ASK OTUS
Otus Rufous, an Eastern Screech-Owl, was born on Siesta Key
and is a full-time resident there. An avid hunter, accomplished
vocalist and genuine night owl, Otus is a keen observer of
our local wildlife and knows many of nature's secrets. Otus
will answer your questions about our amazing wildlife, but
only if you Ask Otus. So please send your questions and
photos to askotus@sarasotanewsleader.com. Thank you.
THE ENDANGERED FLORIDA WOOD STORK IS AN EYE-CATCHING BIRD
Dear Readers,
Elementary, my dear readers! It is the fabled
Roc (or rukh in Persian), which appears
throughout The Arabian Nights — the very
same bird that destroyed Sinbad the Sailor's
ship and carried him off to exotic strange
lands.
Over the past several weeks I have been
asked to identify a mystery bird based solely on vague descriptions by Siesta Key residents and visitors. This bird has been spotted
wading during low tide in Little Sarasota Bay,
in ponds and at our lagoon. It is consistently
described as huge and white with a strange In the 13th century, it was described more accurately by Marco Polo in his travel accounts
black head and enormous curved beak.
The fabled Roc destroyed Sinbad's ship. Photo by Caltrop via Wikimedia Commons
