Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park - La Chua Trail
Florida · Southeast
Easy
October-April
$6 per vehicle
Open daily, 8:00 AM - sunset
About This Location
Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park - La Chua Trail is a productive birding destination in Florida, with 279 species recorded on eBird. This grassland habitat attracts Wild Turkey, Mourning Dove, and Common Gallinule among many others. Mild winters attract waterfowl and sparrows, while spring and fall migration bring neotropical songbirds.
Location
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Notable Species
Live Bird Data
Powered by eBird / Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Notable Sightings
Rare or unusual species spotted nearby in the last 14 days
Calliope Hummingbird
Selasphorus calliope
Western Tanager
Piranga ludoviciana
Summer Tanager
Piranga rubra
Western Kingbird
Tyrannus verticalis
Rufous Hummingbird
Selasphorus rufus
American Pipit
Anthus rubescens
Short-eared Owl
Asio flammeus
Yellow-throated Vireo
Vireo flavifrons
Brown Pelican
Pelecanus occidentalis
White-crowned Sparrow
Zonotrichia leucophrys
Barn Swallow
Hirundo rustica
Indigo Bunting
Passerina cyanea
Recent Observations
Species reported at this location in the last 14 days
Mourning Dove
Common Gallinule
Limpkin
Sandhill Crane
Killdeer
Wilson's Snipe
Greater Yellowlegs
Wood Stork
Little Blue Heron
Tricolored Heron
Snowy Egret
Western Cattle-Egret
Great Egret
Great Blue Heron
Black Vulture
Turkey Vulture
Northern Harrier
Bald Eagle
Red-shouldered Hawk
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Birding Tips
- 1
Scan fence posts and utility wires for perching raptors and kingbirds.
- 2
Walk field edges at dawn when sparrows and grassland species are most vocal.
- 3
Check for wintering sparrows in brushy edges from November through February.
- 4
Consider purchasing an annual parks pass if you plan to visit multiple times.
- 5
Bring quality optics — a good pair of binoculars (8x42 or 10x42) makes all the difference in species identification.
Amenities
Nearby Attractions
- Sweetwater Wetlands Park
- Lochloosa Wildlife Conservation Area
- Bivens Arm Nature Park
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