TOUCH, BUT DON'T LOOK
Wood Storks capture their prey using touch, not sight. Marshlands, swamps and other shallow grounds are heavily vegetated and contain murky waters, which make it difficult to see fish and other insects. To get around this, Wood Storks sift their open beaks in mud to unearth potential prey. The instant an animal touches the bill it immediately snaps shut.  This technique of groping for food is known as “tacto-location.”

FASHION BACKWARD
In the late19th century, fashion was deadly…at least for a Roseate Spoonbill it was; its pink feathers were in such high demand for use in ladies hats and fans that Roseate Spoonbills nearly became extinct. Thanks to a variety of protective efforts, Roseate Spoonbills are no longer on the endangered species list.

HE'S NOT HERON, HE'S MY BROTHER
For years, scientists believed the Great White Heron was a species separate from the Great Blue Heron. We now know that these “Great Whites” are simply a white version of their blue-feathered brothers and sisters.  Great White Herons nest almost exclusively in South Florida. This may have been the initial reason why researchers classified the two birds separately. 

Resources for this article have been provided by the Naitonal Park Service and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission .