Native plants are suited to a given ecosystem or region due to their natural evolution with little to no human intervention. Native plants support the biodiversity in their natural region better than exotic plants, that were introduced to the area from other parts of the world. Each type of plant has a different job in […]
Cooper’s Hawk
This is a juvenile Cooper’s Hawk, which can be seen from the brown upper feathers and streaks of brown on the under feathers. Adults have blue-gray upper feathers and dark bands on the tail and under the wings. Cooper’s Hawks mainly eat small birds and sometimes feast on chipmunks, hares, and squirrels.
White-Tailed Deer
There are 20 subspecies of deer in North America, and Florida has three of those species. The deer in the picture above is most likely a white-tailed deer. White-tailed deer are herbivores that consume flowers, plants, leaves, mushrooms, fruit, and even acorns. In Florida, deer consume about 2.5 to 4 pounds of food or about […]
Coyotes
Coyotes have become an important part of the Florida ecosystem as they create a balance by feeding on the smaller animals. Black coyotes are extremely rare as the black coloration of their coat, also called melanism, is from a genetic mutation. Coyotes have shown great adaptation and resilience to the human effects on their environment. […]
American BeautyBerry
The American beautyberry (Calliparpa americana) is a Florida native plant that does more than just look pretty. Before the berries are formed there are lilac-colored flowers on the beautyberry that attract butterflies and bees. The seeds of the beauty berries are in tightly packed clusters inside the berries, and these berries also provide food for […]
