Key West Wildlife 2

A flock of Black Skimmers watched the cruise ships disembark on the Key West dock. Skimmers are odd birds with long, lower mandibles. They skim the water surface with their mandibles, which snap shut when they hit small fish. Skimmers were once placed in their own family, but they are generally considered to be closely related to gulls and terns, and within that family of birds.

Green Iguanas are adept at changing colors, depending on their mood or need for camouflage.  They are an invasive species brought into the United States via the pet trade. They can cause considerable environmental damage. We found them everywhere in Key West, even watching from the rooftops for the cruise ships’ arrival.

Common Ground Doves are found across much of the southern tier of the United States, south well into South America. They are our smallest dove. The species tends to be sedentary, although some wander north in the summer. If you see a ground dove in a northern state, however, the possibility that it is escaped from captivity is always a possibility,

We have seen Roseate Skimmers in southern Texas and in Costa Rica. The Costa Rican dragonfly was captive, making this free-flying individual the first wild male Roseate Skimmer we’ve seen. One reason this species enjoys such a wide range is that it is tolerant of a wide range of habitats.