Most backyards in North America have only one type of squirrel that you see regularly. In northern and eastern regions, the two most common types are red and gray squirrels. But if you’ve ever seen these two squirrels side-by-side then you know they’re really quite different animals! Not just in terms of size & appearance, but also in their behavior, habitat & even their … [Read more...] about 8 Differences Between Red & Gray Squirrels (Photos, ID & Behavior)
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.
Quick Guide To Mast Trees: Magic of Bumper Crops, 7 Examples & Implications For Wildlife
As the growing season comes to a close every autumn, something magical happens in the forest which has massive implications for the lives of billions of creatures. They’re called mast trees! And today I’m going to share a quick introduction with all the basics you need to know to identify mast trees and reap the benefits of their harvest. So what are mast trees? A mast tree is any tree … [Read more...] about Quick Guide To Mast Trees: Magic of Bumper Crops, 7 Examples & Implications For Wildlife
How Do Foxes Hunt Their Prey? (Technique, diet & where to see them in action!)
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!)
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)