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Tag: Florida wildlife

Florida Fauna & Flora – Red Fox

 

Florida Fauna & Flora – Red Fox

 

Red foxes are the size of a small dog and weigh 10 to 15 pounds. Not including their long, bushy tails, they measure about 2 feet long. Red foxes have red hair that varies from rust-colored to golden-red, white bellies, black ear tips and legs. Their hairy, red, bushy tails usually have a white tip.

 

This fox is primarily nocturnal, but you may find it feeding during the day. It is most active at dawn and dusk. Its diet includes rabbits, mice and rats. It may kill more than it can eat and bury the extra for a later meal.

 

Red fox pairs usually mate for life. Breeding takes place in late fall or winter, with gestation lasting 53 days. An average of 5 blind, helpless pups are born per litter that nurse for 2 months and live and learn from adults for about 6 months.

 

Red foxes are a naturalized but not native Florida animal. A naturalized animal has moved into an area and adapted, created a stable or expanding population, and does not require aid for survival or reproduction.

 

Fun Fauna Fact: Gray foxes are often confused with red foxes because much of their hair is red. Red foxes are found in fields and weedy pastures, while gray foxes are more often found in heavily wooded areas.

 

Source: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

 

Read the full November 2021 SECO News online.

Florida Fauna & Flora – Southeastern American Kestrel

 

Florida Fauna & Flora – Southeastern American Kestrel

 

A native Florida raptor, the southeastern American kestrel is the smallest falcon found in the United States. Its white face has black “tears” extending down from its eyes. Its brown back has black flecking, its belly is white and its tail is russet. The male’s wings have bluish-gray markings, while the female’s wings are a less colorful brown.

 

Kestrels’ raise up to four chicks per nesting season which is early spring to June. They nest in holes in dead trees or cavities made by pileated woodpecker. Their habitat includes open woodlands, sandhills and pine savannahs, but alternate habitats in residential areas are pastures and open fields. Nest boxes have become an essential artificial substitute.

 

Kestrels feed on insects and small mammals. They perch up high to find their prey and then fly in to catch a meal with their feet.

 

The southeastern American kestrel is listed on Florida’s Threatened Species List. Kestrels are threatened by the loss of habitat, pollutants and collisions with vehicles and aircraft.

 

Fun Fauna Fact: The kestrels found in May and June are southeastern American kestrels that live in Florida year-round. The northern American kestrel is a true Florida snowbird. This subspecies migrates here from September through April.

 

Source: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

 

Read the full October 2021 SECO News online.

 

Florida Fauna & Flora – Black Bear

 

Florida Fauna & Flora – Florida Black Bear

 

The largest land mammal in Florida and the only bear found in the state is the black bear. Males weigh 250 to 450 pounds, while females weigh 125 to 250 pounds. Females give birth to 1 to 5 cubs that are born blind and weigh only 8 to 15 ounces.

 

Black bears are a Florida conservation success. Florida’s bear population dropped to under 500 in the 1970s. In 1974, they were listed as Threatened and placed on the Endangered and Threatened Species List. With a population of over 4,000, bears were removed from the protected list in 2012.

 

Florida black bears are athletic – they run up to 35 mph, climb 100 feet up a tree in 30 seconds and are active swimmers. Black bears travel large areas of land to survive. A male’s home range is about 60 square miles, while females have a home range of about 15 miles.

 

Bears are most active at dusk and dawn, and are coming in closer contact with people. Read this month’s Advice from The Old Farmer’s Almanac on page 2 of SECO News to learn how to spot the signs of bear activity close to your home.

 

Fun Faun Fact: Florida black bears have a remarkable sense of smell. They can detect scents up to a mile away.

 

Source: Florida Wildlife Federation

 

Read the full July 2021 SECO News online.

