Wikipedia's definition of a snowbird is a North American term for a person who moves from the higher latitudes and colder climates of the northern United States and Canada and migrates southward in winter to warmer locales such as Florida, California, Arizona, Texas, or elsewhere along the Sun Belt of the southern United States.

The term “snowbird” is the nickname for the Dark-eyed Junco bird. The “politically correct” term is “winter visitors” and is made up of mostly retirees who join us seasonally to enjoy our warmer climate. But, how about a deeper look at some of our favorite Florida winter friends and why we love them?

Making the annual trip isn’t as easy as just hopping in the car.Think packing for a weekend trip is hard? Try packing for three to six months! Deciding what to pack, store, and leave behind is a huge issue. A snowbird's checklist typically includes changing addresses with the postal service, hiring a home watch service for their primary home, registering their vehicle in the secondary state, making sure important tax, insurance, and other documents are in proper order and kept safe, and arranging for long-term medical care and prescriptions on top of dozens of other tasks! Whew!

Snowbirding is done for more important reasons than just getting a tan. Maintaining an active and healthy lifestyle is important at any age, but after a certain age, the risk of slipping on ice becomes extremely dangerous and even life-threatening! Freezing weather conditions in their native states limit healthy habits like bike riding, walking and golfing, so for snowbirds, avoiding winter altogether is a perfect way to keep up healthy habits, avoid injuries and soak up nature’s most potent source of Vitamin D!

Snowbirds often rent out their secondary homes when they return north.

Snowbirds typically live in their primary (Summer) residence between April and October, and some even list their winter homes for rent. This arrangement works perfectly for warm weather renters looking to jump on great property available the rest of the year!

Many snowbirds eventually become “sunbirds.” Let’s face it, it’s hard not to love Florida, and it’s understandable that a great number of snowbirds grow to love us enough to make our community their permanent home while making trips back to visit the north a few times a year!