If you are outdoors this time of year, you may spot one of our most recognizable birds flitting about. The Eastern bluebird, Sialia sialis, is a small (six to eight inch long) but brightly colored bird whose populations have been pushed ... READ MORE
Category: Horticulture, Wildlife
A few weeks back, fellow Extension Agent Thomas Derbes and I were leading a field trip for local high school biology students. We were at Big Lagoon State Park, located along the coast near Perdido Key and truly one of my favorite places ... READ MORE
Category: Conservation, Forests, Natural Resources
More than 50 million Americans feed birds, putting out an estimated billion pounds of bird food each year, based on U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service data summarized by bird-feeding researchers. Backyard bird feeding is popular across Florida, ... READ MORE
Category: Blog Community, , Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, Wildlife
Written by Julia Fischman, 2025 undergraduate summer intern hosted by Alex Arrow and Emily Jung of the USFWS Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge (CRNWR) This summer, I had the incredible opportunity to work with and learn from the U.S. ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS Research, , Water, Wildlife
As we enter the heart of Florida’s summer in July and August, we’re at the peak of both rainy season and mosquito season, with daily downpours creating ideal breeding grounds for mosquitoes across the state. If you’ve ever wondered ... READ MORE
Category: , Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Home Management, Horticulture, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research, Wildlife
Moving and planning for retirement this year makes for huge changes and challenges both inside and outside in the garden. No worries, as I have always found a bit of work in the garden helps me relax, it takes my mind off pressing issues. ... READ MORE
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Across the United States, more than 440 national parks and 7,400 urban parks offer a variety of recreational green spaces for people and pets. Yet, the United States Forest Service warns that urbanization, including park development, ... READ MORE
Category: , Community Volunteers, Conservation, Natural Resources, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research, Wildlife
“Don't fly, Mister bluebird, I'm just walkin' down the road. Early morning sunshine, tell me all I need to know.” These lyrics from the Allman Brothers’ song, “Blue Sky” always come to mind when I step outside our office building ... READ MORE
Category: Natural Resources, Wildlife
I have the Merlin Bird ID mobile app on my phone. It comes in handy when I hear a bird, but I am not sure what it is. The app has a feature where you can record sound, and it compares the sound to its database of bird calls. Then, it shows you ... READ MORE
Category: Natural Resources, UF/IFAS Extension, Wildlife