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Tall, graceful sandhill cranes, swift kestrels, cute bur-rowing owls and dainty wading birds may cross your viewas you pick up your mail or look across the greens.Perhaps the wild beauty of natural Florida seems to beright in your own backyard. In a way it is! The Villages, aspart of the overall development plan, has set aside a num-ber of refuges for protected native Florida species. Manypeople visit our state each year from all over the worldspecifically to see and enjoy the unique plants and animalsthat you may be lucky enough to have living practically inthe backyard.

“It’s like a wildlife vacation in your ownbackyard!”

While travel brochures prominently display alligators,colorful wading birds, and lumbering tortoises, we don'teven have to travel beyond our own development to seethem. These interesting animals, along with many otherspecies, have occupied the farm and ranch lands in this partof Florida for more than a hundred years, living in harmo-ny with many human activities. As our development con-tinues to grow, our yards, golf courses and streets coverwhat was once open pastures and treed hammocks.

Because our area is rich in wildlife species, we havecreated special wildlife and wetland preserves to providecontinued habitat. These specially managed preserve areasallow animals to continue to find food, breed, nest and suc-cessfully rear young. Our preserves are a refuge from manyof the disturbances associated with human habitation, pro-viding a safe haven for these protected creatures to live,nest successfully, and maintain healthy populations. Mostof the birds, butterflies and frogs that you enjoy watchingare not rare or in danger of disappearing. However, some ofthe most interesting resident species do owe their contin-ued existence to protection such as we offer in our 14major wildlife preserves.

The Villages has the distinction of being an innovator increating successful, multi-species wildlife mitigation pre-serves to benefit all wildlife.

Sunrise: Birds fly, Sunset: Frogs call …from my yard I can see it all.

Are you one of the lucky ones living next to or withinview of The Villages' wildlife preserves?

The benefits of living near a wildlife protection areamay not be obvious to all. However, more and more peoplefrom every corner of the country are competing for the lim-ited property still available near diminishing wildlife areas.The Villages preserves offer residents an opportunity toview native wildlife in a peaceful, quiet setting with suffi-cient time to actually witness intricate courtship behaviorsof sandhill cranes and gopher tortoises, and then follow thenesting success, watching fluffy little burrowing owls taketheir first flights. Park visits rarely provide time for suchunique observations, yet our residents can enjoy theseencounters daily from their doorstep or golf course.

The Villages Underground!Did you ever wonder what goes on under the ground in

our nature preserves or even in your own backyard? Whatcreatures burrow beneath these sandy soils? Those who aregardeners may think of pesky moles or mole crickets dam-aging their flowers. However, don't rush to eliminate ourburrowers. Some are protected species that rarely interfere

Natural Florida Beauty Preserved at The Villages

The preserves at The Villages are set aside for thecontinued protection of wildlife and not for humanor pet use. You can enjoy the benefits of wildlifeviewing. People and pets should not be inside thesepreserves. Specific regulations will be posted aroundpreserves and can be found in this phone book.Residents are asked to be aware of and obey all pro-tected species regulations.Violations can lead to seri-ous penalties including fines and imprisonment.Help protect your wildlife preserves and your invest-ment in the future beauty of nature at The Villages.Report any violations or wildlife concerns!

Wildlife Concerns?Contact The Villages Community

Watch at (352) 753-0550

The SHARON L. MORSE OWL PRESERVE is acrossfrom the Hacienda Hills Country Club.

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with gardens or lawns. Those sandy piles on the golfcourse, lawn or preserve could indicate burrowing owls,pocket gophers, or gopher tortoises. A large opening with aflattened bottom by the sand mound could be a gopher tor-toise burrow. If the opening is round it could be an owl bur-row. Larger mammals that occupy burrows, like foxes andarmadillos, prefer more sheltered forested areas.

Tortoises, Frogs and OwlsThe lumbering gray gopher tortoises nest from April

through July, burying the eggs near the burrow entrance.The eggs hatch in late summer and the tiny brown and yel-low tortoises may spend the first year in the adult burrow ormay dig a miniature version. Remember that these are aprotected species and, without state permits, may not bekept as pets or moved. Gopher tortoise burrows can godown 18 feet and be over 40 feet long. Like an undergroundhotel, they often house over 350 different vertebrate andinvertebrate species. The protected gopher frog may sharethe burrow with protected snake species.

The sandy mounds with no opening usually indicate apocket gopher. These small mammals create an incrediblesystem of burrows which act like an underground subwaysystem, allowing the invertebrates like insects and evenvertebrates like pine snakes to move underground unseen.Burrowing owls may dig several feet down or use unoccu-pied gopher tortoise burrows. Owls create a round, steeperentrance and during breeding season use bits of manure

and insect parts to decorate the burrow mouth.

Are there eggs or baby owls in the burrow?Our biologists used modern optical and video technol-

ogy to actually peek in on the private, underground lives ofburrowing owls. Using a burrow scope they actuallywatched a pine snake leave an owl's nest and enter a pock-et gopher burrow. This scope was used to identify nestswith eggs or nestlings. Biologists then trapped and bandedthe young owlets before they fledged and flew away. Thistechnique has also been used to peer into some of the short-er gopher tortoise burrows and to locate tortoises or variouscommunal species, such as gopher frogs, which live withthe tortoises.

Protect Wading Birds at The VillagesThere are protected species of wading birds that you

might see feeding in the wetland preserves, along water onthe golf courses and sometimes even looking for insects inlawns. Populations of these birds have been declining due tohabitat loss. None are known to nest within The Villages.The herons, egret and ibis usually begin early spring nestingin rookeries located in secluded, dense, shrubby vegetationover water. Wood storks often nest among other wadingbirds, preferring tree-covered swamps. The Florida SandhillCrane builds nests on the ground on wet prairies fromJanuary to June. Wading birds may feed on worms, tadpoles,frogs, fish, lizards, snakes and occasionally, small rodents.Management of our wetland preserves and other open waterareas is designed to provide cover and encourage growth ofthe creatures which serve as food for the wading birds.

Tortoises

Frogs

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For more information on birds, consult A Golden Guideto The Birds of North America, or Roger Tory Peterson'sField Guide to Birds, or Kale's Florida Birds: A Handbookand Reference.

Identifying the Protected Species ofthe Wildlife PreservesBurrowing OwlThese small brownish owls with bright yellow eyes, standonly nine inches tall with atwo foot wingspan and maleslook very similar to females.Active both day and night,they are most often seen onopen ground near their bur-row or on a raised post nearbyfrom which they can surveythe area for their favorite for-age: beetles, crickets andgrasshoppers. You may seethem on the golf course or onyour lawn, chomping on

Florida Sandhill CraneStanding nearly four feet high, this smoky gray bird has a noticeablered cap, black beak and feet. These resident cranes remain year-round, though we do receive migrant sandhill cranes from theMidwest during the winter months. Sandhill cranes often feed moreon vegetation than our other wading birds. These birds may treat youto an amazing sight as they perform a graceful mating dance, liftingwings and beaks and jumping. Not restricted to breeding season,even juveniles have been observed performing these intricate dances.

Little Blue HeronNoticeably smaller than the well-known great blue heron, these arethe only herons that are all grayish-blue, with greenish-yellow bill,legs and feet in non-breeders; gray during breeding season. The tipof the bill is black. The young birds are often mistaken for egretsbecause they are white with yellow legs.

Wood StorkThe only one of our wading bird species listed as "endangered", thisis also the largest of our wading birds with a wing span of over sixfeet. The all white body and pink feet provide sharp contrast to thebare, gray head, beak and legs.

White IbisThese wading birds are more often seen on lawns than in the water,and they can be easily recognized by their red legs and curved redbill. In flight, the black tipped primaries are visible.

Tri-Colored HeronSimilar in form and color to the little blue heron, these medium-sizedwading birds can be distinguished by their white belly and throat.Juveniles may have rufous streaks along the sides of the neck.

Snowy EgretNamed for its snow white feathers, this is the smallest of the protect-ed wading birds. It has a black beak and legs with bright yellow feet.

Burrowing owl

GreatBlue

Heron

Wood Stork

White Ibis Snowy

Egret

Tri ColoredHeron

Little Blue Heron

Sandhill Crane

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insects. You might havenoticed the Burrowing OwlConservation Zone signson the golf course with reg-ulations designed to pro-tect these birds and theirburrows. If golf carts passtoo close or balls areplayed too close to bur-rows, breeding can be dis-rupted or this may evenfrighten the young owls todeath. There are two dis-tinct nesting cycles, one inearly winter and another inspring.Either digging their own

burrows or using gophertortoise burrows, these gregarious owls nest several feetunderground and lay three to seven eggs between March andJune. Nest burrows are recognized by the "decorations" ofdead insects parts, beetle shells, clumps of manure and otheroddities the male leaves around the burrow mouth to attractthe female. The young run in and out of the burrow until theyare able to fly. During this time they are very vulnerable topredators. This is one reason that it is essential no pets areallowed access to burrows and that shrubs, debris and otherpotential hiding places for predators be kept at least 50 feetfrom any owl burrow.

