**Place cursor over picture to identify Birds. Credit: USFWS**
The Ernest F. Hollings ACE Basin National Wildlife Refuge lies along the Atlantic Flyway - the "highway in the sky". Vast numbers of waterfowl, shorebirds, neotropical songbirds, and birds of prey migrate from their nesting grounds to wintering areas throughout eastern North America. Beginning in late fall and through early spring, the refuge is a haven for wood ducks, pintails, shovelers, mallards and widgeon to name a few of the approximately 20 species that winter here. During the spring, summer, and early fall, neotropical songbirds call the refuge their hone. These small colorful birds venture thousands of miles from their wintering areas in Central and South America. Prothonotary warblers, painted buntings, and ruby throated hummingbirds are just a few that use the refuge to replenish their energy reserves. Endangered wood storks are slowly leaving their historic south Florida home due to loss of habitat, and are moving north to places such as the ACE Basin to nest. Endangered peregrine falcons are a migratory bird and might be seen passing through the refuge during the spring and fall. The threatened bald eagle can be seen using the refuge as a feeding ground throughout the year. Wading birds such as egrets, herons, and ibis live in large active rookeries and forage the impoundments for food. Wetlands provide nesting and feeding sites for sandpipers, plovers, yellowlegs, and black necked stilts.
Ernest F. Hollings ACE Basin NWR is one of the American Bird Conservancy's Important Birding Areas and they have an online birding checklist, including photos! To view/download their list click on this link: