Florida Fauna & Flora – Red Fox

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 […]

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Florida Fauna & Flora – Southeastern American Kestrel

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 […]

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Florida Fauna & Flora – Black Bear

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 […]

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Florida Fauna & Flora – Florida Manatee

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 […]

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Florida Fauna & Flora – Roseate Spoonbill

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 […]

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Florida Fauna & Flora – Cane Toad

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 […]

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Florida Fauna & Flora – Alligator Snapping Turtle

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 […]

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Florida Fauna & Flora – Northern Bobwhite Quail

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. […]

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Florida Fauna & Flora – Ruby-throated Hummingbird

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 […]

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Florida Fauna & Flora – Blue Crabs

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 […]

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