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Common Native Animals of Sarasota County, Florida
Sarasota County is home to a wide variety of native Florida wildlife, including land mammals, marine mammals, birds, reptiles, and fish. These animals may be found in local habitats such as beaches, bays, estuaries, mangroves, marshes, freshwater wetlands, pine flatwoods, scrub, hammocks, creeks, canals, and neighborhood green spaces.
This directory is designed as a practical wildlife reference for residents, visitors, nature lovers, photographers, boaters, anglers, and families exploring Sarasota County.
Wildlife Viewing Reminder
Always observe wildlife from a safe and respectful distance. Never feed, chase, touch, capture, or harass wild animals. Follow posted park rules, boating speed zones, fishing regulations, and local wildlife protection guidelines.
Animal Directory
Native Land Mammals Common to Sarasota County
This section includes 18 common or regularly occurring native animals in this category. Common names are linked to Wikipedia-style pages for quick reference.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Commonness | Typical Habitat | Where to See / Look |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raccoon | Procyon lotor | Common | Forests, wetlands, mangroves, neighborhoods | Parks, wooded edges, wetland borders, neighborhoods |
| Virginia Opossum | Didelphis virginiana | Common | Woodlands, hammocks, suburban areas | Backyards, wooded parks, roadsides at night |
| Nine-banded Armadillo | Dasypus novemcinctus | Common | Lawns, pine flatwoods, scrub edges, hammocks | Yards, trails, open woods |
| Eastern Gray Squirrel | Sciurus carolinensis | Common | Oak hammocks, pine-oak woods, neighborhoods | Neighborhood trees, parks, preserves |
| Southern Fox Squirrel | Sciurus niger niger | Locally common | Open pine flatwoods, oak-pine savanna | Larger preserves, open pine areas, golf-course edges |
| Marsh Rabbit | Sylvilagus palustris | Common near wetlands | Freshwater and brackish marshes, wet meadows | Wetland edges, marsh trails |
| Eastern Cottontail | Sylvilagus floridanus | Common | Fields, lawns, scrub edges, brushy areas | Open grassy edges, neighborhoods, park margins |
| White-tailed Deer | Odocoileus virginianus | Common in large natural areas | Flatwoods, hammocks, prairies, preserve edges | Myakka River area, larger preserves, rural roads |
| Bobcat | Lynx rufus | Uncommon but present | Scrub, flatwoods, hammocks, marsh edges | Large preserves and undeveloped corridors |
| Gray Fox | Urocyon cinereoargenteus | Uncommon | Hammocks, scrub, flatwoods, wooded edges | Natural areas, rural wooded corridors |
| North American River Otter | Lontra canadensis | Locally common near water | Rivers, wetlands, ponds, estuaries | Myakka River, freshwater ponds, marsh edges |
| Eastern Mole | Scalopus aquaticus | Present | Sandy soils, lawns, fields, open woods | Raised tunnels in lawns and sandy soils |
| Cotton Rat | Sigmodon hispidus | Common | Grassy fields, marsh edges, disturbed open areas | Grasslands, old fields, wetland margins |
| Marsh Rice Rat | Oryzomys palustris | Common in marshes | Salt marshes, freshwater marshes, wet prairies | Wetland vegetation and marsh edges |
| Evening Bat | Nycticeius humeralis | Common | Forests, neighborhoods, roosts in trees/buildings | At dusk over ponds, parks, and neighborhoods |
| Brazilian Free-tailed Bat | Tadarida brasiliensis | Common | Urban/suburban roosts, bridges, open airspace | Evening flights near lights, bridges, open areas |
| Seminole Bat | Lasiurus seminolus | Present | Pine flatwoods, tree canopies | Wooded preserves and pine areas at dusk |
| Northern Yellow Bat | Lasiurus intermedius | Present | Palms, coastal hammocks, wooded neighborhoods | Palm areas and coastal neighborhoods at dusk |
Native Marine Mammals Common to Sarasota County
This section includes 3 common or regularly occurring native animals in this category. Common names are linked to Wikipedia-style pages for quick reference.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Commonness | Typical Habitat | Where to See / Look |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Indian Manatee / Florida Manatee | Trichechus manatus latirostris | Common seasonally | Bays, rivers, canals, warm-water refuges | Sarasota Bay, Myakka River, canals, marinas |
| Common Bottlenose Dolphin | Tursiops truncatus | Common | Bays, estuaries, Gulf nearshore waters | Sarasota Bay, passes, Gulf waters |
| Atlantic Spotted Dolphin | Stenella frontalis | Occasional offshore | Offshore Gulf waters | Offshore trips in Gulf of Mexico |
Native Birds Common to Sarasota County
This section includes 65 common or regularly occurring native animals in this category. Common names are linked to Wikipedia-style pages for quick reference.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Commonness | Typical Habitat | Where to See / Look |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brown Pelican | Pelecanus occidentalis | Common | Beaches, bays, piers, passes | Gulf beaches, docks, Sarasota Bay |
| Double-crested Cormorant | Nannopterum auritum | Common | Bays, ponds, lakes, estuaries | Piers, ponds, bay shorelines |
| Anhinga | Anhinga anhinga | Common | Freshwater wetlands, ponds, lakes | Myakka River, ponds, canals |
| Great Blue Heron | Ardea herodias | Common | Wetlands, shorelines, ponds, mangroves | Shorelines, ponds, parks |
| Great Egret | Ardea alba | Common | Marshes, ponds, bay shallows | Celery Fields, ponds, bay edges |
| Snowy Egret | Egretta thula | Common | Shallow wetlands, estuaries, marshes | Mangroves, tidal flats, wetland preserves |
| Little Blue Heron | Egretta caerulea | Common | Freshwater and brackish wetlands | Wetland edges, marshes, ponds |
| Tricolored Heron | Egretta tricolor | Common | Coastal marshes, mangroves, ponds | Tidal flats, Celery Fields, coastal preserves |
| Green Heron | Butorides virescens | Common | Ponds, canals, wooded wetland edges | Small ponds, creeks, marsh edges |
| Black-crowned Night-Heron | Nycticorax nycticorax | Present | Mangroves, wetlands, wooded shorelines | Mangroves and wetland roosts |
| Yellow-crowned Night-Heron | Nyctanassa violacea | Present | Mangroves, tidal creeks, wetland edges | Coastal mangroves and estuaries |
| White Ibis | Eudocimus albus | Common | Lawns, marshes, wetlands, tidal flats | Neighborhood lawns, parks, wetlands |
| Glossy Ibis | Plegadis falcinellus | Common in wetlands | Marshes and wet fields | Celery Fields and wetland preserves |
| Roseate Spoonbill | Platalea ajaja | Locally common | Mangroves, tidal flats, wetlands | Coastal wetlands, Myakka area, bay shallows |
| Wood Stork | Mycteria americana | Locally common | Wetlands, marshes, ponds | Celery Fields, Myakka River, drying wetlands |
| Sandhill Crane | Antigone canadensis | Common | Open fields, prairies, freshwater marshes | Open fields, Myakka area, neighborhoods |
| Limpkin | Aramus guarauna | Common near water | Freshwater wetlands with apple snails | Lakes, marshes, ponds |
| Mottled Duck | Anas fulvigula | Common resident | Freshwater marshes, ponds, wet prairies | Celery Fields, ponds, wetlands |