Southeastern American KestrelThis threatened subspecies

remains in Florida year round andis our smallest falcon, measuringonly about 10 inches in length, witha wingspan of barely two feet. Bothsexes of this rusty-colored kestrelhave white cheeks and two blackfacial stripes. The males have blue-grey over the wings and shoulders.Normally nesting in hollow trees orsnags, they adapt quite well toproperly placed nest boxes 10 to 30feet above the ground. Nestingoccurs between March and June,but can begin as early as December,laying three to five eggs. The

female remains on the nest and is fed by the male. After theeggs hatch, both birds forage for the young, covering a largearea in search of insects, lizards, frogs, small rodents andsmall snakes.

During the breeding season, these birds are very sensi-tive to any disturbance near their nest boxes and such stresscan lead to unsuccessful nesting. You will notice the boxesbeing cleaned out and repaired twice a year when the birdsare not nesting.

Bald EaglesBald Eagles are found near water (coasts, lakes, and

rivers) and feed predominantly on fish. They eat waterfowl, small mammals and carrion. Florida has the largestpopulation of eagles in Southeast U. S. with up to 75 per-cent of them living in Florida.

The eagles that breed in Florida are approximately 10percent smaller than those that breed in northern states.Female eagles are larger than male eagles. The femaleweighs 10 to 14 lbs. and males weigh 8 to 9 lbs. Eaglesgrow to a height of 3 feet and have a wingspan of 7 feet.Breeding pairs will use the same nest each year and addmore twigs each breeding season. A nest can weigh up toone ton. The nesting season for bald eagles in Florida isfrom Oct. 1 to May 15. The birds develop into adults infour to five years. They have a distinct white head and tailand solid brown body. Juveniles are brown with blotchypatches of white on the underside and tail.

The Bald Eagle is listed byboth the Florida Fish and WildlifeConservation Commission(FFWCC) and the United StatesFish and Wildlife Service (FWS)as a threatened species. The eagleis also protected by the BaldEagle Protection Act EndangeredSpecies Act, the Migratory BirdTreaty Act, and Florida StateStatutes Chapter 39, F.A.C.Eagles were listed as endangeredunder the Endangered SpeciesAct, and in 1994, the FWSchanged its status from endan-gered to threatened in the State of Florida.

The FWS and FFWCC have monitoring guidelines thatare implemented to protect the eagles located in and nearhuman development so that the eagles will not abandon

Great Egret

Southeastern AmericanKestrel

Bald Eagle

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their nests and nestlings. Human development aroundeagle nests necessitates primary and secondary protectionzones, thereby reducing human activity near the nest.Trained biologists are required to monitor eagle nests inareas being developed to determine if human activities inthe vicinity are affecting nesting.

MammalsSherman’s Fox Squirrel"It looked too big to be a squirrel.” This huge squirrel isalmost twice the size of the familiar gray squirrel, seemingto stretch out and lope as it runs, more like a fox. About thesize of a house cat, it can be recognized by its black headand shoulders. The Villages continues to protect much ofour original tree canopy to provide this squirrel a way tosurvive. The major danger to this protected species is pre-dation by dogs and cats. These squirrels feed on acorns andthe seeds of native long leaf pine, often crossing the groundbetween widely spaced trees. This makes them quite vul-nerable to these unnatural predators. These mammals breedand nest in the winter when acorns are most available andsometimes a second time in summer. They need large treeswith nest cavities, though they may make leaf nests.

ReptilesThere are over 40 species of snakes in Florida with sixbeing venomous. Poisonous snakes are rare at TheVillages. The harmless, banded water snake is commonlyseen near wetlands. In general, we do not have a large num-ber of snakes. Heavy rains encourage movement of snakes,causing increased interest in identification and in ways tomove or eliminate snakes found in yards or on the golfcourse. It is illegal to kill or molest protected snake species.The best way to keep them out of your yard is to removeall potential “cover,” like dense vegetation or piles ofleaves that might provide a place for them to hide or findpotential food such as rodents.

Eastern Indigo SnakeThis smooth-scaled iridescent, blue-black snake is thelargest non-poisonous snake in North America, reaching alength of 104 inches. Indigos are often considered “help-ful” snakes, since they eat other snakes and rodents. Thechin and throat are often rusty to a blood-red color, occa-sionally with some white blotches. It is sometimes con-

fused with the black racer which has a white throat and isgenerally more slender. This snake is usually found inupland habitats which border wetlands, and is consideredthreatened throughout its range.

Short Tailed SnakeThis snake is very slender, reaching only 20 inches inlength. Its gray body is blotched with brown or black andoccasionally with orange or dark red, making it easily con-fused with juvenile coachwhips or black racers which havemuch larger eyes than this secretive snake. It spends mostof the time under the sandy soils of dry upland habitats.When distressed, this snake may strike wildly and vibrateits tail, but it is really harmless. They are known to eatcrown snakes and ground skinks.

