Wonders of Nature

Be sure to check back each week as this page will have a new
Featured Creature weekly, with new photos, fun and information to get you
all involved in the wonders of nature.

Your challenge for this week is to see if you can spot an Argiope Spider!
If you do, send your name and where you are from to
Wonders of Nature and we will add your name to next week's
WoN: Wildlife Watchers of the Week list.

Remember kids: When you are out wildlife watching, while it's important to use your senses of sight
and hearing, it is also important to NOT use your sense of touch - just like us, wild animals do not like
being touched by strangers.

The answer to our Critter Quiz will be the Featured Creature for next week� so be sure to
check back and see if you guessed it right!

If you have photos that you would like to submit for consideration as the Featured Creature
please email Wonders of Nature

I am a reptile. I prefer to live in freshwater habitats. I make my home in
grassy swamps and slow-moving rivers in the southern parts of the United
States; in fact I am the official State reptile of Florida. Blackish in color, I
have excellent camouflage to aid me in hunting. Yes, I am a hunter, a
carnivore - just take a look at my teeth - I have 80 of them! If my mouth is
closed, however, you will only be able to see my top teeth. I used to be
considered endangered in the United States, but through protection plans,
management, and captive breeding programs I have made a remarkable
comeback. Who am I?

Matt took these pictures in
St Petersburg.

Here in North America we
do not have any native wild
parrots, but in some parts
of our country released
cage birds now live in the
wild in feral flocks. We are
lucky to have the lovely
South American native
Nanday Conure living in
the wild in a few of our

these areas you might be
lucky enough to see
Nandays at your backyard
bird feeder! Nandays can
be very noisy and it is more
likely that you will hear
these parrots before you
actually see them! Nanday
Conures are also called
Black-hooded Parakeets,
but the scientific name for
these birds is Nandayus
nenday.

Florida counties. If you want to see one, you have to head to the selected
areas that these cute little birds have set up home, including St Petersburg,
Broward County and Miami-Dade County. If you happen to live in one of

� The oldest parrot fossils were found in Europe around 50 million years ago.

� Although most parrots are mainly green in color,
they come in almost every color of the rainbow,
but the eggs are always a simple white.

� Most parrots build their nests in holes in trees,
termite mounds, rock cavities or ground tunnels.
Only a few exceptions make traditional stick nests.

� Parrots are loud! Some parrot vocalizations can be
heard up to one mile away!

� Most parrots' diets are made up of seeds, nuts, fruit,
and other plant material, but a few species also eat
invertebrates and some species, such as Keas from New
Zealand even prey on small animals.

� Although parrots can be found all over the world, the
greatest number of species come from Australia and
South America.