Birds of Lakes & Ponds
    (Not all birds are listed)

               Birds
                                                                      Breeding/Nest Facts
                                                                                                                                                                                 Plant Food
      American Black Duck
                                                           Breeds on islands in lakes. Nest on ground and well concealed under
                                                           bushes
                                                                                                                                                                             Pondweed, Cordgrass, Wildrice,
                                                                                                                                                                             Alga
      American Coot
                                                          Breeds on lakes or large ponds. Nest on ground among vegetation on
                                                           water or by water.
                                                                                                                                                                             Pondweed, Naiad, Bulrush,
                                                                                                                                                                             Duckweed
      Bald Eagle
                                                           Breeds by lakes and other bodies of water. Nest is large, in a large
                                                           tree, near water and reused annually.
                                                                                                                                                                             (Fish)
      Belted Kingfisher
                                                           Breeds by lakes and other bodies of water. Nest in burrow of bank near
                                                           water or a natural cavity in a tree.
                                                                                                                                                                             (Fish)
      Blue-winged Teal
                                                           Breeds by ponds. Nest on ground near water and concealed in growing
                                                           vegetation.
                                                                                                                                                                             Duckweed, Pondweed,
                                                                                                                                                                             Smartweed
      Bonaparte's Gull
                                                           Breeds near lakes and rivers. Nest located on branches of spruce
                                                           trees.
                                                                                                                                                                             ( Fish & garbage)
      Bufflehead
                                                           Breeds by lakes, ponds and rivers and around wooded bogs. Nest in
                                                           tree cavity.
                                                                                                                                                                             Pondweed, Naiad, Wildcelery
      Canada Goose
                                                           Breeds in variety of habitats. Nest by water among trees.
                                                                                                                                                                             Cordgrass, Widgeongrass,
                                                                                                                                                                             Glasswort
      Canvasback
                                                           Breeds in water with growing vegetation. Nest concealed with dense
                                                           growing vegetation in water.
                                                                                                                                                                             Pondweed, Wildcelery, Bulrush
      Caspian Tern
                                                           Breeds near large lakes and islands. Nest on ground.
                                                                                             (Fish, aquatic insects)
      Common Goldeneye
                                                           Breeds by lakes and around wooded bogs. Nest located in cavity of
                                                           tree or stump.
                                                                                                                                                                            Pondweed, Widgeongrass,
                                                                                                                                                                            Wildcelery
      Common Loon
                                                        Breeds on large and deep lakes. Nest located on island or small island
                                                        mounds near edge.
                                                                                                                                                                           (Fish, frogs, insects)
      Common Merganser
                                                        Breeds by lakes. Nest in tree cavity.
                                                                                                                                                                           (Fish, insects)
      Common Pintail
                                                        Breeds by lakes and other bodies of water. Nest located away from
                                                        water in vegetation.
                                                                                                                                                                           Smartweed, Pondweed, Bulrush
      Common Tern
                                                       Breeds by lakes. Nest on ground on floating vegetation.
                                                                                                                                                                         (Fish, aquatic insects)
      Double-crested Cormorant
                                                       Breeds on larger lakes, inlets or islands. Nest located in tree or cliff
                                                       overlooking water.
                                                                                                                                                                         (Fish, marine worms)
      Franklin's Gull
                                                      Breeds in lakes. Nest on floating vegetation held by stems of tall plants.
                                                                                                                                                                          Duckweed (Fish & garbage)
      Great Blue Heron
                                                      Breeds by larger bodies of water. Nest built in tall trees or ledges of
                                                      cliffs.
                                                                                                                                                                         (Fish, crayfish, frogs, insects)
      Greater Scaup
                                                      Breeds by lake islands. Nest in open area.
                                                                                                                                                                         Pondweed, Widgeongrass,
                                                                                                                                                                         Wildcelery
      Green-backed Heron
                                                     Breeds by water. Nest located in shrubs by water.
                                                                                                                                                                        (Fish, crayfish, aquatic insects)
      Green-winged Teal
                                                     Breeds on islands in lakes. Nest located on ground and concealed with
                                                     tall grasses, bushes and trees.
                                                                                                                                                                         Bulrush, Wildrice, Sedge,
                                                                                                                                                                         Wildmillet
      Hooded Merganser
                                                   Breeds by forest ponds and lakes. Nest in cavity of tree or stump.
                                                                                                                                                                        (Fish, insects)
      Horned Grebe
                                                  Breeds on lakes and ponds. Nest in tall vegetation in water.
                                                                                                                                                                        (Fish, aquatic insects)
      Lesser Scaup
                                                  Breeds by lake islands. Nest on ground near water concealed by
                                                  grasses and other vegetation.
                                                                                                                                                                        Pondweed, Wildrice, Wildcelery
      Little Blue Heron
                                                   Breeds by lakes and ponds. Nests in trees or shrubs.
                                                                                                                                                                       (Crayfish, worms, fish,
                                                                                                                                                                       grasshoppers)
      Mallard
                                                    Breeds in a variety of habitats near water. Nest on ground among
                                                   bushes and grasses.
                                                                                                                                                                       Wildrice, Pondweed, Wildcelery
      Osprey
                                                    Breeds near lakes and other bodies of water. Nest is on tree-top
                                                   overlooking water.
                                                                                                                                                                        (Fish)
      Pied-billed Grebe
                                                     Breeds on lakes and ponds. Floating nest in vegetation.
                                                                                                                                                                      (Crayfish, fish, aquatic insects)
      Red-throated Loon
                                                     Breeds on lakes. Nests on shore edges.
                                                                                                                                                                      (Fish and insects)
      Redhead
                                                     Breeds by lakes in taller vegetation. Nest on ground in drier areas.
                                                                                                                                                                      Pondweed, Wildcelery, Wildrice
      Ring-billed Gull
                                                     Breeds by lakes. Nest on ground on small islands.
                                                                                                                                                                      Pondweed (Fish & garbage)
      Ring-necked Duck
                                                    Breeds by ponds. Nest on ground near water concealed in tall grasses
                                                    and normally in damp areas.
                                                                                                                                                                      Pondweed, Duckweed,
                                                                                                                                                                      Smartweed
      Shoveller
                                                    Breeds by water with vegetation at edges. Nest on ground concealed
                                                    by grasses and other vegetation near water.
                                                                                                                                                                      Bulrush, Pondweed, Alga,
                                                                                                                                                                      Duckweed
      Snow Goose
                                                    Breeds by lakes. Nest on ground concealed by tall vegetation.
                                                                                                                                                                      Cordgrass, Rootstock, Cattail
      Yellow-crowned Night Heron
                                                     Breeds by water. Nest located in trees and bushes.
                                                                                                                                                                     (Crabs, crayfish)
 
