Egret in Florida Everglades

Wetlands

Wetland habitats are complex and found all over the planet, from the polar regions to the tropics. They include marshes, swamps, bogs, and lagoons, and they are constantly changing, based on the seasons, water levels, tides, and migrations of birds and mammals. Wetlands may have areas of permanent standing water, although that may change with rainy and dry seasons, or they may be areas of damp, muddy, waterlogged soil. Wetlands support a variety of animals, but they are perhaps best known as seasonal or permanent homes for hundreds of bird species, from herons and storks to eagles, kingfishers, and ibises.