Wildlife Happenings - January

Not only does January bring in a new year, it also gives us a new batch of animal behavior to look out for. Here are some interesting things happening in January:

Birds

Male cardinals begin territorial singing later in the month.
Roseate spoonbill nesting activity is in full swing in Florida Bay.
Other nesting activity can be seen by ospreys, sandhill cranes, hawks, and owls.
Look for red-tailed hawks perched in trees along highways.
Huge clouds of tree swallows should be visible around sunset roosting over large marsh areas.
Don't forget, now is a great time to watch our over-wintering populations of ducks and geese.

Mammals

Gray foxes, bobcats, and raccoons begin breeding this month.
Deer reach the peak of the rutting season in north Florida.
Black bears in North Florida are inactive or in dens

Fish

Black crappie start feeding heavily in central Florida
Striped bass and sunshine bass move into open water to feed on shad

Have a GREEN Holiday

If you have a live Christmas tree, put it to good use - use it to start a brush pile near your bird feeder. Not only will it provide good year-round cover for birds, but it will also take up a lot less space in your county landfill.