Florida Fauna & Flora – Florida Manatee

 

Florida Fauna & Flora – Florida Manatee

 

One animal that is uniquely Floridian is the manatee. Florida manatees are native to Florida and are a sub-species of the West Indian manatee. These gentle giants grow to 9 – 10 feet long and weigh in at about 1,000 pounds. This gray aquatic mammal has two fore-limb flippers and a paddle-shaped tail that help it steer and propel through the water. Manatees can hold their breath for up to 20 minutes. When active, they rise up to breathe every 3 to 5 minutes.

 

Manatees are herbivores who spend up to 8 hours a day grazing on aquatic plants and seagrass, and eating about 10% of their body weight daily. They have no front teeth – only molars in the back of their mouth that are replaced when a tooth is lost.

 

Scientists are concerned about the number of observed manatee deaths this year. In 2021, there are 539 recorded deaths from January 1 through March 19, compared to 637 total deaths for 2020. This is an alarming trend that is on the rise. Manatee deaths can be attributed to a decline in seagrass and added pollution.

 

Fun Fauna Fact: Manatees have been a protected species in Florida since 1893. They feed and rest in shallow waters which makes them an easy target for boats.

 

Source: Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission

 

Read the full May SECO News online.

Florida Fauna & Flora – Roseate Spoonbill

 

Florida Fauna & Flora – Roseate Spoonbill

 

One of Florida’s most unique and colorful birds is the roseate spoonbill. This species is the only spoonbill that is native to the Western Hemisphere. It has pink wings, long pink legs and a white neck and back. There is no color difference between males and females of the species.

 

Spoonbills get their name from their spoon-shaped bill. This bird uses its bill to sweep side to side to capture prey in shallow water. The bird’s pink color comes from the organisms they eat that are full of organic pigments called carotenoids.

 

Roseate spoonbills have a wingspan of 50 to 53 inches and grow to a length of 30 to 40 inches. Males retrieve nest-building materials while females build the nest. Females lay no more than 3 eggs, and both parents help with incubation duties while waiting about 24 days for the eggs to hatch.

 

Fun Fauna Fact: Roseate spoonbills were once threatened by hunters for their feathers. Because this practice is now illegal, the population has rebounded. The bird is still protected by the U.S. Migratory Bird Treaty Act and is a Florida Threatened species.

 

Read the full April 2021 SECO News online.

Florida Fauna & Flora – Cane Toad

 

Florida Fauna & Flora – Cane Toad

 

Cane toads are native species from South America to southern Texas. The toads were introduced to Florida and have flourished as an invasive species. Also called a bufo, giant or marine toad, its body is reddish brown, dark brown, or gray. Some are uniform in color or could have darker markings.

 

Cane toads do not have ridges across their heads as seen on native southern toads. Cane toads are also much larger than native southern toads. They grow as large as nine inches, while southern toads grow to four inches.

 

Toads and frogs are often praised for their effective pest control abilities, but cane toads can be toxic or deadly to pets. They have enlarged glands behind their eyes which secrete bufotoxin as a form of defense against predators. Cane toad tadpoles are also poisonous if ingested.

 

Do not handle these toads without gloves and eye protection. Call ASPCA Pet Poison Control at (888) 426-4435 or your veterinarian if you suspect your pet has come in contact with a cane toad or tadpole.

 

Fun Fauna Fact: Cane toads were brought to Florida to control pests in sugar can crops in the 1930s and 40s. Escaped toads and the pet trade in the 50s and 60s are likely responsible for today’s large population.

 

Source: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

 

Read the full March 2021 SECO News online.

Florida Fauna & Flora – Alligator Snapping Turtle

 

Florida Fauna & Flora – Alligator Snapping Turtle

 

Alligator snapping turtles look like a holdover from prehistoric times when dinosaurs roamed the earth. You can find this unique reptile throughout the southeastern United States and as far north as Iowa. It is the largest species of fresh-water turtle.

