Brown Thrashers have the largest repertoire of songs of all the North American birds and are able to vocalize 3000 distinct songs.
Populations are declining slowly throughout their range, perhaps because of the maturation of shrublands in the East and the elimination of fencerows and shelter belts in the Great Plains.
They are an aggressive defender of their nest, and have been known to strike people and dogs hard enough to draw blood.
They are the official state bird of Georgia, and the inspiration for the name of Atlanta's National Hockey League team, the Atlanta Thrashers.
I found this one in my backyard at Lake Wales. Florida.

Tags:   Brown Thrasher bird birds feathers fly perch tree wildlife nature animal Lake Wales Polk County Florida Central Florida water canal lake sogs song Largest repertoire North America North American Birds 3000 distinct songs largest shrublands Great Plains aggressive defender nest people dogs brown spots strike Goergia State Bird Sx60HS ghelm4747 Gary Helm canon camera USA US outdoor image photograph

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Crested caracaras are believed to be the species historically portrayed as the “Sacred Eagle” in Aztec codices and in Florentine Codex. This has made Crested Caracara the national bird of Mexico

An opportunist, hunting and scavenging in a variety of ways. Often hunts by flying low, taking small animals by surprise. Flies along highways early in morning, searching for road kills. May steal food from other birds. May scratch on the ground for insects, or dig up turtle eggs.

Their Diet in general consist of Carrion, small animals. Feeds on a wide variety of smaller creatures, either captured alive or found dead. Diet includes rabbits, ground squirrels, skunks, various birds (plus their eggs and young), frogs, snakes, lizards, turtles, young alligators, fish, large insects.

I found this one perched on a fence post at Dinner Island Ranch in Hendry County, Florida.

Tags:   Sacred Eagle Crested Caracara Falcon Dinner Island Ranch Wildlife Manegement Area Hendry County Florida birds bird wildlife nature outside perched feathers feather fly flight Aztec National Bird of Mexico fence post Canon camera SX60HS ghelm4747 Gary Helm US USA North America outdoor animal eagle

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This Green Heron caught a Blue Tilapia , but I think it was a little to large for it to swallow.
I watched him (her) try to swallow it for about 20 minutes. He (she) then put the fish down a stared at it for about two minutes, then picked it up and flew off with it. Don't know if it ever got it down or not. I captured this shot along Heron Hideout trail at Circle B Bar Reserve.
Polk County, Florida.

Tags:   Green Heron Heron Hideout trail Circle B Bar Reserve outside bird birds wildlife nature swamp marsh water fish Blue Tilapia caught flew swallow eat Polk County Florida Central Florida animal Canon SX60HS ghelm4747 Gary Helm USA US feathers Heron outdoor

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The most recent evidence indicates that crocodilians (which includes alligators) and dinosaurs evolved from a common ancestor that existed subsequent to the common ancestor that they share with other reptiles. So, even though alligators are classified as reptiles along with lizards, snakes, and turtles, they are actually more closely related to birds, whose direct ancestors were dinosaurs!
Female alligators rarely exceed 10 feet in length, but males can grow much larger. The Florida state record for length is a 14 foot 3-1/2 inch male from Lake Washington in Brevard County. The Florida record for weight is a 1,043 pound (13 feet 10-1/2 inches long) male from Orange Lake in Alachua County.
I found this fine specimen crossing Marsh Rabbit Run at Circle B Bar Reserve. Polk County. Florida.
I would guess that it is about 10 foot long.

Tags:   American Alligator Gator Circle B Bar Reserve Marsh Rabbit Run Polk County Florida Reptile bird nature wildlife animal outside swamp marsh water Canon Camera ghelm4747 Gary Helm USA US photograph image Sx60HS PowerShot outdoor Florida Wildlife

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Red-shouldered Hawks are natural enemies of the Great Horned Owl. Great Horned Owls often hunt the Red-shouldered Hawk's nestlings, however Red-shouldered hawks have been observed hunting Great Horned Owl nestlings as well.

The oldest Red-shouldered Hawk was determined to be 22 years and 5 months in age.

Prey for these birds range from frogs to mice to snakes, insects, crawfish, other birds. In other words, just about anything they can catch.
Found this one at Dinner island Ranch, Wildlife Management Area. Hendry County, Florida.

Tags:   Red-shouldered Hawks Dinner Island Ranch County Florida Fly bird birds wings flight nature wildlife outside Hendry County animal USA US Canon SX60HS mice snakes insects frogs water trees perch nest hunt prey ghelm4747 Gary Helm post fence outdoor image photograph

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