 

 Marshes

      American Bittern
                                                  Breeds in marshy areas among tall vegetation. Nest on ground or raised
                                                  platform.
                                                                                                                                                                     (Insects, frogs, fish, crayfish)
      Common Yellowthroat
                                                  Breeds by swamp and marshy edges. Nest at base of bush or in cattails
                                                  and/or weeds,
                                                                                                                                                                     (Insects)
      Gadwall
                                                  Breeds by water with nearby vegetation. Nest near water concealed in
                                                 tall vegetation.
                                                                                                                                                                   Widgeongrass, Bulrush, Spikerush
      Limpkin
                                                  Breeds in marshes and swamps in Florida and Georgia. Nest in bushes
                                                or grasses.
                                                                                                                                                                  (Snails)
      Red-winged Blackbird
                                                  Breeds by marshes and swamps.
                                                                                                                                                                  Ragweed, Bristlegrass, Smartweed
      Ruddy Duck
                                                  Breeds on marshes near tall vegetation. Floating nest attached to plants.
                                                                                                                                                                  Pondweed, Widgeongrass, Smartweed
      Sora
                                                  Breeds in marshes. Raised nest in base of tall vegetation by water's
                                                  edge.
                                                                                                                                                                 Sedge, Spikerush, Wildrice
      Swamp Sparrow
                                                  Breeds in marsh and swamp edges. Nest in tall vegetation usually 1'
                                                  above water or ground.
                                                                                                                                                                Sedge, Panicgrass, Smartweed
      Yellow Rail
                                                 Breeds near marshes. Nest on ground among grasses.
                                                                                                                                                                Sedge, Smartweed, Spikerush
 
 

                                             Red-Maple/Northern & Shrub Swamps

          Barred Owl
                                                 Breeds in variety of wooded areas. Nest in cavity of tree trunk.
                                                                                                                                                                None (rodents, small birds, large insects)
          Barrow's Goldeneye
                                                 Breeds by water. Nest in tree cavity.
                                                                                                                                                                Pondweed, Widgeongrass, Alga
          Red-shouldered Hawk
                                                  Breeds in moist woodlands. Nest on large tree.
                                                                                                                                                                None (rodents, snakes, small birds)
          Wood Duck
                                                 Breeds near water. Nest in tree trunk cavity.
                                                                                                                                                                Wildrice, Sedge, Pondweed
 
 

                                                       Cypress Swamps

          Pileated Woodpecker
                                                    Breeds in forest with large trees. Nest in cavity of tree trunk.
                                                                                                                                                                 Blackgum, Seeds, Nuts, Fruits
                Wood Stork
                                                  Breeds in water where trees grow. Nest usually on treetops.
                                                                                                                                                                (Fish)
 
 

                                            Southern Bottomland Hardwood Swamps




      Prothonotary Warbler
                                                     Breeds along swampy woodlands. Nest near water in cavity.
                                                                                                                                                                     (Insects)
      Red-bellied Woodpecker
                                                     Breeds in variety of woodland habitats.Nest in cavity of tree trunk or
                                                     stump.
                                                                                                                                                                     Oak, Blackgum, Seeds, Nuts, Fruits
      Swainson's Warbler
                                                     Breeds in swamps of Southern US. Nest in shrubs or canes.
                                                                                                                                                                     (Insects)

 Song sparrow
Common yellowthroat
White-throated sparrow
Hermit thrush
Nashville warbler
 
 

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