Florida Pine SnakeAlso secretive, this light tan to gray snake has darkerblotches making it hard to see among the dry leaves ofupland areas. Though harmless, if frightened, it lets out aloud hiss and may rattle its tail in dry leaves.

Eastern Indigo

Short Tailed Snake

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AlligatorsThese amphibious creatures are reptiles that resemblelizards in form, though they are not lizards, turtles oramphibians. Alligators are among the more ancient of thecreatures still inhabiting Florida wilderness, with a good-sized population in this area. As rains re-flood wetlandareas, alligators may be seen with increased frequency atThe Villages.Alligators are protected by law and residents should notfeed or harass these animals.

Although they are most likely to be seen in the wetlandpreserves sunning on a bank or lying in wait for food tocome into range among weeds at water's edge, alligatorsmay be encountered as they move from one pond or wet-land area to another. This movement between ponds is nor-mal, and they are not coming out of the pond to look forfood. These gators normally feed within their wetland envi-

ronment. All alligators should be viewed with healthyrespect although they are not generally aggressive to peopleexcept when they have been fed by people, or when afemale is defending her nest or pod of young. If a gatorenters your yard, be sure to give it a way to escape back toits home, and call The Villages Neighborhood Watch sothey can notify The Villages Wildlife Conservation Officer.

AmphibiansGopher FrogYou will hear morethan you see thisprotected Floridafrog. It was unknownuntil this century,possibly due to itsreclusive lifestyle.The medium size,spotted, dusky gray,squat frog spendsmuch of its time inside or sitting in front of gopher tortoiseburrows. You may even find its favorite spot, worn smoothfrom constant use at the burrow mouth. Like most amphib-ians, the gopher frog requires an unpolluted freshwaterpond for breeding that has few resident fish to eat its eggs.The rumbling snore-like call of the males can be heard inthe winter and early spring during and after heavy rains.

Who makes the rules?Species are identified as needing protection to ensure con-tinued survival in the wild by the US Fish and WildlifeService under the provision of the Endangered Species Act.The Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission is thestate agency that regulates and enforces the ways in whichwe interact with wildlife.Photos by: Ray E. Ashton, Jr., Water & Air Research, Inc. and RichardRossetto

Gopher Frog

Dogs and gators don’t mixPets must not be allowed to run free or access Villages lakes, pondsand wetland preserve areas by agreement with the Florida Game andFresh Water Fish Commission. Dogs and cats are within the normalfood-size for some alligators, and it is against the law to “feed alli-gators” in Florida. Pets are unnatural predators that may also killbaby alligators or destroy alligator nests.

Florida Pine Snake

Alligator

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We strive to create an exotic atmosphere in keepingwith the tropical theme of The Villages, but exotic plantsor even houseplants can sometimes escape into nature pre-serves, and overrun native species. Escaped exotics canalso adversely affect the survival of protected animalspecies and drastically alter their natural habitats.

Residents are encouraged to incorporate native speciesinto their landscape plans whenever possible. The publica-tion, Planting a Refuge for Wildlife, lists native plants foryour yard or garden that are beneficial to wildlife. Thisguide is available free from the Florida Game and FreshWater Fish Commission Information Services by calling850-488-4676 or writing them at 620 S. Meridian Street,Tallahassee, FL 32399-1600.

As we maintain the beauty of our native and exoticplantings at The Villages, great care is taken to avoidinsecticides and herbicides that may be harmful to nativewildlife. Villages golf courses are managed with carefulconcern for the health of burrowing owls and kestrels. Theinsect-eating birds may be harmed by highly toxic pesti-cides or herbicides.

Residents also are asked to keep this inmind when using pesticides or herbi-cides in their yards. Burrowing owlsoften are seen feeding on lawns in ourneighborhoods. Toxic chemicals takenin by insects that become food for owlsor kestrels can kill the adult birds ormay be passed on to harm theiryoung.

Run-off of these chemicals fromneighborhood yards can wash intowetland preserves and breedingponds for protected gopher frogs,alligators and wading birds. This can upset thedelicate balance in these aquatic systems, lead-ing to stagnation and an unpleasant odor as well askilling wildlife.

For more information, contact: The University of Florida IFASExtension Service in your county: Lake • (352) 343-4101 Marion • (352) 671-8400Sumter • (352) 793-2728

Follow the rules:1 Use only approved pesticides2 Follow all label directions3. Use natural, nontoxic pesticides when

possible

Greens, gardens, lawns and Landscaping:Not too exotic, please!

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