| Black-bellied Whistling-Duck | Dendrocygna autumnalis | Common | Ponds, wetlands, parks, fields | Ponds, wet fields, urban lakes |
| Blue-winged Teal | Spatula discors | Common winter migrant | Freshwater marshes and ponds | Celery Fields and shallow wetlands |
| Osprey | Pandion haliaetus | Common | Coasts, bays, lakes, rivers | Utility poles, nesting platforms, waterways |
| Bald Eagle | Haliaeetus leucocephalus | Present | Large trees near water, bays, lakes | Large preserves and waterways |
| Red-shouldered Hawk | Buteo lineatus | Common | Wooded wetlands, suburbs, hammocks | Neighborhood trees, parks, wetlands |
| Cooper’s Hawk | Accipiter cooperii | Present | Wooded neighborhoods, parks | Tree-lined neighborhoods and parks |
| American Kestrel | Falco sparverius | Seasonal/common in open areas | Open fields, pastures, roadside wires | Rural roads, open fields, utility wires |
| Wild Turkey | Meleagris gallopavo | Locally common | Flatwoods, hammocks, rural open woods | Large preserves, Myakka area |
| Northern Bobwhite | Colinus virginianus | Uncommon/declining | Pine flatwoods, prairies, grassy fields | Managed preserves and open habitats |
| Killdeer | Charadrius vociferus | Common | Open fields, lawns, shorelines | Sports fields, parking lots, open sand/gravel |
| Willet | Tringa semipalmata | Common coastal | Beaches, mudflats, tidal flats | Gulf beaches, bay flats |
| Spotted Sandpiper | Actitis macularius | Common winter migrant | Ponds, shorelines, canals | Water edges and mudflats |
| Ruddy Turnstone | Arenaria interpres | Common coastal winter migrant | Beaches, jetties, wrack lines | Beach shorelines and passes |
| Laughing Gull | Leucophaeus atricilla | Common | Beaches, bays, parking lots, piers | Coastal areas and beaches |
| Royal Tern | Thalasseus maximus | Common coastal | Beaches, bays, Gulf waters | Beach shorelines, passes, sandbars |
| Least Tern | Sternula antillarum | Seasonal | Beaches, sandy nesting areas, coastal flats | Protected beach nesting areas |
| Black Skimmer | Rynchops niger | Locally common coastal | Beaches, sandbars, bays | Beach roosts and sandbars |
| Mourning Dove | Zenaida macroura | Common | Neighborhoods, fields, open woods | Backyards, wires, fields |
| Common Ground Dove | Columbina passerina | Present | Open sandy areas, scrub, fields | Scrub trails, open sandy areas |
| Barred Owl | Strix varia | Common | Wet woods, hammocks, neighborhoods | Wooded parks and neighborhoods |
| Eastern Screech-Owl | Megascops asio | Common | Wooded neighborhoods and parks | Tree cavities, nest boxes, wooded yards |
| Great Horned Owl | Bubo virginianus | Present | Woodlands, open woods, parks | Large trees, preserves, neighborhoods |
| Common Nighthawk | Chordeiles minor | Seasonal | Open skies, flat rooftops, fields | Evening flights over open areas |
| Chimney Swift | Chaetura pelagica | Seasonal/common | Urban areas, skies over water/open areas | Over neighborhoods and downtown areas |
| Ruby-throated Hummingbird | Archilochus colubris | Seasonal/common | Gardens, hammocks, flowering shrubs | Native plant gardens, parks |
| Belted Kingfisher | Megaceryle alcyon | Common winter/resident near water | Ponds, bays, canals, creeks | Perches over water and shorelines |
| Red-bellied Woodpecker | Melanerpes carolinus | Common | Woodlands, parks, neighborhoods | Trees and wooded backyards |
| Pileated Woodpecker | Dryocopus pileatus | Present | Mature woods, hammocks, large trees | Larger wooded preserves |
| Downy Woodpecker | Dryobates pubescens | Common | Woodlands, parks, neighborhoods | Small trees and wooded yards |
