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Bird

Chuck-will's-widow

Caprimulgus carolinensis

Lives in Florida all year and nests here. Found in all 67 counties, across 14 habitats.

Here
All year
Nesting
Nests here
Range
All 67 counties
Habitats
14

At a glance

Group
Birds
Here
All year
Nesting
Nests here
Range
All 67 counties
Habitats
14
Habitat models
Summer, Winter

Where it lives

The places its habitat model includes. It is not found everywhere a habitat occurs.

Habitats in Florida 14

Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

1 of 14

Coastal dunes and beaches

White Sand Bluffs, on Santa Rosa Island, Near Pensacola
SummerAtlantic Coastal Plain Southern Dune and Maritime Grassland; Southwest Florida Dune and Coastal Grassland; East Gulf Coastal Plain Dune and Coastal GrasslandGeorge Catlin, White Sand Bluffs, on Santa Rosa Island, Near Pensacola (1834-35): high white dunes with scattered clumps of dune plants above the Gulf. Santa Rosa Island near Pensacola, FloridaWhite Sand Bluffs, on Santa Rosa Island, Near Pensacola, George Catlin (1796-1872), 1834-1835. Public domain. Source record.

Coastal Plain hammocks

In the Jungle, Florida
SummerWinterSouth Florida Hardwood Hammock; Southern Coastal Plain Oak Dome and HammockWinslow Homer, In the Jungle, Florida (1904): cabbage palms, saw palmetto and fallen trunks in a dense, shady hammock, with a wildcat in the branches. Regional view: the painting does not name the exact site. Florida (Winslow Homer, In the Jungle, Florida, 1904)In the Jungle, Florida, Winslow Homer, 1904. Public domain. Source record.

Pine flatwoods

Georgia Pines
WinterSouth Florida Pine FlatwoodsGeorge Inness, Georgia Pines (1890): tall, straight pines over an open, grassy floor in a south Georgia pine woods. Regional view: the painting does not name the exact site. Shown: Georgia pine woods (George Inness, 1890; site not named), a neighboring state.Georgia Pines, George Inness (1825-1894), 1890. Public domain. Source record.

Swamps

Florida, Sunset on the Ocklawaha
WinterSouth Florida Cypress DomeFlorida, Sunset on the Ocklawaha (1899): a dark swamp-lined river at sunset, with cypress and hardwoods crowding both banks. Ocklawaha River, FloridaFlorida, Sunset on the Ocklawaha, Detroit Photographic Co. (chromolithograph), 1899. Public domain. Source record.

Disturbed and introduced wetlands

Wet ground taken over by weedy or introduced plants after disturbance, such as common reed, Chinese tallow or tamarisk stands; the upland counterpart is roadsides, fields and disturbed ground.

SummerWinter

Dry forests and woodlands

Forests and open woodlands on dry ridges and slopes, often oak or pine.

SummerSouthern Coastal Plain Dry Upland Hardwood Forest

Florida scrub

Evergreen scrub oaks, sand pine and rosemary on deep, white, drought-prone sand ridges, burned rarely but intensely; distinct from the longleaf and turkey oak sandhills.

SummerWinter

Forest edges and thickets

Borders of forests, clearings and shrubby thickets.

SummerWinterDisturbed/Successional - Shrub Regeneration; Successional Shrub/Scrub (Other); Harvested Forest - Shrub Regeneration

Maritime forests and thickets

Salt-pruned forests and shrub thickets behind coastal dunes.

SummerWinterSouthwest Florida Coastal Strand and Maritime Hammock; Southeast Florida Coastal Strand and Maritime Hammock; East Gulf Coastal Plain Maritime Forest

Moist forests

Forests on moist but not wet ground, such as rich slopes and ravines.

SummerEast Gulf Coastal Plain Southern Mesic Slope Forest

Prairies and grasslands

Open, grass-dominated places kept open by fire, grazing or thin soil, from tallgrass prairie to Piedmont prairies.

SummerWinterFlorida Dry Prairie

Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground

Ground opened by people: roadsides, old fields, pastures, fencerows and lots.

