Spirit of the Swamp Airboat Tours

Many people don’t realize how many of Florida’s beautiful and rare birds they’ll see on an airboat ride!  Michael and his family took an airboat ride with us, and here’s what he had to say: 

I’ve made an Excel spreadsheet of the birds I saw either from the boat, or on land near your boat launch. Considering the trip was in the heat of the day, and in the middle of summer, it isn’t a bad list for a trip that is NOT focused on birds.  

Here’s Michael’s list of birds:  Wild Turkey, Double-Crested Cormorant, Anhinga, Green Heron, Great Egret, Great Blue Heron, Snowy Egret, Cattle Egret, Tricolored Heron, Little Blue Heron, Wood Stork, Turkey Vulture, Black Vulture, Osprey, Bald Eagle, Crested Caracara, Limpkin, Purple Gallinule, Common Moorhen, American Coot, Sandhill Crane, Rock Pigeon, Mourning Dove, Belted Kingfisher, Florida Scrub-Jay, American Crow, Common Grackle, Osceola Turkey and Boat-tailed Grackle.

By the way, Linda, our son Brandt, and I all had a wonderful time.   We loved it and have no regrets at having chosen the 2-hour trip.   It seems that the short trips couldn’t possibly get one back into the more remote sections of the county as you were able to do with the longer trip.   Thanks again.  Michael Hay

Many people ask us what types of wildlife they should expect to see on an airboat ride… here are just some of Florida’s birds you may see:  bald eagle, great white egret, snowy egret, cattle egret, blue heron, limpkin, ibis, glossy  ibis, wood stork, snail kite, hawks, red shoulder blackbird, gallinule, wild turkey, sandhill crane, roseate spoonbill, osprey, crested caracara, coot and mud hens, plover, gulls, pelicans, cormorant, owls, kingfisher, ducks, and anhinga.  Wow, that’s a lot of birds and I’m sure I missed some!

We also see alligators, turtles, deer, raccoon, armadillo, otters, bobcat, coyote, possums, wild hogs, swamp cattle, foxes, snakes and many more!

Like I said, if you love nature, this is the airboat ride for you!

Matt and Sarah Richardson went on an airboat tour with us earlier this month.  Please check out their review on Trip Advisor:  http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g34601-d1105578-r28642320-Spirit_of_the_Swamp_Airboat_Tours-Saint_Cloud_Florida.html

 Here’s a snippet of the review:

I would highly recommend this tour to anyone and we cannot wait till we return again next year to try and organise a longer tour.

 Matt & Sarah:

Breathtaking Dead River

 Gator Swimming

Gator Walking off the Bank

Crested Caracara Eating a Fish