Birding Beyond The Villages

Florida is fortunate to have many, many good birding sites. Perhaps the best place to start when looking for birding sites is The Great Florida Birding Trail.

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There are numerous places near The Villages to enjoy birding. Here are just a few. (Note that directions to many of these sites can be found here.)

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• Lake Okahumpka Park

• Lake Panansoffkee Wildlife Management Area

• Half Moon Wildlife Management Area

• Carney Island Recreation & Conservation Area

• Fort Cooper State Park

• Sabal Bluff Preserve

• Palatlakaha Environmental and Agricultural Reserve (PEAR Park)

• Emeralda Marsh Restoration Area

• Sunnyhill Restoration Area

• Ocala Wetland Recharge Park

• Tuscawilla Park

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County guides for Sumter County, Marion County and Lake County

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There are also many exciting venues for birding further afield. Some ones that the Village Birders regularly go to include:

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• Orlando Wetlands Park

• Sweetwater Wetlands Park

• Circle B Bar Reserve

• Oakland Nature Preserve

• Lake Apopka North Shore Restoration Area

• Ocklawaha Prairie Restoration Area

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