Getting to Know Florida’s Winter Wonderland Wildlife

Winter brings its share of wildlife glories to St. Petersburg. Between the graceful American white pelican and the charmingly chunky Florida manatee, larger-than-life species send us flocking to local waterways to catch a glimpse. But winter is also a great time to get to know some of the critters in your own backyard and to welcome winter animals with wildlife-friendly practices.

Nature’s Neighbors

Despite what you may have learned about winter hibernation, many Florida animals remain active this time of year. You may notice birds of prey becoming particularly industrious as they enter their breeding season. Lara Milligan, Natural Resources Agent for Pinellas County’s UF/IFAS Extension, notes that ospreys and bald eagles can be found in winter constructing their nests, soaring athletically through the skies with sticks, grasses, or moss in tow. Mated pairs of both species often reuse the same nesting sites, so their nests can grow over the years to a roomy three- to six-feet in diameter. You will hear eagles calling – not the fierce scream that has been popularized by television and films, but a high, sing-songy whistle – and you may even witness the male osprey’s plunging “sky dance.” 

But that’s not the only sound to light up the winter airwaves. Barred owls, another local raptor species, perform a bizarre nocturnal courtship duet involving various tones like hoots, cackles, wails, and even something known as a “monkey call.” (To hear for yourself, tune in to the “All About Owls” episode of Milligan’s Naturally Florida podcast.)

Pollinators such as butterflies will also remain active this time of year – they just need a little more time to warm up. As poikilotherms whose body temperatures fluctuate with the environment, they need a sunny place to bask and abundant winter flowers for nectaring. Depending on what kind of habitat can be found in your yard, winter is a great time for observing a variety of butterflies including the common buckeye, the Gulf fritillary, or our Florida resident monarchs. Another frequent flier is our state butterfly, the zebra longwing, which has the distinction of being able to digest pollen as well as nectar, allowing it to live as long as six to nine months – about 12 times the average butterfly lifespan!

And how about a hand for the herps? While snakes and lizards are not everyone’s favorite kind of backyard fauna, they provide the important ecological service of keeping common pests such as ants, termites, and rodents in check. While it may be more difficult to spot smaller reptiles such as anoles, who are less active in the winter, larger herps such as black racers can be found sunning on roadways and sidewalks – if you are quick enough! True to its name, this shy, nonvenomous snake can jet off at speeds of 8-10 miles per hour, and will, if cornered, cheekily vibrate its tail in leaf litter, sounding for all the world like its venomous cousin, the rattler. 

Think Habitat

If you love spotting urban wildlife, why not do your part to support it? Winter is a fantastic time to spruce up your yard with a few wildlife-friendly features. 

“With just a few small changes,” says Holley Short, president of the St. Petersburg Audubon Society, “you can really diversify the wildlife you find in your backyard.” That transformation, notes Milligan, is all about visualizing your yard as a habitat – a place that can provide the food, water, cover, and nesting areas for the species you want to attract. Both agree that this process often begins with adding native plants (and, where possible, removing invasives). 

“Florida native plants,” Short explains, “are easy to care for because they are adapted to our climate, and they provide food and shelter for birds.” She points to the beautyberry she recently planted outside her kitchen window. Its purple berries, which develop in the fall, attract mockingbirds, cardinals, bluejays, and warblers throughout the winter. A bird feeder can also be a useful supplement for both resident and migrating birds, she notes, so long as it is kept clean and well tended. Since adding native plants and a feeder to her yard, she estimates she has seen at least 20 different species of songbirds, including rose-breasted grosbeaks, Carolina chickadees, and a black-throated blue warbler. 

When you are thinking about what to plant, advises Milligan, try to provide a variety of plants that will bloom at different times across the year. This is a great strategy for keeping your pollinator population strong throughout the year. The Florida Native Plant Society provides an excellent searchable database (fnps.org/plants) to help you select plants for your soil, sun, and wildlife support goals.

In our dry winter season, water is also a critical component of fauna-friendly landscaping. Many animals can benefit from the addition of a pond or a birdbath to your yard. You can also create a butterfly puddler – a large, shallow dish with rocks for perching on and compost or manure mixed in to provide beneficial minerals. 

Finally, while it may be less obvious than forage or water, shelter is a very important feature for your backyard habitat. Milligan recommends creating a brush pile to provide cover for beneficial snakes and smaller animals. Short suggests adding bushy plants such as cocoplum, tea bush, or wild coffee to shelter birds. Winter is also a great time to add artificial shelter, such as a bird house or a bat box, to your yard. 

Sometimes our homes attract wildlife we’re not so interested in having nearby. In those cases, says Milligan, it is important to learn everything you can about the pesticides you or your pest control provider plan to use, as many can have harmful or even lethal impacts on non-target species such as owls. Consider trying alternative methods such as sealing up any gaps in your exterior walls, using a humane trap, or even encouraging predators like owls to move in. 

With a little time, research, and investment, says Short, it is possible for your yard to become “a little oasis” for the wild creatures with whom we share our neighborhoods. But why stop there? By encouraging your neighbors to try a few of these techniques, you could help create a corridor of respite and recharge for the wildlife that beautify and enrich our city. Just get into the habitat habit this winter!