One thing I love about foxes is they’re just so easy to observe on the hunt. Foxes hunt in a relatively small area compared to larger-sized predators which means you don’t have to search as far to find them, and their populations can be quite high within a relatively defined area. When you understand their hunting strategy, it’s like a roadmap to having some pretty amazing moments watching … [Read more...] about How Do Foxes Hunt Their Prey? (Technique, diet & where to see them in action!)
Learn Animal Tracking
This page is all about animal tracking. The ability to track animals is a really fun skill to develop that teaches us to pay close attention to nature.
When Do Squirrels Mate & Have Babies? (mating calendar + 3 behaviors to look for)
One of the secrets to really understanding squirrel behavior is knowing when they have babies in your local forests. Squirrel mating behaviors are a frequently misunderstood topic in the life of squirrels because their breeding habits have such incredible diversity that all depends on each individual squirrel. As a general rule most Gray and Fox squirrels have their babies during September … [Read more...] about When Do Squirrels Mate & Have Babies? (mating calendar + 3 behaviors to look for)
Raccoon Scat: How To Identify & Find Latrines + Possible Dangers To Know
Raccoons are fun animals to track and one of the most useful skills I ever learned to help me do that is finding and identifying raccoon scat. Raccoon scat is fairly common but it’s also commonly misidentified because it has similar characteristics to the droppings of other animals. Many people don’t know how to tell raccoon scat from dog, coyote, fox or even otter scat.There are also some … [Read more...] about Raccoon Scat: How To Identify & Find Latrines + Possible Dangers To Know
How To Tell If Animal Tracks Are Fresh (in sand, mud & snow)
One of the big challenges whenever we find tracks outside is knowing just how long ago that animal was here. If your goal is to eventually find the animal, it really helps to know whether a trail was freshly made or if you’re still quite far behind. Luckily there is a bit of a science behind aging tracks. If you know what to look for you can gain a practical accuracy at knowing which tracks … [Read more...] about How To Tell If Animal Tracks Are Fresh (in sand, mud & snow)
Do Squirrels Eat Bird Eggs? (Squirrels As Predators)
One year during the spring nesting season, I noticed a sparrow making soft alarm calls and following a squirrel around the forest. Of course, I became instantly fascinated as to why this was happening, and it got me wondering whether squirrels ever steal and eat bird eggs. As it turns out, squirrels do eat bird eggs when they have the opportunity. If a squirrel locates an active nest, they … [Read more...] about Do Squirrels Eat Bird Eggs? (Squirrels As Predators)
How Do Animals Help Plants? (4 symbiotic interactions)
Everyone knows that plants play an important role for the survival of wild animals by providing essential food and shelter. What’s less obvious is that animals also help plants in crucial ways that form a sensitive and beautiful symbiotic relationship. Animals help plants pollinate their flowers and spread seeds. Their droppings fertilize the soil, while grazing & browsing animals help … [Read more...] about How Do Animals Help Plants? (4 symbiotic interactions)
How Do Animals Find Water? (includes mammals, birds, reptiles & differences in the desert)
A key factor in every animal’s survival is finding enough water to keep their bodies strong & healthy. For this reason, animals have many different strategies for finding & using water from the environment, and it’s a great way to gain insight into their behavior. Most modern humans would have no clue where to find enough clean water in a survival situation… so how do animals do … [Read more...] about How Do Animals Find Water? (includes mammals, birds, reptiles & differences in the desert)
How Do Hawks Hunt? (7 different methods & how to observe)
One of the amazing things about hawks is their huge variety of different strategies for hunting and catching prey. Some hawks hunt by soaring high over open landscapes as they watch for unsuspecting prey animals below. Others will choose a silent perch at the edge of a meadow, then swoop down at just the right moment. There are even hawks that specialize in hunting birds on the fly, … [Read more...] about How Do Hawks Hunt? (7 different methods & how to observe)
How Does Weather Affect Animal Behavior?
I’ve been interested in the relationship between weather and animal behavior since I first started studying nature as a teen. Wild animals are constantly outside, being affected by changes in cold, heat, rain, snow, wind & dry conditions. This presents a great opportunity to gain deeper insight into the lives of local wildlife, and learn some amazing things about our … [Read more...] about How Does Weather Affect Animal Behavior?
How To Identify Raccoon Tracks (Front, hind, common mistakes)
Raccoon tracks are some of the most common footprints found in north america. These masked bandits love to hunt for tasty morsels along the edges of creeks and wet areas where they have no fear of getting their feet muddy. Raccoons are also a common visitor of garbage cans and compost bins, leaving plenty of opportunities to track raccoons close to home. Because they’re so common, knowing … [Read more...] about How To Identify Raccoon Tracks (Front, hind, common mistakes)