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Description: The Fred C. Babcock/Cecil Webb Wildlife Management Area (BWWMA) is a 102 square mile area (~13 miles x 9 miles)(65,775 acres) located in Charlotte County.  A large percentage is open to the public for Bird watching and other out door activities.

Vegetation Communities: Dry Prairie (39%), Pineland (26%), Wet Prairie/Freshwater Marsh (18%), Grasslands (disturbed)(5%), Lakes and Ponds (3%), Shrub and brush (disturbed)(3%) Hardwood Hammock (2%), Barren land (disturbed)(2%), Cypress Swamp (1%), Mixed Pine/Hardwood 31 (<1%) .

The BWWMA and the YPU are the largest remaining tracts of South Florida slash pine habitat in Southwest Florida.
These two areas combined comprise 79,018 acres. Both areas are similar in habitat being comprised primarily of
pine-palmetto flatwoods with interspersed ponds. The ponds vary from seasonal to permanent. Most of the ponds
are seasonal. The YPU has pond cypress and bald cypress (Taxodium ascendens and distichum, respectively) strands
that are not present on the BWWMA.
Approximately 40% of the area is comprised of freshwater marshes, sloughs and seasonal ponds, 25% is pine
flatwoods, 28% dry prairies, 5% hammocks and 2% cypress strands. Freshwater marshes are dominated by saw
grass (Cladium jamaicense), pickeral weed (Pontederia cordata), fire flag (Thalia geniculata) and buttonbush
(Cephalanthus occidentalis). Pine flatwoods are dominated by south Florida slash pine (Pinus elliottii var. densa),
saw palmetto (Serenoa repens), wiregrass (Aristida spp.), and slough grass (Scleria reticularis). Dry praries are
dominated by wiregrass, saw palmetto, broomsedge (Andropogon spp.), gallberry (Ilex glabra) and blueberry
(Vaccinium spp.). Hammocks are dominated by live oak (Quercus virginianus), south Florida slash pine, green briar
(Smilax spp.), and poison ivy (Rhus radicans). Cypress strands on the YPU are dominated by pond cypress and bald
cypress.

Location: 5 miles south of Punta Gorda on Interstate 75, take exit 158,(Tuckers Grade). At exit ramp turn East, (Left) and drive 0.25 miles to the entrance.

Amenities: No rest rooms. Asphalt roads run alongside the lake for seven miles. All other roads are crushed shell and sand.  Roads offer good wildlife viewing. There are several places to walk.

Animal Species:

Babcock-Webb is well known for the following birds:

The more common birds that you will likely encounter include:

Pied-billed grebe Podilymbus podiceps
Double-crested cormorant Phalacrocorax auritus
Anhinga Anhinga anhinga
American bittern Botaurus lentiginosus
Least bittern Ixobrychus exilis
Great blue heron Ardea herodias
Great egret Casmerodius albus
Cattle egret Bubulcus ibis
Green-backed heron Butorides striatus
Black-crowned night heron Nycticorax nycticorax
Yellow- crowned night heron Nycticorax violacea
White ibis Eudocimus albus
Glossy ibis Plegadis falcinellus
Mottled duck Anas fulvigula
Northern pintail Anas acuta
Blue-winged teal Anas discors
Northern shoveler Anas clypeata
Lesser scaup Aythya affinis
Ring-necked duck Aythya collaris
Wood duck Aix sponsa
Red-breasted merganser Mergus serrator
Hooded merganser Lophodytes cucullatus
Snow geese Chen carolinensis
Black vulture Coragyps atratus
Turkey vulture Cathartes aura
Southeastern American kestrel Falco sparverius paulus
Cooper's hawk Accipiter cooperii
Sharp-shinned hawk Accipiter striatus
Red-shouldered hawk Buteo lineatus
Broad-winged hawk Buteo platypterus
Short-tailed hawk Buteo brachyurus
Red-tailed hawk Buteo jamaicensis
Northern harrier Circus cyaneus
American swallow-tailed kite Elanoides forficatus
Osprey Pandion haliaetus
Northern bobwhite Colinus virginianus
Wild turkey Meleagris gallopavo

Virginia rail Rallus limicola
Sora Porzana carolina
King rail Rallus elegans
American coot Fulica Americana
Common moorhen Gallinula chloropus
Purple gallinule Porphyrula martinica
Killdeer Charadrius vociferus
American woodcock Scolopax minor
Common snipe Gallinago gallinago
Black-necked stilt Himanoptis mexicanus
Greater yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca
Lesser yellowlegs Tringa flavipes
Spotted sandpiper Actitis macularia
Solitary sandpiper Tringa solitaria
Least sandpiper Calidris minutilla
Short-billed dowitcher Limnodromus griseus
Laughing gull Larus atricilla
Ring-billed gull Larus delawarensis
Least tern Sterna antillarum
Caspian tern Sterna caspia
Royal tern Sterna maxima
Mourning dove Zenaida macroura
Common ground dove Columbina passerina
Smooth-billed ani Crotophaga ani
Great horned owl Bubo virginianus
Barred owl Strix varia
Eastern screech owl Otus asio
Burrowing owl Athene cunicularia
Common nighthawk Chordeiles minor
Chuck-will's-widow Caprimulgus carolinensis
Chimney swift Chaetura pelagica
Ruby-throated hummingbird Archilochus colubris
Belted kingfisher Ceryle alcyon
Red-bellied woodpecker Melanerpes carolinus
Red headed woodpecker Melanerpes erythrocephalus
Yellow-bellied sapsucker Sphyrapicus varius
Downy woodpecker Picoides pubescens

