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Wildlife
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Betsy Purdum
Bat house
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The mature hardwood forest of Andrews is home to a variety of birds and
mammals. Many native species such as raccoons, opossums, gray squirrels,
bats, screech owls, woodpeckers, and wood ducks use tree cavities for
nesting sites, dens, roosting areas, and escape cover. Clearings created
by the previous landowner favor edge-preferring species such as white-tailed
deer, white-eyed vireos, and gopher tortoises. The Commission maintains
these clearings as well as scattered roadside openings in a mixture of
permanent grasses and seasonal grains. In the spring, ground nesting birds
such as wild turkey use the clearings for nesting and brood rearing. You
can view and photograph wildlife from two observation towers on the roadside
openings.
The Suwannee River basin is a major route for many species of migrating
birds. Many canopy dwelling birds such as warblers, vireos, orioles,
cuckoos, and titmice inhabit the forest canopy at different times of
the year.
In late summer and early fall, you can hear hickory nuts and acorns
falling throughout the forest. Upland game such as white-tailed deer,
wild turkey, feral hogs, and gray squirrels benefit from the mast-producing
hardwoods found here.
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