| Eastern Phoebe | Sayornis phoebe | Common winter migrant | Parks, edges, near water | Fences, low branches near fields/ponds |
| Great Crested Flycatcher | Myiarchus crinitus | Common breeder | Wooded edges, hammocks, parks | Wooded neighborhoods and preserves |
| Loggerhead Shrike | Lanius ludovicianus | Locally common | Open fields, pastures, wires | Open roadsides and fields |
| Blue Jay | Cyanocitta cristata | Common | Woodlands, neighborhoods, parks | Backyards and wooded parks |
| American Crow | Corvus brachyrhynchos | Common | Open woods, towns, fields | Neighborhoods, fields, parks |
| Fish Crow | Corvus ossifragus | Common | Coasts, wetlands, urban areas | Bayfront, beaches, neighborhoods |
| Tufted Titmouse | Baeolophus bicolor | Common | Woodlands, parks, oaks | Wooded yards and hammocks |
| Carolina Wren | Thryothorus ludovicianus | Common | Brushy woods, yards, hammocks | Shrubs, brush piles, wooded yards |
| Northern Mockingbird | Mimus polyglottos | Common | Neighborhoods, parks, edges | Yards, parking lots, shrubs |
| Gray Catbird | Dumetella carolinensis | Common winter migrant | Shrub thickets, hammocks, mangroves | Brushy edges and parks |
| Eastern Bluebird | Sialia sialis | Locally common | Open fields, pine edges, nest boxes | Parks, fields, golf courses |
| Pine Warbler | Setophaga pinus | Common | Pine flatwoods, pine-oak woods | Pine areas in preserves and yards |
| Palm Warbler | Setophaga palmarum | Common winter migrant | Open lawns, marsh edges, fields | Yards, parks, wetland edges |
| Common Yellowthroat | Geothlypis trichas | Common | Marshes, wet thickets, brushy edges | Wetland trails and marsh vegetation |
| Northern Cardinal | Cardinalis cardinalis | Common | Yards, hammocks, shrubs | Backyards, parks, preserves |
| Red-winged Blackbird | Agelaius phoeniceus | Common | Marshes, fields, wetland edges | Celery Fields, cattails, ponds |
| Boat-tailed Grackle | Quiscalus major | Common | Coastal wetlands, parking lots, marshes | Coastal parks, ponds, parking lots |
| Painted Bunting | Passerina ciris | Seasonal/local | Scrubby thickets, brushy edges, feeders | Native plant gardens and scrubby preserves |
Native Reptiles Common to Sarasota County
This section includes 35 common or regularly occurring native animals in this category. Common names are linked to Wikipedia-style pages for quick reference.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Commonness | Typical Habitat | Where to See / Look |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Alligator | Alligator mississippiensis | Common | Freshwater wetlands, ponds, lakes, canals | Ponds, canals, Myakka River, wetlands |
| Gopher Tortoise | Gopherus polyphemus | Locally common | Scrub, sandy uplands, pine flatwoods | Sandy preserves, pine flatwoods, coastal uplands |
| Florida Softshell Turtle | Apalone ferox | Common | Ponds, lakes, canals, slow rivers | Freshwater ponds, canals, lakes |
| Peninsula Cooter | Pseudemys peninsularis | Common | Ponds, lakes, canals, rivers | Basking logs and pond edges |
| Florida Red-bellied Cooter | Pseudemys nelsoni | Common | Freshwater ponds and marshes | Wetlands and ponds with basking sites |
| Common Musk Turtle | Sternotherus odoratus | Present | Ponds, ditches, canals, slow water | Freshwater edges and vegetation |
| Striped Mud Turtle | Kinosternon baurii | Present | Shallow wetlands, ponds, ditches | Wetland margins and shallow ponds |
| Florida Box Turtle | Terrapene bauri | Present | Hammocks, flatwoods, wetland edges | Moist woods and preserve trails |
| Chicken Turtle | Deirochelys reticularia | Present | Shallow ponds, marshes, wet prairies | Seasonal wetlands and pond margins |
