Green Anole at Lakes Park: These ectotherms must bask in sunlight to regulate their body temperature, which is essential for daily activity. The lizard rested alertly across broad leaves today. Females may lay one egg every one to two weeks during the breeding season. #FloridaWildlife #Anolis

Yellow Rat Snake at Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve. When observing this species, note that a lowered head over the marsh edge suggests active foraging for prey like frogs. They are vital constrictors in Florida's diverse wetland microhabitats. #FloridaWildlife #CypressSlough

Slow stalking is how Anhingas hunt underwater, using keen eyesight before a rapid thrust of their neck and bill. Spotted at Lakes Park today. Did you know their partially wettable feathers absorb water, which helps reduce buoyancy and allows them to dive more efficiently? #FloridaWildlife #Anhinga

Green Herons are uniquely adapted to forage from very narrow perches, giving them access larger wading birds can’t reach. Watch how this one holds its neck in a compact 'S' shape while waiting for prey at Lakes Park. #GreenHeron #FloridaWildlife

Black Skimmers are colonial nesters, using open sandy beaches like Carlos Point to lay their eggs. Watch how they hunt by flying low and dragging that uniquely adapted lower mandible through the water to snatch small fish. #BlackSkimmer #FloridaWildlife

When you see a Burrowing Owl perched low like this in an open field, are they surveying for prey or just resting? These diurnal owls frequently use low perches to spot the large insects that make up their diet. #BurrowingOwl #FloridaWildlife

White-tailed deer are often thought of as forest animals, but did you know they readily utilize open grasslands and wetland edges? They forage everywhere! Seeing one call out in tall grass at Crew Flint Pen Strand shows how adaptable these browsers truly are. #FloridaWildlife #DeerBehavior

Purple Gallinules are year-round residents of Florida's freshwater marshes. They often forage by walking right across floating vegetation, like lily pads, searching for seeds and small amphibians. #FloridaWildlife #WetlandBirds

Eastern Wood Pewees are unmistakable because they feature two prominent white wing bars visible even when at rest. This classic "perch-and-sally" forager often surveys its territory from a favored perch in open woodlands like Lakes Park. #Birding #FloridaWildlife