SummerWinterDeveloped, Open Space; Pasture/Hay; Disturbed/Successional - Grass/Forb Regeneration; Utility Swath - Herbaceous; Ruderal Upland - Old Field

Sandhills

Dry, deep-sand ridges with longleaf pine and turkey oak, kept open by fire.

SummerWinterFlorida Longleaf Pine Sandhill - Open Understory Modifier

Tree plantations and managed pine

Planted or intensively managed stands of pine or hardwoods grown for timber; a land use rather than a natural community.

SummerWinterDeciduous Plantation; Evergreen Plantation or Managed Pine; Managed Tree Plantation
Other habitats in its models (79)

Land cover, or classes with no habitat page in Florida. Those recorded in Florida first, the rest by region.

In Florida 3

  • Atlantic Coastal Plain Upland Longleaf Pine Woodland Summer and winter.
  • South Florida Dwarf Cypress Savanna Winter.
  • South Florida Pine Rockland Summer and winter.
Elsewhere in the South (29)
  • Atlantic Coastal Plain Dry and Dry-Mesic Oak Forest Summer.
  • Atlantic Coastal Plain Mesic Hardwood and Mixed Forest Summer.
  • Atlantic Coastal Plain Xeric River Dune Summer.
  • Crosstimbers Oak Forest and Woodland Winter.
  • Cumberland Sandstone Glade and Barrens Summer.
  • East Gulf Coastal Plain Limestone Forest Summer.
  • East Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Dry Upland Hardwood Forest Summer.
  • East Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Loess Bluff Forest Summer.
  • East Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Mesic Hardwood Forest Summer.
  • East Gulf Coastal Plain Southern Loess Bluff Forest Summer.
  • Lower Mississippi River Dune Woodland and Forest Winter.
  • Mississippi River Alluvial Plain Dry-Mesic Loess Slope Forest Winter.
  • Nashville Basin Limestone Glade Summer.
  • Ouachita Montane Oak Forest Winter.
  • Ozark-Ouachita Dry Oak Woodland Summer and winter.
  • Ozark-Ouachita Dry-Mesic Oak Forest Winter.
  • Ozark-Ouachita Mesic Hardwood Forest Summer and winter.
  • Ozark-Ouachita Shortleaf Pine-Oak Forest and Woodland Summer and winter.
  • Ridge and Valley Calcareous Valley Bottom Glade and Woodland Summer.
  • South-Central Interior Mesophytic Forest Summer and winter.
  • Southeastern Interior Longleaf Pine Woodland Summer.
  • Southern and Central Appalachian Cove Forest Summer and winter.
  • Southern and Central Appalachian Oak Forest Summer and winter.
  • Southern Appalachian Low Mountain Pine Forest Summer.
  • Southern Appalachian Northern Hardwood Forest Winter.
  • Southern Interior Low Plateau Dry-Mesic Oak Forest Summer and winter.
  • Southern Piedmont Glade and Barrens Summer and winter.
  • Southern Piedmont Mesic Forest Summer and winter.
  • Southern Ridge and Valley Dry Calcareous Forest Summer.
Northeast (6)
  • Appalachian Hemlock-Hardwood Forest Winter.
  • Central Appalachian Alkaline Glade and Woodland Winter.
  • Central Appalachian Oak and Pine Forest Summer and winter.
  • Central Appalachian Pine-Oak Rocky Woodland Summer.
  • Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Dry Hardwood Forest Summer.
  • Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Dune and Swale Summer.
Land cover and other classes (41)
  • Allegheny-Cumberland Dry Oak Forest and Woodland - Hardwood Summer and winter.
  • Allegheny-Cumberland Dry Oak Forest and Woodland - Pine Modifier Summer.
  • Atlantic Coastal Plain Fall-Line Sandhills Longleaf Pine Woodland - Loblolly Modifier Summer.
  • Atlantic Coastal Plain Fall-line Sandhills Longleaf Pine Woodland - Offsite Hardwood Modifier Summer.
  • Atlantic Coastal Plain Fall-line Sandhills Longleaf Pine Woodland - Open Understory Modifier Summer.
