Remember: the Magnolias are in Bloom, and That Means Cockatrices!

Early spring means magnolias, but unfortunately that can also mean cockatrices—the flying half-rooster/half-snakes that feed on the nectar of the freshly opened magnolia buds.

Fortunately, says park mythozoologist Samantha Flumenthal, the magnolia trees’ blooming season is quite short, usually lasting no more than a week or two. 

“They usually won’t bother you unless you bother them,” says Flumenthal, “but do remember that their stare can be fatal.” 

Flumenthal advises keeping your eyes averted particularly when passing the roadside magnolia trees at the northeast corner of the Long Meadow. The cockatrices are expected to continue their migration north by mid-April.