Lake Kissimmee
Encyclopedia
Lake Kissimmee is a Florida lake
located about 15 miles (24 km) east of Lake Wales
, Florida
, USA.
Lake Kissimee State Park is rich with wildlife, including bald eagles
, white tailed deer, bobcat
s, turkeys
, and sandhill cranes
. The main attraction is its "cow camp" where visitors can learn about 1876 era Florida cowboys.
The Joe Overstreet Road access to the lake is an internationally known area for birdwatching
, with Sandhill Crane
, introduced Whooping Crane
, Bald Eagle
, Black Vulture
, and shorebirds
prominent.
There are at least five islands in the lake. The largest is Brahma Island in the south. It is followed in size by Sturm Island in the north, which is separated from the mainland only by a narrow waterway. The other islands are Bird Island, Rabbit Island and Ox Island in the eastern part of the lake. Also Ox Island is separated from the mainland only by a very narrow waterway.
Lake
A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...
located about 15 miles (24 km) east of Lake Wales
Lake Wales, Florida
Lake Wales is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States. The population was 10,194 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 11,802 . It is part of the Lakeland–Winter Haven Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, USA.
Lake Kissimee State Park is rich with wildlife, including bald eagles
Bald Eagle
The Bald Eagle is a bird of prey found in North America. It is the national bird and symbol of the United States of America. This sea eagle has two known sub-species and forms a species pair with the White-tailed Eagle...
, white tailed deer, bobcat
Bobcat
The bobcat is a North American mammal of the cat family Felidae, appearing during the Irvingtonian stage of around 1.8 million years ago . With twelve recognized subspecies, it ranges from southern Canada to northern Mexico, including most of the continental United States...
s, turkeys
Turkey (bird)
A turkey is a large bird in the genus Meleagris. One species, Meleagris gallopavo, commonly known as the Wild Turkey, is native to the forests of North America. The domestic turkey is a descendant of this species...
, and sandhill cranes
Sandhill Crane
The Sandhill Crane is a large crane of North America and extreme northeastern Siberia. The common name of this bird references habitat like that at the Platte River, on the edge of Nebraska's Sandhills in the American Midwest...
. The main attraction is its "cow camp" where visitors can learn about 1876 era Florida cowboys.
The Joe Overstreet Road access to the lake is an internationally known area for birdwatching
Birdwatching
Birdwatching or birding is the observation of birds as a recreational activity. It can be done with the naked eye, through a visual enhancement device like binoculars and telescopes, or by listening for bird sounds. Birding often involves a significant auditory component, as many bird species are...
, with Sandhill Crane
Sandhill Crane
The Sandhill Crane is a large crane of North America and extreme northeastern Siberia. The common name of this bird references habitat like that at the Platte River, on the edge of Nebraska's Sandhills in the American Midwest...
, introduced Whooping Crane
Whooping Crane
The whooping crane , the tallest North American bird, is an endangered crane species named for its whooping sound. Along with the Sandhill Crane, it is one of only two crane species found in North America. The whooping crane's lifespan is estimated to be 22 to 24 years in the wild...
, Bald Eagle
Bald Eagle
The Bald Eagle is a bird of prey found in North America. It is the national bird and symbol of the United States of America. This sea eagle has two known sub-species and forms a species pair with the White-tailed Eagle...
, Black Vulture
American Black Vulture
The Black Vulture also known as the American Black Vulture, is a bird in the New World vulture family whose range extends from the southeastern United States to Central Chile and Uruguay in South America...
, and shorebirds
Wader
Waders, called shorebirds in North America , are members of the order Charadriiformes, excluding the more marine web-footed seabird groups. The latter are the skuas , gulls , terns , skimmers , and auks...
prominent.
There are at least five islands in the lake. The largest is Brahma Island in the south. It is followed in size by Sturm Island in the north, which is separated from the mainland only by a narrow waterway. The other islands are Bird Island, Rabbit Island and Ox Island in the eastern part of the lake. Also Ox Island is separated from the mainland only by a very narrow waterway.