Everglades Bird Profile: White-Crowned Pigeon

white-crowned pigeonWhen you think of a pigeon, you probably think of park benches and cities, but pigeons can be found in rural areas, as well. In fact, the white-crowned pigeon nests nowhere else in the United States except for south Florida.

They can be found in the mangrove forests in the Everglades and south Florida. They will nest in the mangroves but spend a lot of time in the wooded areas, as well.  They will lay one to three white eggs at time. Both the male and female will incubate the eggs. After hatching, the baby pigeons will leave the nest after 3 weeks. The parents both feed their young “pigeon milk.” Nesting usually occurs in July and August.

This pigeon’s body is a black/gray color with a white-capped head. They have iridescent green feathers on the back of their neck. They are around 13-14 inches in size. The oldest recorded white-crown pigeon was 14 years, 5 months old.

The pigeons are known to move more inland during the day to feed on fruit from the Poisonwood tree. They also eat strangler fig, pigeon plum, mastic, sea grape, seeds, insects, and other tropical fruits.

This pigeon can be easily spotted perching in trees. Unlike many “city” pigeons, they don’t spend much time on the ground. In the Everglades, they can be seen around Nine-Mile Pond, Snake Bight Trailhead, Eco Pond, and Bear Lake Road. Their population. There’s about 7,500 pairs of this pigeon living in Florida.

Along with Florida, this bird can also be found in the Caribbean and parts of Central America.

There is believed to be a global population of 550,000 of this bird. In 2014, they were on risk of becoming threatened or endangered. They are protected in Florida but are still hunted for food in the Caribbean. When mangrove forests are lost due to hurricanes, their habitat is compromised, which is a concern.

If you’re a bird watcher of just a fan of birds, the Everglades is the ideal place to see so many different species, including the white-crowned pigeon. Come explore the Everglades by airboat on a ride with Captain Mitch. Captain Mitch’s Airboat Tours give you a fun and exciting glimpse of the Everglades. To book an airboat ride, click here or call 800-368-0065.

Everglades Mammal Profile: The Florida Black Bear

florida black bearOutside of Florida, people are often surprised to hear that bears are wandering the streets in this state, but they are! This state is full of many different species. In fact, earlier this year a bear bit a man in the face in a neighborhood in Naples, Florida, which is not to far away from the Everglades. Black bears are the kind people will spot in the Everglades and south Florida. While in the Everglades, there is a chance you will catch a site of a bear; they can be spotted in forested sloughs and oak scrub.

Florida black bears have an average 300 pounds though they can get up to 500 pounds in weight. They have long, sharp claws, which are great for climbing trees and digging for food. Florida black bears are omnivores (eat both meat and vegetation). Some of the food they feast on includes: armadillos, honey, berries, insets, acorns, sabal palm fruits, acorns, and saw palmetto.

The Florida black bear is the state’s largest land mammal. They enjoy life in the Everglades, because it’s a protected wildlife area, where they can roam freely and avoid humans. These bears prefer to live in isolated subpopulations throughout the state. They have adapted to the state’s subtropical climate and habitat, which other black bears in other parts of the country could not withstand. The Park has plenty of food sources for this bear, which makes it an ideal habitat for the bear.

Habitat loss is a serious issue for the black bear. They are losing 20 acres of their habitat per hour. Human development has separated and isolated the bear population in Florida.

In Florida, the primary cause of death for a bear is becoming roadkill. Around 100 bears die each year due to car-related accidents.

If you’re in the Everglades and come across a bear, you should back away slowly, don’t turn your back, don’t run, don’t climb a tree, make noise to scare the bear, and don’t feed the bear. Bears aren’t known to attack humans in Florida but people have been hurt when a bear feels it, its cubs, or food sources has been threatened.

Explore the Everglades on an Airboat

If you’d like a chance to see the Florida black bear and other Everglades wildlife, book an airboat tour! Everglades airboat tours give you access to the expansive wildlife and plant life the region has to offer. To book your Everglades airboat tour today, click here or call Captain Mitch’s Airboat Tours at 239-695-3377.