River Critters
Discover the creatures of the river with Osprey Boat Tours
Birds
The thriving ecosystem of the St. John’s supports a myriad of bird species.
Coots, Ibis, owls, osprey, eagles, herons, pelicans, cranes, woodpeckers, scrub jays, and anhinga are just a few you might see along the river!
Reptiles
One of the stars of the river show, alligators are among the reptiles represented in the critter line up!
Turtles, lizards and snakes are equally numerous in and along the river.
Fish
The St. John’s River is renowned for it’s reputation as one of the premier Large Mouth Bass fishing locations! You can also expect such species as Crappie, Striped Bass, Red Fish, Channel Cats, Shad, Bluegill, Speckled Trout, Mullet, Croakers and Sheepshead.
River Otters
If you’re lucky, you will catch a glimpse of the North American River Otter.
These bright and playful creatures make their homes along the banks of the St. John’s where they produce litters of one to six young. They often are as curious about you as you are about them!
Manatee
Manatee (Sea Cows) frequent the St. John’s River year round, but are especially plentiful during the colder winter months when they arrive en masse to spend the winter in the consistent water temperature near the many springs on the river. Gentle and slow moving, we are careful to watch for them so as not to injure them.
Shellfish
We will probably not get to see these residents of the river, but rest assured they are there!
Freshwater shrimp and crabs play an important role in the health of the river, and are especially interesting to the fish who snack on them!