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. […]
Gopher Tortoises
Gopher tortoises are a threatened species. They are a “Keystone” species because they dig burrows in the sandy soil that provide homes for many other animals.
Nine Banded Armadillo
Nine banded armadillos aren’t native to Florida but have been here since the 1920’s, so they are a natural part of the Florida environment. They are a rather funny looking creature with their own armor. They are about the size of a cat and can weigh 17 pounds. They are nocturnal and can’t see very […]