| Snapping Turtle | Chelydra serpentina | Present | Ponds, rivers, canals, marshes | Freshwater bodies and muddy banks |
| Diamondback Terrapin | Malaclemys terrapin | Locally present | Brackish marshes, mangroves, tidal creeks | Salt marshes and estuarine creeks |
| Loggerhead Sea Turtle | Caretta caretta | Seasonal nesting | Gulf waters and sandy beaches | Gulf beaches during nesting season |
| Green Sea Turtle | Chelonia mydas | Occasional/seasonal | Gulf waters, seagrass areas, beaches | Gulf waters and nesting beaches |
| Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle | Lepidochelys kempii | Occasional | Gulf coastal waters | Nearshore Gulf waters |
| Green Anole | Anolis carolinensis | Common | Trees, shrubs, fences, native vegetation | Yards, parks, shrubs |
| Six-lined Racerunner | Aspidoscelis sexlineatus | Common in sandy open areas | Scrub, sand trails, sunny open ground | Sandy trails, scrub, open pine flatwoods |
| Southeastern Five-lined Skink | Plestiodon inexpectatus | Common | Leaf litter, logs, tree trunks, hammocks | Wooded trails, logs, yards |
| Eastern Glass Lizard | Ophisaurus ventralis | Present | Grassy fields, pine flatwoods, wetlands edges | Grassy and sandy natural areas |
| Florida Scrub Lizard | Sceloporus woodi | Localized | Scrub and sandy uplands | Scrub preserves with open sand |
| Corn Snake / Red Rat Snake | Pantherophis guttatus | Common | Pine flatwoods, hammocks, barns, yards | Wooded edges, sheds, natural areas |
| Black Racer | Coluber constrictor priapus | Common | Yards, fields, scrub, woodland edges | Parks, yards, trails |
| Eastern Coachwhip | Masticophis flagellum | Present | Scrub, sandhills, open flatwoods | Sandy preserves and open trails |
| Southern Black Racer | Coluber constrictor priapus | Common | Open fields, yards, flatwoods | Neighborhoods, park edges, trails |
| Eastern Indigo Snake | Drymarchon couperi | Rare/protected | Scrub, flatwoods, hammocks, gopher tortoise burrows | Large connected natural areas |
| Yellow Rat Snake / Eastern Rat Snake | Pantherophis alleghaniensis | Common | Trees, hammocks, farms, yards | Wooded yards and park edges |
| Florida Water Snake | Nerodia fasciata pictiventris | Common near freshwater | Ponds, canals, marshes | Freshwater edges and vegetation |
| Banded Water Snake | Nerodia fasciata | Common near wetlands | Ponds, streams, wetlands, canals | Freshwater edges |
| Florida Green Water Snake | Nerodia floridana | Present | Marshes, lakes, ponds, canals | Freshwater wetlands |
| Florida Brown Snake | Storeria victa | Present | Leaf litter, gardens, wet woods | Yards, mulch, wooded edges |
| Ring-necked Snake | Diadophis punctatus | Present | Moist leaf litter, logs, hammocks | Under logs and leaf litter |
| Rough Green Snake | Opheodrys aestivus | Present | Shrubs, vines, wetland edges | Vegetation near wetlands and hammocks |
| Eastern Hognose Snake | Heterodon platirhinos | Present | Sandy soils, scrub, flatwoods | Sandy uplands and preserve trails |
| Pygmy Rattlesnake | Sistrurus miliarius | Common in natural areas | Flatwoods, marsh edges, pine woods, yards near habitat | Preserve trails, wetland margins |
| Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake | Crotalus adamanteus | Present | Pine flatwoods, scrub, palmetto, dry uplands | Large natural areas and rural edges |
| Cottonmouth / Water Moccasin | Agkistrodon piscivorus | Present near wetlands | Wetlands, marshes, pond margins, swamps | Freshwater wetlands and marsh edges |
Native Fish Common to Sarasota County
