Wildlife Happenings - February
So much for winter! February means the start of spring here in Florida. Here are some interesting wildlife happenings in February:
Birds
- Early purple martin scouts will start to appear in Florida this month. Now is the time to raise bird houses or gourds.
- Screech owls begin nesting in the central region of the state.
- South Florida should start seeing wild turkey (the bird) and quail breeding activity.
- Ospreys will begin nesting in north Florida near the end of the month.
- North Florida woodcocks begin courtship behavior. Listen at dusk for their "peenting" in open fields.
- Magnificent Frigatebirds begin nesting in mangroves in the Florida Keys and Dry Tortugas.
- Pileated Woodpeckers begin their mating season and will start announcing territories by drumming on various objects including houses and telephone poles.
- Others who are beginning their nesting season include: Little Blue and Tri-colored Herons, Wood and Mottled Ducks, and Snail Kites.
- Purple Finches and Pine Siskins will leave our feeders and begin their migration back to northern nesting areas.
- Wild Turkeys mate in south Florida
- Swallow-tailed kites begin returning to Florida from South America
Mammals
- Eastern Moles are breeding this month in tunnels under our lawns.
- Striped Skunks begin their breeding season.
- Pocket Gophers begin their spring breeding season.
Reptiles
- Alligator snapping turtles will start mating this month, with nesting activity throughout the spring.
- Gopher tortoises seldom seen outside burrows
Fishing
- Crappie and Striped bass are spawning
- Large schools of Spanish mackeral roam Florida Bay
Plants
- Look for yellow jessamine in treetops
- Trilliums and dogtooth violets bloom in Panhandle Ravines
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