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Our Black and Turkey vultures are common sights in Florida skies.The Black Vulture is a permanent resident and doesn't migrate. In flight it flaps often…

The White Peacock is one of the most common butterflies in Florida, yet it is often overlooked. This white butterfly with its beautiful golden, filigree…

Whether you know it by its proper name – Northern Cardinal – or simply call it “Redbird”, this is a bird that seems everyone’s favorite. Its image adorns…

The Great Egret is the largest of North American egrets and among herons and egrets in North America – second in size only to our Great Blue Heron. Its…

Supporters of an effort to get an amendment to Florida's constitution onto the 2026 ballot that would assure citizens a right to clean water are hoping to get a boost from Florida Sportsman Magazine Editor, Blair Wickstrom, in the magazine’s October issue. It will contain an editorial Call to Action seeking 900 volunteer petition gatherers to station themselves at voting sites around the state to collect signatures during early voting that begins on Oct. 21. The magazine did a similar call to action in 1991 that resulted in creating the Gill Net Ban amendment, which passed with 72% support during the 1994 election. We learn more about the amendment and what exactly it would do, and the issues it aims to address when it comes to regulatory agencies not doing enough to protect the environment.

The prevalence of plastics throughout our environment should come as no surprise to anyone by now. Researchers continue to find it in remote places on our…

Longtime residents of Southwest Florida have seen a great deal of environmental change over the decades. The rapidly growing population has meant rapidly…

In August, Hendry County Commissioners unanimously approved the Sugar Hill Sector plan. The proposal, brought by the U.S. Sugar Corp which owns the land,…

The Queensland Umbrella Tree is native to Australia, but was introduced to North America at least by early in the 20th century. It quickly became popular as a landscape plant in Florida and other sub-tropical states and was also cultivated as a houseplant that became (and still is) popular in more northern areas. Unfortunately – as with many other exotics, it took decades for us to realize negative aspects of the plant on our environment.Queensland Umbrella Trees have very shallow roots that can break up sidewalks, driveways, and building foundations.

Muscovy Ducks are so used to humans that we can learn close at hand from their wild ways in our environment about behaviors and characteristics often shared with other duck species. For example, ducklings often follow behind their mother single file and close together. As shown in photos, each duckling usually has two white spots on its rump. Those may serve as false “eyes”. Predators normally attack from behind to avoid potential injury from prey. The false “eyes” on the rump of ducklings may thus reduce the potential for attack. Swimming single file and close to the parent likely also contributes to duckling safety. Viewed from behind, the group may initially appear to be a single, larger, potentially more dangerous animal such as an otter.