New College students compiled a list of possible focus animals, using information collected from neighborhood interviews. Surveys were completed by forty IBSS residents to determine interest in those animals, and the results are graphed below. The top choices shown in purple on the graph were researched by New College students, and their information on the animals is presented here.
![[animal survey results]](/images/animalgraph)
Pileated Woodpecker
Pileated woodpeckers are found in many parts of US and Canada. They are the largest woodpecker at 15 inches long. Both male and female pileateds incubate their eggs. These woodpeckers “drum” loudly on trees to claim territory.
Pileateds eat fruit, nuts and insects (especially ants). They live in coniferous and deciduous forests, and need large stands of mature trees to nest in. They can nest in snags (dead trees). Their markings are striking, and they are easy to recognize.
Red Foxes
Red foxes were introduced to southern Florida, but are native to the northern panhandle. They usually have 5 pups in a litter, and they mate for life. Red foxes live to be 3-7 years old.
They mainly eat small mammals, such as rabbits, rats, and mice. They inhabit barren land and low-density developments, and avoid high-density areas. They prefer xeric uplands, fields, and weedy pastures. They are a potential vector for rabies, and a threat to sea turtle nests.
Bats
Bats are warm blooded mammals that bear live young. There are dozens of different bat species. Most bats are about 3-4 inches long. They use echoloccation, a sort of biosonar, to detect prey.
Bats eat insects, including flies, gnats, wasps, and mosquitos. A single bat eats up to 3,000 insects in a night. No Florida bats eat fruit or blood. They inhabit dead trees and bat houses, and need ready access to freshwater. Bats almost never carry rabies, and are not a health risk to humans.
Osprey
Ospreys are native to much of the world, including Florida. They have a wingspan of up to 5 feet. They nest and lay eggs between December and February, and generally lay three eggs at a time.
Ospreys eat exclusively fish. They require dead trees or manmade platforms to nest on, and a nearby water source for fishing. They are true birds of prey, not scavengers.
Screech Owls
Screech owls are small, growing to only 8 or 9 inches. They have two potential color patterns, red and gray. They lay 2-6 eggs each April.
Screech owls eat mice, insects, snakes and lizards. They can be successful in suburban areas. They require tree cavities to nest in. It is easy to attract them by providing nest boxes, and to recognize them by their unique call.