Although squarely situated amid the bustling cities of Orlando and Oviedo in Florida, the shores of Lake Jessop remain hauntingly wild.

Its waterways cover almost 30 miles of Seminole County. These marshy floodplains are part of the St. John’s River System. The lake’s south shore is deeply rustic and heavily wooded. Florida birding is at its best between these coastal waters and the open sky at Black Hammock. 

Get Exclusive Access from Orlando Airboat Rides

Black Hammock is infamous for its almost other-worldly wilderness. Various local birds and animals can be found among the lush upland forests and crowded, full-grown foliage. 

Stroll through Black Hammock’s trails or boardwalks to pique your appreciation of nature and local wildlife before stepping foot on one of their amazing boat tours. 

You won’t have long to wait. Airboat rides depart from Black Hammock into Lake Jesup every half hour. All airboat pilots at Black Hammock have their Master Airboat Captain License and skillfully lead tours through alligator-infested waters, which display the history of Lake Jesup, Bird Island, early explorers, fossils, and more. 

With a licensed, skilled captain guiding each voyage, passengers are safe to settle in and truly enjoy the breathtaking, panoramic ride. 

Only a water approach allows for a truly up close and personal observation of the colonies of wading birds in their nesting and feeding habitats. Each Black Hammock airboat tour does not disturb the local environment, or the animals that live in it, which makes for an exciting, eco-friendly experience that is fulfilling for guests and safe for animals.

See Elusive Species in Their Natural Habitats

Jesup’s swampy shorelines, high humidity, and dense vegetation make advantageous nesting grounds for wading birds. So too does the fact that alligators can’t climb trees. As your airboat slowly circles Bird Island, listen and look for some of these known inhabitants:

• Belted Kingfisher
• Cattle Egret
• Glossy Ibis
• Great Blue Heron
• Great Heron
• Little Blue Heron
• Reddish Egret
• Snowy Egret
• Tricolored Heron
• White Ibis
• Woodstork

In addition to hundreds of wading birds, glorious bald eagles and baby eaglets are common around Lake Jesup.

Orlando airboat rides are an impressive and intimate way to discover feathery friends along the watery, wooded shorelines of Bird Island.

Discover an Immersive Experience for All Ages

Whether you are a diehard birder or this is your fledgling flight, an airboat adventure is the most authentic way to discover all of the sights and flights of Bird Island.

Book an excursion, and discover a destination where backwaters, birdlife, and biodiversity just come naturally.

If it flies in the skies or walks in the waters, it will be in your sights when you’re aboard a Black Hammock airboat because we take you right up to their front yards and back.