This section includes 56 common or regularly occurring native animals in this category. Common names are linked to Wikipedia-style pages for quick reference.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Commonness | Typical Habitat | Where to See / Look |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Snook / Common Snook | Centropomus undecimalis | Common | Estuaries, mangroves, passes, canals | Sarasota Bay, passes, mangrove shorelines |
| Red Drum / Redfish | Sciaenops ocellatus | Common | Seagrass flats, estuaries, mangrove shorelines | Sarasota Bay flats and mangrove edges |
| Spotted Seatrout | Cynoscion nebulosus | Common | Seagrass flats and estuaries | Bay grass flats and shallow open water |
| Sand Seatrout | Cynoscion arenarius | Common | Sandy bays, estuaries, Gulf nearshore | Bay channels, passes, nearshore Gulf |
| Silver Seatrout | Cynoscion nothus | Present | Bays, estuaries, Gulf waters | Channels and nearshore waters |
| Black Drum | Pogonias cromis | Common | Oyster bars, estuaries, bridges, passes | Bridges, piers, oyster/mangrove edges |
| Sheepshead | Archosargus probatocephalus | Common | Docks, reefs, bridges, oyster bars | Bridge pilings, docks, reefs |
| Pinfish | Lagodon rhomboides | Very common | Seagrass beds, docks, estuaries | Seagrass flats, docks, bay shallows |
| Pigfish | Orthopristis chrysoptera | Common | Seagrass beds, sandy bottoms, estuaries | Bay grass flats and nearshore Gulf |
| Gulf Menhaden | Brevoortia patronus | Common | Bays and Gulf coastal waters | Schools in bays and nearshore Gulf |
| Scaled Sardine / Pilchard | Harengula jaguana | Common | Bays, passes, Gulf nearshore | Nearshore bait schools |
| Bay Anchovy | Anchoa mitchilli | Very common | Estuaries and bays | Sarasota Bay and tidal creeks |
| Atlantic Thread Herring | Opisthonema oglinum | Common | Bays and Gulf waters | Passes, nearshore Gulf, bay schools |
| Striped Mullet | Mugil cephalus | Common | Estuaries, canals, bays, Gulf surf | Jumping schools in bays and canals |
| Fantail Mullet | Mugil gyrans | Present | Estuaries and shallow bays | Shallow bay and mangrove areas |
| Ladyfish | Elops saurus | Common | Estuaries, passes, nearshore Gulf | Sarasota Bay, beaches, passes |
| Tarpon | Megalops atlanticus | Seasonal/common | Passes, beaches, bays, rivers | Gulf beaches, passes, bridges, bays |
| Crevalle Jack | Caranx hippos | Common | Bays, passes, nearshore Gulf | Schools in bays and surf |
| Blue Runner | Caranx crysos | Common | Nearshore Gulf, passes, reefs | Passes, reefs, Gulf nearshore |
| Lookdown | Selene vomer | Present | Bays, passes, nearshore waters | Passes, bridge areas, bay channels |
| Florida Pompano | Trachinotus carolinus | Seasonal/common | Surf zones, passes, sandy beaches | Gulf beaches and passes |
| Permit | Trachinotus falcatus | Present/seasonal | Flats, passes, nearshore reefs | Gulf passes and deeper flats |
| Spanish Mackerel | Scomberomorus maculatus | Seasonal/common | Nearshore Gulf, bays, passes | Beaches, passes, bay schools |
| King Mackerel | Scomberomorus cavalla | Seasonal | Gulf nearshore/offshore waters | Nearshore Gulf and offshore reefs |
| Bluefish | Pomatomus saltatrix | Seasonal/common | Surf, passes, bays | Beaches, passes, bay channels |
| Cobia | Rachycentron canadum | Seasonal | Nearshore Gulf, bays, markers, rays | Buoys, beaches, Gulf structure |
| Tripletail | Lobotes surinamensis | Seasonal | Floating debris, crab buoys, bays | Crab trap floats and markers |
| Mangrove Snapper / Gray Snapper | Lutjanus griseus | Common | Mangroves, bridges, reefs, docks | Mangrove shorelines, docks, reefs |
| Lane Snapper | Lutjanus synagris | Common nearshore | Reefs, hardbottom, Gulf nearshore | Nearshore Gulf reefs and hardbottom |
