Hen & Chickens

Hen and Chickens is a patch reef in the Florida Keys off Islamorada, sitting between the shore and the outer reef line in shallow water typical of that stretch of the Keys. It reaches a maximum depth of around 10.7 metres and is rated a beginner dive, making it a popular spot for snorkeling and introductory dives. The reef takes its name from a cluster of coral heads resembling a hen with chicks around her, and it hosts typical Keys reef life such as parrotfish, grunts, and small tropical fish, with divers also reporting angelfish here. Because of its shallow, sheltered nature, it remains an easy, accessible site for those starting out.

Confirmed by our research team, reported by independent divers, or observed nearby via iNaturalist — each entry is labelled with its source.

• Caribbean Bluehead WrasseThalassoma bifasciatumReported here · unconfirmed
• Bicolor DamselfishStegastes partitusReported here · unconfirmed
• Redband ParrotfishSparisoma aurofrenatumReported here · unconfirmed
• Striped ParrotfishScarus iseriReported here · unconfirmed
• Yellowhead WrasseHalichoeres garnotiReported here · unconfirmed
• Brazilian Ocean SurgeonfishAcanthurus bahianusReported here · unconfirmed
• Slippery DickHalichoeres bivittatusReported here · unconfirmed
• Clown WrasseHalichoeres maculipinnaReported here · unconfirmed
• White GruntHaemulon plumieriiReported here · unconfirmed
• Atlantic Blue TangAcanthurus coeruleusReported here · unconfirmed
• AngelfishAngelfishReported here · unconfirmed