Pine flatwoods dominate the landscape at Branan
Field and species adapted for this fire dependent community are
abundant. Look for the mounds of sand that mark the burrow entrance
of gopher tortoise burrows.
P.J. Jones -
Young gopher tortoise and Bachelor Button
Animals such as indigo snakes, eastern diamondback
rattlesnakes, gopher frogs, pine snakes, and Florida mice find
refuge within these burrows. Look for them near burrow entrances or
observe tracks left behind in the soft sand. Eastern bluebirds,
woodpeckers, southeastern kestrels, pine warblers and brown-headed
nuthatches are common residents of pine flatwoods. Listen for the
distinctive calls of the eastern towhee and Bachman's sparrow.
White-tailed deer and wild turkey are occasionally observed.
Scientists from the University of Florida are
conducting research at Branan Field on upper respiratory track
disease (URTDS) in gopher tortoises. Visitors may notice enclosures
marking study sites located just off main trails. Please respect
the boundaries of these sites.
Wildlife Spotlight: Bachman's
© Peter May
One of the most beautiful sounds of the southern
pinelands is the song of the Bachman's sparrow. From exposed
perches, the male sings its long, varied song, sometimes described
as "h-e-e-e-e-re kitty kitty kitty kitty." The song is one of the
best ways to locate this secretive sparrow whose grayish-brown
plumage helps it blend into the grass and saw palmetto understory
of Florida's open pine woods.
Bachman's sparrows breed from the central
mid-western states south to Oklahoma, Texas, and Florida. The
population shifts to the southern parts of this range from
September to April. Between April and July, females build
well-concealed, cup-shaped nests of woven grasses on or near the
ground. Bachman's sparrows eat grasshoppers, crickets, spiders and
other invertebrates, and seeds from pines, grasses and fruits.
In Florida, look and listen for Bachman's sparrows
in appropriate habitat as far south as Lake Okeechobee. Both sexes
have a grayish-brown back streaked with black, a buffy breast and
whitish belly. The male's song usually begins with a simple, clear
whistle, followed by a musical trill. Male birds sing most actively
from March through June each year.
The loss of native pine grasslands and the
exclusion of fire have caused a decline in the population of
Bachman's sparrows throughout the southeast.