Over the past several decades, I’ve been on at least one hike in each of our fifty states, camera in hand, searching for wildlife. I’ve seen a lot of different species. That said, there are plenty of animals that I haven’t had any luck with. The painted bunting — often considered North America’s most beautiful bird — was one of them. Until last week when visiting my mother and hiking in an area that I’ve been to many times before in southwest Florida. There are two main populations of painted buntings in the United States — the east coast population ranging from North Carolina down to southern Florida, and the west coast population mainly in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana. I remember when I was living in New York and one migrated in the wrong direction and ended up in Prospect Park in Brooklyn. It caused quite a stir and I stayed away to avoid being part of the problem. Nice to finally catch up with a few of them last week. Next time I’ll try to get shots with greenery in the background, but for now, this will have to do. Nikon Z8 with Nikkor 500mm PF lens, ISO 2200, f/5.6 at 1/400th of a second.

Last week while in Florida I captured these two brown anole lizards clashing in a territorial dispute. They are small but fierce lizards and are highly territorial. Males will chase, grapple, and even bite one another to defend prime habitat and access to females during the breeding season. What looks almost like a tiny reptilian boxing match is actually a serious contest of dominance, often settled in seconds before the loser retreats and the victor claims the perch. Nikon Z8 with Nikkor 500mm PF lens, ISO 280, f/5.6 at 1/2500th of a second.

A group of pelicans is called a scoop because of their most distinctive feature — the oversized throat pouch. Pelicans feed by dipping or plunging into the water and literally scooping up fish along with a gulp of water, which they then drain before swallowing their catch. The word perfectly mirrors both the action and the shape of their bill. Few birds are more defined by a single feeding motion than a pelican making a scoop. The photo features white pelicans in Florida. The illustration features brown pelicans — the two different species we get in the United States. To get your wildlife inspired T-shirts, visit my store at Species Limited. Nikon D700 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 200mm) ISO 400, f/4 at 1/200th of a second.

A group of cranes is called a sedge because cranes are so closely associated with wetlands, and sedges are grass-like plants that dominate marshes and boggy habitats where cranes feed and nest. Two members of a sedge are pictured here, but there were thousands more sandhill cranes in Bosque Del Apache National Wildlife Refuge in Socorro, New Mexico when I visited years ago during their yearly migration. To get your sedge t-shirt or onesie, visit my store at specieslimited.com. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 290mm) ISO 1600, f/5.6 at 1/200th of a second.

A group of owls is called a parliament because, for centuries, owls have symbolized wisdom and seriousness. The term dates back to medieval Europe and was popularized in 15th-century literature, in works like Chaucer’s Parliament of Fowls. With their upright posture, forward-facing eyes, and solemn expressions, owls resemble dignified officials gathered in debate. These two burrowing owls were in an open field with a few others at dusk on the west coast of Florida. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 330mm) ISO 800, f/4.5 at 1/250th of a second.

Well… at least, the makings of a clowder. Bobcats are almost always solitary in the wild, so the collective name is borrowed from domestic cat terminology, where clowder describes a loose, shifting gathering of felines. Applying it to bobcats is more poetic than scientific, but that’s the charm. It brings these elusive wildcats together in name, if not in nature. The photo was captured by my backyard camera trap back in April of 2024. Nikon D810 with Nikkor 17-35mm lens (at 20mm) ISO 500, f/14 at 1/200th of a second, Cognisys camera box, trail monitor and flash units.

A group of bears is called a sleuth — the term coming from the Old English word “sleuth,” meaning a slow-moving or stealthy animal. The connection to bears stems from their solitary, slow-moving, and deliberate nature when not provoked. This particular sleuth was photographed in Alaska’s Lake Clark National Park. As always, head on over to specieslimited.com to get your animal group names apparel. Nikon D500 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 1600, f/4 at 1/1600th of a second.

The term “husk” for a group of jackrabbits is one of those rare and lesser-known collective nouns, and like many such terms, its origin is more poetic than scientific. It may come from the old usage of “husk” meaning an outer shell or group enclosing something, possibly reflecting how jackrabbits may scatter from low vegetation or “husk-like” cover when startled. Alternatively, it could simply have been chosen for its crisp, natural sound, fitting for an animal of open plains and dry grasslands. As with many collective nouns, it’s more about imaginative language than biological behavior. For more, head on over to Species Limited, and why not pick up a few tee shirts (or a nice coffee mug of a jackrabbit husk) while you’re there. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 400, f/5.6 at 1/640th of a second.