Wildlife Happenings - April
April brings spring into full force for Florida, so here are some spring-like animal behaviors to look for this April:
Birds
- Sooty Turns take over Dry Tortugas for nesting.
- Bobwhite quail nest now through September.
- Migrant warblers concentrate on coasts after cold fronts.
- Watch for hummingbirds feeding on blooms of columbine, buckeye, and others.
- Grosbeaks, warblers, tanagers, orioles, and thrashers begin returning to North America
Mammals
- Black bears begin moving after winter's inactivity.
- Long-tailed weasels, minks, and river otters will be born April through May.
- Endangered Gray Bats return to Florida caves to raise young.
- Manatees move up the Wakulla and St. Marks rivers
Amphibians
- Pine barrens treefrogs begin calling.
Reptiles
- Most Florida snakes begin mating rituals.
- Beginning of Sea Turtle nesting season on Florida beaches.
- Alligators begin moving about, seeking new territories and mates
Fish
- Largemouth Bass move into shallow water in Lake Talquin.
- The cobia migration is in full swing in the Panhandle
Insects
- Plant extra parsley for black swallowtail butterfly larvae to eat.
Plants
- Blooming wildflowers and pitcher plants blanket the wet savannahs of the Apalachicola National Forest
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