Crocodiles are carnivores, which mean they eat only meat. In the wild, they feast on fish, birds, frogs and crustaceans. At the zoo, they eat small animals that have already been killed for them, such as rats, fish or mice. They also eat live locusts. What is the symbiotic relationshipRead More →
With its long neck and brown plumage, the ostrich is the tallest and heaviest bird on the planet. Females can grow up to six feet and weigh more than 200 pounds, while males can reach nine feet tall and roughly 280 pounds. Is Big Bird bigger than an ostrich? ButRead More →
They’re mostly covered in sleek brown plumage. But their handsome good looks are in the details—slicked-back head feathers, a black eye mask, waxy red wing tips, and a tail that looks as if it’s been dipped in yellow paint. Spotting just one of these attractive birds is a treat. ButRead More →
Even if you don’t have mice, “Search for food like bird eggs, baby birds, frogs, lizards, and other smaller amphibians, which can also be an attractant for snakes,” says Vosseler. What attracts snakes to your property? Keep debris and wood piles far away from your house, and screen off underneathRead More →
Seabirds (also called marine birds, oceanic birds, or pelagic birds) feed primarily in saltwater. What animal is similar to a duck? “Waterfowl”’ generally refers to ducks and geese, but often grouped into this category are other waterbirds that migrate this time of year as well—like those American coots, grebes, loons,Read More →
Brewer’s Blackbirds often make a tchup or chuk similar to the calls of other blackbirds, and used in a manner scientists have called “conversational in nature.” A more intense, slightly higher pitched version of this call is used as an alarm, to chase off intruders, and when carrying food forRead More →
As our garden grew, so did the bird population, so we began consciously choosing flowers and shrubs to attract them. Here is some of what we learned. Bulbuls will nest in dense-growing vines like the sky vine. They like the black berries of Lantana, and will often nest in aRead More →
tweet/twitter/cheep/chirp = when birds are making short, high sounds. shriek/cry = a very loud, piercing sound made by a bird. What is the most annoying bird call? Mating call of the male koel bird is one of the most annoying sounds of spring. What bird makes noise in the morning?Read More →
Killdeer lay their eggs on the ground out in open, often among stones, hiding them in plain sight. The way they keep from being eaten by a snake, cat, fox, or crow, is by looking just like the rocks. Is it illegal to move a killdeer nest? The Migratory BirdRead More →
What most people refer to as seagulls are actually birds in the scientifically classified family Laridae. Look in any North American bird guide and you’ll see this group listed as the “gull and tern” family with more than 35 species in it. Are seagulls and albatross the same bird? SeagullsRead More →