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A turkey’s wishbone, or furcula, is a fusion of two clavicles and acts as a spring to store and release energy, primarily in flight. It helps turkeys fly up to 50 mph in short bursts, and it’s also a link to their past. The furcula dates back more than 150 million years to a group of meat-eating dinosaurs that include Tyrannosaurus rex and Velociraptor.

 -Wild Turkey, Myakka River State Park, Bob Cameron, 2015

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Except in the Northern Panhandle, the red fox is probably not native to Florida. It was introduced by hunting clubs and is now found in many areas of the state. A pair usually mates for life and breed in late fall or winter to produce up to five pups. Pups are born blind, helpless and brownish-black. They nurse for about two months and stay with the adults for about six months.

 -Red Fox and Kit, Rotunda, Mary Lundeberg, marylundeberg.com, 2015

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Although it lacks red feathers, this is a reddish egret. It is a morph, an adult bird that has distinctly different plumage, or feather coloration, than the standard colors for its species. It’s common for juvenile birds to have different plumage, or “training feathers,” before they grow those with adult  markings, but a morph bird will maintain its color differences throughout different seasonal molts. ­­­

 -White Morph Reddish Egret at Little Estero Lagoon, Sandy Poore, 2017

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The regal or royal walnut moth is one of our largest and, some say, our most spectacular moths. The larva is named the hickory horned devil for its fierce look, but it is harmless to us. Roughly the size of a large hot dog, the caterpillars can be easily spotted July-Aug. coming down from trees for pupation.

 -Hickory Horned Devil Caterpillar, Polk City, Jason Boeckman, 2017

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With flaming orange and black feathers, Baltimore orioles are brilliantly colored songbirds of the east. The males share the heraldic colors of the 17th-century Lord Baltimore’s coat of arms. Though this female isn’t as vibrant as a male, she still adds a splash of orange to Florida’s winter landscape.

 -Female Baltimore Oriole, Lakeland, J McConnell, www.Naturephotosbyjohn.com, 2017

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Unlike similar large orb weavers, adult tropical orb weavers are hard to spot during the day. The juveniles can also come in varying patterns and colorations, so you may not even know if you’re looking at one. Some have abdomens with white stripes, spots or one big lime-green blob. Bites of this species are not known to cause serious effects to humans. 

-Juvenile Tropical Orb Weaver, Renee Wilson, 2013

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Think there’s only one season in Florida? Look to a 600-year-old cypress. Though many conifers are evergreen, bald cypress trees are deciduous conifers that shed their needlelike leaves in the fall. They were named “bald” because they look bare so early in the season.   

-Bald Cypress Swamp in Autumn, Babcock Ranch, Malcolm J. Brenner, Eyes Open Media, 2009

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Stone crabs claws are a favorite local fare in Florida. These crustaceans can drop any of their legs or claws when damaged or sick. When harvested by fishermen, stone crabs can re-grow either of their claws only if the joint that linked the claw to the body is left intact. This is why it's so important for fishermen to break the claws correctly. The age of the crab determines how fast their claws can grow back.

 -Juvenile Stone Crab, James R. White, JimmyWhitePhoto.com, 2014

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From above the water they may look like a duck and swim like a duck, but American coots are more related to rails. Their feet are lobed, not webbed. This allows them to walk on hot, dry and mucky land, run across the water for flight and even defend their territory by rearing up and kicking their feet at an invader.

 - American Coots, Bonita Springs, Maryle Barbe, 2013

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The mangrove salt marsh snake is frequently seen basking on the limbs of mangroves. Because it’s in an estuarine habitat where freshwater meets saltwater, it inevitably ingests salt.  It does not have salt glands to help it get rid of excess salt, so it must occasionally obtain fresh water from rain, coastal stream or body fluids of its prey. 

- Mangrove Salt Water Snake, Mangrove Overlook, J. N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge, Theresa Baldwin, www.wildlifewindows.net, 2015

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The endangered smalltooth sawfish swims like a shark but is a type of ray. Its long, flat, toothed snout becomes entangled easily in fishing lines, which has reduced its populations. Reporting any sightings to the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission can help conservation efforts.

 -Sawfish, Myakka River/Charlotte Harbor, Kathy Buckard, 2017

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The great horned owl can be seen hunting throughout North America and is so powerful that it has earned the nickname “tiger owl.” It can capture prey larger than itself, along with snatching up smaller snacks. Rabbits, hawks, snakes and even skunks are on the menu. Porcupines are also attacked, often with fatal results for both prey and predator.

 -Great Horned Owl at Honeymoon Island State Park, Andrew Lilyquist, ALnaturephotography.zenfolio.com, 2014

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Notable with bright, pink trumpetlike flowers, railroad vine rapidly colonizes sand dune scrub areas where its deep roots help stabilize sands to prevent erosion. Its common name comes from its ability to send out “tracks” of stolons more than 100-feet long. Stolons are similar to stems, except they produce adventitious roots at the nodes that run horizontally rather than vertically. 

-Boca Grande Beach, Creative Exposures by Carol Edleman, 2016

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The curved bill of the snail kite helps it extract its primary prey of apple snails after capturing them with its feet. This specialized hunter was listed as endangered in 1967 and is now found only in watersheds in the central and southern parts of the state. Urban development, agricultural activities and now an exotic snail are all threatening its survival.

-Male Snail Kite, Harns Marsh, Lee County, epicfloridaphototours.com, 2015

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Florida fighting conch (Strombus alatus) is a medium-sized marine snail that is commonly found throughout Florida waters and is named for the sparring that occurs between males. You may find an empty 4-inch shell and notice several spines on top and a protruding, often dark, outer lip with a smooth body whorl. Our beaches harbor many of these snails, especially after intense periods of winds or wave action.

 Florida Fighting Conch, Strombus alatus, Bob Bachand, 2015

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In Latin, eustoma means large mouth and exaltatum means tall. Both features make it easy to see seaside gentian’s flowers towering above others. Reaching three-feet tall and blooming year round in south Florida, this annual is used in restorations, natural landscapes and wildflower gardens. Blooms peak from Dec. to Aug in sunny and wet habitats, so you can find it in wet prairies, wetlands, and on marsh edges and roadsides.

 -Seaside Gentian, Eustoma exaltatum, Cedar Point Environmental Park, Al Squires, CHEC Volunteer, 2014

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Tarflower is aptly named for its blanket of sticky juices. The stems, the outside of the petals and sepals (calyx) and the fresh fruit are all covered in it. This sticky substance often captures insects that come too close and people used it to their advantage, hanging it indoors to catch flies and other insects.

 -Tarflower, Prairie Pine Preserve, Lee County, Craig M. Smith, 2013