The Florida legislature is once again considering replacing its state bird, the northern mockingbird, with a new and improved candidate. While the legislative session doesn’t start until March, people are already advocating for their favorite, including the icon of Florida itself, the American flamingo. Efforts to dethrone the widespread northern mockingbird with a candidate more …
Odd-looking, yet endearing, turtles have long peppered our myths, fables, and stories. Some Native American societies even had a creation myth based on them, referring to North America as “Turtle Island”. While turtles can live on land or freshwater, they also claim dominion over the sea, where the Poseidon of turtles resides: sea turtles. These …
Decked out in festive pink feathers, flamingos add a splash of color to sun-soaked beaches, turquoise lagoons, or even suburban lawns. In fact, their name originally meant flame-colored in Spanish and Portuguese. But these wading birds start out life as downy balls of gray and white, with no hint of incipient rosiness. So where exactly …