| Red Grouper | Epinephelus morio | Common offshore | Gulf reefs and hardbottom | Offshore Gulf fishing grounds |
| Gag Grouper | Mycteroperca microlepis | Common offshore/seasonal inshore juveniles | Reefs, hardbottom, estuaries as juveniles | Offshore reefs; juveniles in estuaries |
| Goliath Grouper | Epinephelus itajara | Present | Reefs, bridges, mangroves as juveniles | Large structures, bridges, offshore reefs |
| Black Sea Bass | Centropristis striata | Common nearshore/offshore | Reefs, hardbottom, Gulf waters | Nearshore hardbottom and artificial reefs |
| Gulf Flounder | Paralichthys albigutta | Common | Sandy bottoms, passes, estuaries | Passes, sand edges, bay channels |
| Southern Flounder | Paralichthys lethostigma | Present | Estuaries, rivers, bays, sandy mud bottoms | Bay bottoms, passes, inlets |
| Hardhead Catfish | Ariopsis felis | Common | Bays, canals, passes, Gulf surf | Sarasota Bay, canals, beaches |
| Gafftopsail Catfish | Bagre marinus | Common | Estuaries, bays, surf, Gulf waters | Bay channels, passes, surf |
| Southern Stingray | Hypanus americanus | Common | Sandy flats, seagrass beds, bays | Shallow bay flats and sand areas |
| Atlantic Stingray | Hypanus sabinus | Common | Bays, estuaries, rivers, shallow Gulf | Bay shallows, canals, brackish waters |
| Bonnethead Shark | Sphyrna tiburo | Common | Seagrass beds, bays, shallow Gulf | Sarasota Bay flats and nearshore waters |
| Blacktip Shark | Carcharhinus limbatus | Common nearshore | Gulf nearshore, beaches, passes | Beaches, passes, nearshore Gulf |
| Bull Shark | Carcharhinus leucas | Present | Bays, estuaries, rivers, coastal Gulf | Large estuaries, passes, rivers |
| Nurse Shark | Ginglymostoma cirratum | Present | Reefs, channels, warm shallow waters | Nearshore reefs and hardbottom |
| Florida Gar | Lepisosteus platyrhincus | Common freshwater | Freshwater lakes, ponds, canals, marshes | Ponds, canals, Myakka River freshwater |
| Bowfin | Amia calva | Present freshwater | Swamps, marshes, slow rivers, ponds | Freshwater wetlands and backwaters |
| Florida Bass / Largemouth Bass | Micropterus salmoides floridanus | Common freshwater | Lakes, ponds, canals, slow rivers | Freshwater ponds, lakes, Myakka River |
| Bluegill | Lepomis macrochirus | Common freshwater | Ponds, lakes, canals, rivers | Freshwater ponds and lakes |
| Redear Sunfish | Lepomis microlophus | Common freshwater | Lakes, ponds, slow streams | Freshwater lakes and ponds |
| Warmouth | Lepomis gulosus | Present freshwater | Swamps, vegetated ponds, slow streams | Freshwater wetlands and vegetated ponds |
| Black Crappie | Pomoxis nigromaculatus | Common freshwater | Lakes, ponds, slow rivers | Freshwater lakes and canals |
| Channel Catfish | Ictalurus punctatus | Present freshwater | Rivers, ponds, lakes, canals | Freshwater canals and rivers |
| Brown Bullhead | Ameiurus nebulosus | Present freshwater | Ponds, ditches, slow streams | Freshwater ditches and ponds |
| American Eel | Anguilla rostrata | Present | Freshwater, estuaries, coastal waters | Rivers, canals, estuaries |
| Sheepshead Minnow | Cyprinodon variegatus | Common estuarine | Salt marshes, tidal pools, estuaries | Tidal creeks, mangrove edges, marsh pools |
| Rainwater Killifish | Lucania parva | Common estuarine/freshwater | Salt marsh, brackish ponds, ditches | Tidal creeks and marsh edges |
| Gulf Killifish | Fundulus grandis | Common estuarine | Salt marshes and tidal creeks | Marsh edges and mangrove creeks |
Link Directory
Below is a copy of every common-name link used in the animal tables above.
