Welcome to Bronx Nature!
This is a nature oriented blog. Much maligned in the recent past, Bronx County has experienced a focused grass-roots attempt at environmental remediation. The Bronx River corridor has seen the return of its flora and fauna punctuated by the return of Jose the Beaver to the Bronx River. The first beaver sighted in 200 years. […]
Van Cortlandt Park
Yellow Bullhead Catfish (Ameiurus natalis) A bottom scavenger that will eat almost anything Detects food through barbels (whiskers) containing taste buds Very tolerant of pollution Common Central and Eastern USA
Bronx Community College
Campus 4-18-12 Red-tail Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) Most common hawk in USA Carnivore feeding on mammala and birds Monogamous – mates for life Norway/Brown Rat (Rattus norvegicus) Origin:plains of Asia, China, and Mongolia Spread during Middle Ages Can be major pest or a pet
Outer Banks , North Carolina
Cape Hatteras National Seashore Turkey Vulture (Buzzard) (Cathartes aura) Scavenger: Uses keen sight and smell Southern Canada to tip of South America Lacks a syrinx – vocal organ Feeds chicks (2) by regurgitation
Van Cortlandt Park
Van Cortlandt Park Bronx, NY Male DragonflySaffron-winged Meadowhawk (Sympetrum costiferum) common. wetland habitats tolerates alkaline & saline conditions about 1.5 inches. July to September will feed on mosquito adults & larvae
City Island
City Island Bronx, New York Monk Parakeet / Quaker Parrot (Myiopsitta monachus) species of parrot origin Argentina common world-wide imported as pets in 1960s
Gulf Coast, Florida
Oscar Scherer State Park, Florida Florida Scrub Jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens) Only bird species endemic to Florida Adapted to Florida scrub habitat Threatened Omnivorous, caching acorns Warning: Will eat from human hands. Added nutrition leads to early hatchings and starvation due to lack of a essential caterpillar diet.
Manatee Springs, Florida
Brown Anole (Anolis sagrei) Highly invasive species Introduced from Carribbean in the 1970’s Replacing Carolina anole (Anolis carolinensis) Can reach 7-9 inches Insectivores
Gulf Coast Florida
Oscar Scherer State Park White Peacock Butterfly (Anartia jatrophae) Found SE USA into South America Males stake out 45 ft territories of larval host plants Aggressively defend against other males and insects
Minnewaska State Park, NY
American Red Squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus) Known as Pine squirrel Widely distributed across North America Specializes in seeds of conifer cones Defends territory
Van Cortlandt Lake
Van Cortlandt Park Bronx, NY Green Sunfish(Lepomis cyanellus) Common freshwater panfish Often hybridizes w/other species Can reach 12 inches. Good to eat. feeds on invertebrates & small organisms