Hairy woodpecker Picoides villosus
Red-cockaded woodpecker Picoides borealis
Northern flicker Colaptes auratus
Pileated woodpecker Dryocopus pileatus
Eastern phoebe Sayornis phoebe
Great crested flycatcher Myiarchus crinitus
Eastern kingbird Tyrannus tyrannus
Least flycatcher Empidonax minimus
Barn swallow Hirundo rustica
Purple martin Progne subis
Tree swallow Tachycineta bicolor
Blue jay Cyanocitta cristata
American crow Corvus brachyrhynchos
Fish crow Corvus ossifragus
Tufted titmouse Parus bicolor
Brown-headed nuthatch Sitta pusilla
House wren Troglodytes aedon
Carolina wren Thryothorus ludovicianus
Blue-gray gnatcatcher Polioptila caerulea
Eastern bluebird Sialia sialis
American robin Turdus migratorius
Swainson's thrush Catharus guttatus
Gray catbird Dumetella carolinensis
Northern mockingbird Mimus polyglottos
Brown thrasher Toxostoma rufum
Cedar waxwing Bombycilla cedrorum
Loggerhead shrike Lanius ludovicianus
European starling Sturnus vulgaris
White-eyed vireo Vireo griseus
Solitary vireo Vireo solitarius
Blue-winged warbler Vermivora pinus
Orange-crowned warbler Vermivora celata
Northern parula Parula americana
Yellow warbler Dendroica petechia
Cape may warbler Dendroica tigrina
Black-throated blue warbler Dendroica caerulescens
Yellow-rumped warbler Dendroica coronata

Chestnut-sided warbler Dendroica pensylvanica
Black-throated green warbler Dendroica virens
Yellow-throated warbler Dendroica dominica
Pine warbler Dendroica pinus
Prairie warbler Dendroica discolor
Palm warbler Dendroica palmarum
Blackpoll warbler Dendroica striata
Black-and-white warbler Mniotilta varia
American redstart Setophaga ruticilla
Worm-eating warbler Helmitheros vermivorus
Swainson's warbler Limnothlypis swainsonii
Kentucky warbler Oporornis formosus
Common yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas
Yellow-breasted chat Icteria virens
Ovenbird Seiurus aurocapillus
Northern waterthrush Seiurus noveboracensis
Louisiana waterthrush Seiurus motacilla
Summer tanager Piranga rubra
Northern cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis
Painted bunting Passerina ciris
Rufous-sided towhee Pipilo erythrophthalmus
Bachman's sparrow Aimophila aestivalis
Chipping sparrow Spizella passerina
Vesper sparrow Pooecetes gramineus
Lark sparrow Chondestes grammacus
Savannah sparrow Passerculus sandwichensis
Grasshopper sparrow Ammodramus savannarum
Song sparrow Melospiza melodia
American goldfinch Carduelis tristis
Red-winged blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus
Eastern meadowlark Sturnella magna
Rusty blackbird Euphagus carolinus
Boat-tailed grackle Quiscalus major
Common grackle Quiscalus quiscula
Brown-headed cowbird Molothrus ater
Bobolink Dolichonyx oryzivorus

Documented Mammals:

Virginia opossum Didelphis virginiana
Southern short-tailed shrew Blarina carolinensis
Least shrew Cryptotis parva
Eastern pipistrelle bat Pipistrellus subflavus
Big brown bat Eptesicus fuscus
Seminole bat Lasiurus seminolus
Evening bat Nycticeius humeralis
Brazilian free-tailed bat Tadarida brasiliensis
Nine-banded armadillo Dasypus novemcinctus
Eastern cottontail Sylvilagus floridanus
Marsh rabbit Sylvilagus palustris
Gray squirrel Sciurus carolinensis
Marsh rice rat Oryzomys palustris
Florida cotton mouse Peromyscus gossypinus palmarius
Hispid cotton rat Sigmodon hispidus
Gray fox Urocyon cinereoargenteus
Red fox Vulpes vulpes
Raccoon Procyon lotor
River otter Lutra canadensis