 

Alligator snapping turtles rarely venture onto land. Females lay eggs on the ground then quickly return underwater. This carnivore has a tongue with a bright-red piece of flesh that resembles a worm. The species lays on the bottom of a riverbed or lake with its mouth open to lure fish directly into its mouth. This turtle can hold its breath underwater for 40 to 50 minutes.

 

These turtles are giant – males may weigh up to 200 pounds. Alligator snapping turtles have no predators in the wild. They are not on the endangered species list, but their numbers are dwindling because humans like to trap them for their distinctive shells and meat. Many states have bans on killing these turtles.

 

Fun Fauna Fact: Prey has a hard time hiding from alligator snapping turtles. They can taste substances secreted by prey in the water that alerts them when a tasty meal is hiding nearby.

 

Source: The National Wildlife Federation

 

Read the full February 2021 SECO News online.

Florida Fauna & Flora – Northern Bobwhite Quail

Northern bobwhite quails are medium-sized birds with round bodies, short tails and short necks. Their plumage is reddish-brown with white and gray streaks. Bobwhites are named for their distinctive “bob-white” call.

 

Bobwhite quails feed and roost in coveys of 8 to 25 birds. They forage on the ground for seeds, insects, fruits and plants. Females lay 12 to 16 eggs in a shallow nest built on the ground hidden beneath vegetation. Adults measure about 10 inches from the tip of beak to tail.

 

This quail is found throughout most of Florida except the southern tip. Muted plumage makes them hard to spot in their preferred habit of grassy fields and pine woods. Pesticide use and loss of habitats are contributing factors to the decline in northern bobwhite quail numbers. Its conservation status is “near threatened.”

 

Fun Fauna Fact: Northern bobwhite quails are the only galliform (an order of ground-feeding birds that includes turkey, pheasant, chickens, peafowl and more) native to eastern North America.

 

Read the full November 2020 SECO News online.

Florida Fauna & Flora – Ruby-throated Hummingbird

 

Florida Fauna & Flora – Ruby-throated Hummingbird

 

The most common hummingbird found in Florida is the ruby-throated hummingbird. You may also see black-chinned and rufous hummingbirds according to the University of Florida IFAS Extension. The ruby-throated hummingbird is also eastern North America’s only breeding hummingbird.

 

Ruby-throated hummingbirds are tiny. They measure only three inches long and weigh less than a penny. Males have the signature ruby-red feathers on their throats. Their back feathers are green, and they have two sets of green and black tail feathers. As is the case with many birds, females are less colorful; their feathers are green, white and black.

 

Hummingbirds do not hum. The noise is the rapid flapping of their wings. Ruby-throated hummingbirds beat their wings about 53 times per second. Hummingbirds can hover in the air, move forward and backward, down and upside down. Hummingbirds cannot soar, and their very short legs prevent them from walking or hopping.

 

Fun Fauna Fact: Hummingbirds have excellent color vision. Like many birds, they can see into the ultraviolet spectrum which humans can’t see.

 

Read the full August 2020 SECO News online.

Florida Fauna & Flora – Blue Crabs

Blue crabs are found in the western Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. This crab is an omnivore – eating both plants and animals. Its typical diet is small fish, plants, annelids and almost anything else it can ingest.

 

Crabs grow by shedding their shells or molting. Blue crabs molt about 25 times during their 3-year lifecycle. Crabbing requires a Florida saltwater fishing license unless you are trying to catch blue crabs from the shore with fishing line or rope. Chicken legs and oily fish are popular bait choices.

 

In Florida, crabbers can harvest female blue crabs, but it is illegal to harvest females carrying eggs. For conservation purposes, return female blue crabs to the water. Females are easily identified by their red-tipped claws. Blue crab males have blue claws.

 

FUN FAUNA FACT: BLUE CRABS CAN SWIM. Many crabs walk or run along the waters’ bottom, but crabs in the Portunidea family have paddle-shaped backlegs called swimmeretes that rotate allowing blue crabs to swim.

 

Read the full June 2020 SECO News online.