Hammocks, the name generally given to forests in Florida that are not composed mostly of pines, are found throughout the state. The types of trees found in hammocks varies from north to south. North Florida has the most diverse hardwood forests in the continental US, featuring beeches and magnolias. Particularly rare plant communities can be found on the slope forests in this region. Cabbage palm-live oak hammocks are common in central and south central Florida. Further south, they are less diverse until, in the extreme south, the forests contain primarily tropical tree species such as poisonwood and gumbo-limbo. Hammocks can be dry or wet, and can take over pinelands that are not managed using fire. Painted Buntings, Swallow-Tailed Kites, and Short-Winged Hawks can be found in hardwood hammocks.
