American Bald Eagle

The American Bald Eagle was taken off the endangered species list in 2007 and is a member of the sea and fish group. Both male and female adult bald eagles have a blackish-brown back and breast; a white head, neck, and tail; and yellow feet and bill. Bald used to mean white, hence the name Bald Eagle. Juvenile bald eagles are a mixture of brown and white. They reach full maturity in four to five years.

Bald eagles can fly to an altitude of 10,000 feet. During level flight, they can achieve speeds of about 30 to 35 mph. Wild bald eagles may live as long as thirty years. Their diet is mainly fish but will eat dead and decaying flesh. They are strong swimmers but if the water is too cold they are subject to hypothermia. 

Once paired, they stay together until one dies. Bald Eagle lay 1 to 3 eggs which are incubated for 35 days. Both parents take part in the incubation period.

Barred Owl

A nocturnal bird. Hides in dense foliage during the day, usually high up. May also roost on a branch close to a broad tree-trunk, or in a natural tree hole. May be very aggressive when defending a nest. While it has a keen sight and hearing it's sense of smell is poor. Perhaps that's why skunks are on it's diet as well as rats, squirrels, young rabbits, bats, moles, opossums, mink, and weasels. Birds are taken occasionally, including woodpeckers, grouse, quail, jays, blackbirds, and pigeons. Meadow voles are its main prey, followed by shrews and deer mice.

   Courtship activities begin in February with breeding occurring between March and August. Males hoot and females give contact calls. As the nesting season approaches, males chase after females giving a variety of hooting and screeching calls. Males display by swaying back and forth, and raising their wings, while sidling along a branch. Courtship feeding and mutual preening also occur.

American Kestrel

 The American Kestrel is the smallest and most numerous of the North American falcons.

  While the young birds are practicing their hunting skills, kestrels will often hunt in family units.

  There is a color difference between the sexes. The male kestrel has blue on its wings, while the female is mostly brown.

Sandhill Cranes

     Can you tell which is the male and which is the female? It's all in the voice. A male emits a series of long, low calls for each 2-3 shriller calls of the female. The female's bill is usually horizontal in unison call, while the male's is vertical. So therefore the female is on the left and the male is on the right.

Anhingas

     You can find Anhingas in Venice, Florida all year round. Left is an adult male and on the right iis the female. Anhingas are fish eaters and are often mistaken for Cormorants. Their bills are straight as the Cormorants are curved. They are also known as "Snakebird" because when they swim with their body submerged and only their head and neck showing, they look like a snake in the water. The male has white plumes on the upper surface of the wings and back, and a yellow bill. The female is similar, but has a buff-colored head, neck, and upper breast.