  • Atlantic Coastal Plain Fall-line Sandhills Longleaf Pine Woodland - Scrub/Shrub Understory Modifier Summer.
  • Developed, Low Intensity Summer and winter.
  • East Gulf Coastal Plain Black Belt Calcareous Prairie and Woodland - Herbaceous Modifier Summer.
  • East Gulf Coastal Plain Black Belt Calcareous Prairie and Woodland - Woodland Modifier Summer.
  • East Gulf Coastal Plain Interior Shortleaf Pine-Oak Forest - Hardwood Modifier Summer.
  • East Gulf Coastal Plain Interior Shortleaf Pine-Oak Forest - Mixed Modifier Summer.
  • East Gulf Coastal Plain Interior Upland Longleaf Pine Woodland - Loblolly Modifier Summer and winter.
  • East Gulf Coastal Plain Interior Upland Longleaf Pine Woodland - Offsite Hardwood Modifier Summer.
  • East Gulf Coastal Plain Interior Upland Longleaf Pine Woodland - Open Understory Modifier Summer and winter.
  • East Gulf Coastal Plain Interior Upland Longleaf Pine Woodland - Scrub/Shrub Modifier Summer and winter.
  • East Gulf Coastal Plain Jackson Plain Dry Flatwoods - Open Understory Modifier Summer.
  • East Gulf Coastal Plain Jackson Prairie and Woodland Summer.
  • East Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Dry Upland Hardwood Forest - Offsite Pine Modifier Summer.
  • East Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Loess Plain Oak-Hickory Upland - Hardwood Modifier Summer.
  • East Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Loess Plain Oak-Hickory Upland - Juniper Modifier Summer.
  • Eastern Highland Rim Prairie and Barrens - Dry Modifier Summer.
  • Florida Longleaf Pine Sandhill - Scrub/Shrub Understory Modifier Summer and winter.
  • Harvested Forest - Grass/Forb Regeneration Summer and winter.
  • Introduced Upland Vegetation - Forbland Summer and winter.
  • Introduced Upland Vegetation - Perennial Grassland Summer and winter.
  • Introduced Upland Vegetation - Perennial Grassland and Forbland Summer and winter.
  • Introduced Upland Vegetation - Shrub Summer and winter.
  • Northeastern Interior Dry Oak Forest - Mixed Modifier Summer.
  • Northeastern Interior Dry Oak Forest - Virginia/Pitch Pine Modifier Summer.
  • Northeastern Interior Dry Oak Forest-Hardwood Modifier Summer.
  • Recently Burned Summer and winter.
  • Recently Burned Forest Summer and winter.
  • Recently Burned Grassland Summer and winter.
  • Recently Burned Shrubland Summer and winter.
  • Recently Logged Areas Summer and winter.
  • Southern and Central Appalachian Oak Forest - Xeric Summer and winter.
  • Southern Piedmont Dry Oak-(Pine) Forest - Hardwood Modifier Winter.
  • Southern Piedmont Dry Oak-(Pine) Forest - Loblolly Pine Modifier Summer.
  • Southern Piedmont Dry Oak-(Pine) Forest - Mixed Modifier Summer and winter.
  • Southern Piedmont Dry Oak-Heath Forest - Mixed Modifier Summer and winter.
  • Southern Ridge and Valley Dry Calcareous Forest - Pine modifier Summer.

All habitats

Seasons in Florida

  • Year-round: nests here, in 19 of 67 counties.
  • Summer: nests here, in 55 of 67 counties.

Also found in its main habitats

Its main habitats in Florida, by how much of its habitat model each one is, with the birds most characteristic of each and the plants that grow wild there. Shared habitat, not food.

Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground

Birds 116

Plants 1524

All of roadsides, fields and disturbed ground in Florida

Forest edges and thickets

Birds 64

Plants 139

All of forest edges and thickets in Florida

Tree plantations and managed pine

Birds 57

Plants 3

All of tree plantations and managed pine in Florida

USGS Gap Analysis Project habitat models.

Sources