virginiana

Mexican Long-nosed Armadillo

Dasypus mexicanus

Eastern Cottontail

Sylvilagus floridanus

Sylvilagus palustris

Eastern Gray Squirrel

Sciurus carolinensis

Hispid Cotton Rat

Sigmodon hispidus

Brazilian Free-tailed Bat

Tadarida brasiliensis

North American River Otter

Lontra canadensis

Northern Raccoon

Tamanend's Bottlenose Dolphin

Tursiops erebennus

White-tailed Deer

Odocoileus virginianus

Eurasian Wild Pig

Southern Long-nosed Armadillo

Dasypus novemcinctus

Scalopus aquaticus

North Atlantic Right Whale

Eubalaena glacialis

View Complete List (352 more) →

0 Community observations

No community observations yet — be the first to log a sighting here.