Striped skunk Mephitis mephitis
Long-tailed weasel Mustela frenata
Spotted skunk Spilogale putorius
Bobcat Felis rufus
White-tailed deer Odocoileus virginiana
Feral hog Sus scrofa

Documented Reptiles and Amphibians:

Eastern glass lizard Ophisaurus ventralis
Eastern slender glass lizard Ophisaurus attenuatus longicaudus
Brown anole Anolis sagrei
Carolina anole Anolis carolinensis
Southeastern five-lined skink Eumeces inexpectatus
Ground skink Scincella lateralis
Six-lined racerunner Cnemidophorus sexlineatus
Scarlet snake Cemophora coccinea
Southern black racer Coluber constrictor priapus
Southern ring-necked snake Diadophis punctatus punctatus
Red rat snake Elaphe guttata guttata
Yellow rat snake Elaphe obsoleta quadrivittata
Eastern hognose snake Heterodon platyrhinos
Florida kingsnake Lampropeltis getula floridana
Eastern coachwhip snake Masticophis flagellum flagellum
Florida green water snake Nerodia cyclopion floridana
Florida banded water snake Nerodia fasciata pictiventris
Rough green snake Opheodrys aestivus
Black swamp snake Seminatrix pygaea
Florida brown snake Storeria dekayi
Peninsula ribbon snake Thamnophis sauritus sirtalis
Eastern garter snake Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis
Eastern coral snake Micrurus fulvius
Florida cottonmouth Agkistrodon piscivorus conanti
Eastern diamondback rattlesnake Crotalus adamanteus
Dusky pygmy rattlesnake Sistrurus miliarius barbouri
Florida snapping turtle Chelydra serpentina
Florida red-bellied turtle Pseudemys nelsoni
Florida chicken turtle Deirochelys reticularia chrysea
Florida box turtle Terrapene carolina bauri
Florida mud turtle Kinosternon subrubrum steindachneri
Striped mud turtle Kinosternon baurii palmarum
Stinkpot turtle Sternotherus odoratus
Florida soft-shelled turtle Apalone ferox
Oak toad Bufo quercicus
Southern toad Bufo terrestris
Southern cricket frog Acris gryllus dorsalis
Green tree frog Hyla cinerea
Pine woods treefrog Hyla femoralis

Barking treefrog Hyla gratiosa
Squirrel treefrog Hyla squirella
Little grass frog Pseudacris ocularis
Southern chorus frog Pseudacris nigrita
Eastern narrow-mouthed toad Gastrophryne carolinensis
Pig frog Rana grylio
Southern leopard frog Rana utricularia
Two-toed amphiuma Amphiuma means
Peninsular newt Notophthalmus viridescens piaro

A great variaty of reptiles and amphibians are found although a list has not been compiled.

Table 6. Fish species either observed or expected to occur BWMA.
Common name Scientific name
Common snook Centropomus undecimalis
Florida gar Lepisosteus platyrhincus
Golden shiner Notemigonus crysoleucas
Taillight shiner Notropis maculatus
Yellow bullhead Ictalurus natalis
Brown bullhead Ictalurus nebulosus
Golden topminnow Fundulus chrysotus
Marsh killifish Fundulus confluentus
Mosquitofish Gambusia affinis
Least killifish Heterandria formosa
Seminole killifish Fundulus seminolis
Sailfin molly Poecilia latipinna
Brook silverside Labidesthes sicculus
Bluespotted sunfish Enneacanthus gloriosus
Warmouth Lepomis gulosus
Bluegill Lepomis macrochirus
Dollar sunfish Lepomis marginatus
Redear sunfish Lepomis microlophus
Spotted sunfish Lepomis punctatus
Largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides
Swamp darter Etheostoma fusiforme
Fat sleeper Dormitator maculatus
Flagfish Jordanella floridae
Threadfin shad Dorosoma petenense

Table 7. List of threatened (T), endangered (E), and species of special concern (SSC) that occur
within or in the vicinity of BWWMA.

Common name Scientific name State Federal
Peregrine falcon Falco peregrinus E T
Bald eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus T E
Wood stork Mycteria americana E E
Red-cockaded woodpecker Picoides borealis T E
Crested caracara Caracara plancus T T
Florida sandhill crane Grus canadensis pratensis T -
Southeastern American kestrel Falco sparverius paulus T -
Roseate spoonbill Ajaia ajaja SSC -
Limpkin Aramus guarauna SSC -
Little blue heron Egretta caerulea SSC -
Snowy egret Egretta thula SSC -
Tricolored heron Egretta tricolor SSC -
Gopher tortoise Gopherus polyphemus SSC -
Eastern indigo snake Drymarchon corais couperi T T
American alligator Alligator mississippiensis SSC T
Florida black bear Ursus americanus floridanus T -
Everglades mink Mustela vison evergladensis T -
Sherman's fox squirrel Sciurus niger shermani SSC -
Florida mastiff bat Eumops glaucinus floridanus E -