- Raccoon
- Virginia Opossum
- Nine-banded Armadillo
- Eastern Gray Squirrel
- Southern Fox Squirrel
- Marsh Rabbit
- Eastern Cottontail
- White-tailed Deer
- Bobcat
- Gray Fox
- North American River Otter
- Eastern Mole
- Cotton Rat
- Marsh Rice Rat
- Evening Bat
- Brazilian Free-tailed Bat
- Seminole Bat
- Northern Yellow Bat
- West Indian Manatee / Florida Manatee
- Common Bottlenose Dolphin
- Atlantic Spotted Dolphin
- Brown Pelican
- Double-crested Cormorant
- Anhinga
- Great Blue Heron
- Great Egret
- Snowy Egret
- Little Blue Heron
- Tricolored Heron
- Green Heron
- Black-crowned Night-Heron
- Yellow-crowned Night-Heron
- White Ibis
- Glossy Ibis
- Roseate Spoonbill
- Wood Stork
- Sandhill Crane
- Limpkin
- Mottled Duck
- Black-bellied Whistling-Duck
- Blue-winged Teal
- Osprey
- Bald Eagle
- Red-shouldered Hawk
- Cooper’s Hawk
- American Kestrel
- Wild Turkey
- Northern Bobwhite
- Killdeer
- Willet
- Spotted Sandpiper
- Ruddy Turnstone
- Laughing Gull
- Royal Tern
- Least Tern
- Black Skimmer
- Mourning Dove
- Common Ground Dove
- Barred Owl
- Eastern Screech-Owl
- Great Horned Owl
- Common Nighthawk
- Chimney Swift
- Ruby-throated Hummingbird
- Belted Kingfisher
- Red-bellied Woodpecker
- Pileated Woodpecker
- Downy Woodpecker
- Eastern Phoebe
- Great Crested Flycatcher
- Loggerhead Shrike
- Blue Jay
- American Crow
- Fish Crow
- Tufted Titmouse
- Carolina Wren
- Northern Mockingbird
- Gray Catbird
- Eastern Bluebird
- Pine Warbler
- Palm Warbler
- Common Yellowthroat
- Northern Cardinal
- Red-winged Blackbird
- Boat-tailed Grackle
- Painted Bunting
- American Alligator
- Gopher Tortoise
- Florida Softshell Turtle
- Peninsula Cooter
- Florida Red-bellied Cooter
- Common Musk Turtle
- Striped Mud Turtle
- Florida Box Turtle
- Chicken Turtle
- Snapping Turtle
- Diamondback Terrapin
- Loggerhead Sea Turtle
- Green Sea Turtle
- Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle
- Green Anole
- Six-lined Racerunner
- Southeastern Five-lined Skink
- Eastern Glass Lizard
- Florida Scrub Lizard
- Corn Snake / Red Rat Snake
- Black Racer
- Eastern Coachwhip
- Southern Black Racer
- Eastern Indigo Snake
- Yellow Rat Snake / Eastern Rat Snake
- Florida Water Snake
- Banded Water Snake
- Florida Green Water Snake
- Florida Brown Snake
- Ring-necked Snake
- Rough Green Snake
- Eastern Hognose Snake
- Pygmy Rattlesnake
- Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake
- Cottonmouth / Water Moccasin
- Snook / Common Snook
- Red Drum / Redfish
- Spotted Seatrout
- Sand Seatrout
- Silver Seatrout
- Black Drum
- Sheepshead
- Pinfish
- Pigfish
- Gulf Menhaden
- Scaled Sardine / Pilchard
- Bay Anchovy
- Atlantic Thread Herring
- Striped Mullet
- Fantail Mullet
- Ladyfish
- Tarpon
- Crevalle Jack
- Blue Runner
- Lookdown
- Florida Pompano
- Permit
- Spanish Mackerel
- King Mackerel
- Bluefish
- Cobia
- Tripletail
- Mangrove Snapper / Gray Snapper
- Lane Snapper
- Red Grouper
- Gag Grouper
- Goliath Grouper
- Black Sea Bass
- Gulf Flounder
- Southern Flounder
- Hardhead Catfish
- Gafftopsail Catfish
- Southern Stingray
- Atlantic Stingray
- Bonnethead Shark
- Blacktip Shark
- Bull Shark
- Nurse Shark
- Florida Gar
- Bowfin
- Florida Bass / Largemouth Bass
- Bluegill
- Redear Sunfish
- Warmouth
- Black Crappie
- Channel Catfish
- Brown Bullhead
- American Eel
- Sheepshead Minnow
- Rainwater Killifish
- Gulf Killifish
Final Thoughts
Sarasota County offers exceptional opportunities to enjoy native Florida wildlife. From dolphins and manatees in coastal waters to birds, reptiles, mammals, and fish found across wetlands, beaches, parks, and preserves, the region supports a rich variety of animals. Responsible wildlife viewing helps protect these species and the natural habitats they depend on.



