Describes chipmunks and their habits. Explains what type of habitat they need and how you can provide habitat in your yard. Includes sources of additional information and “fun facts.”
The wood duck is so beautiful that its scientific name, Aix sponsa, means “water bird in bridal dress.” Being so beautiful (and tasty!), by the 1880s, the once-abundant wood duck was disappearing
quickly due to hunting and habitat loss.
Did you know that the American kestrel is the smallest falcon in
North America and the second smallest falcon in the world? The average
length of the American kestrel is 9 to 12 inches, about the size of a robin.
Have you ever watched a squirrel? Watching squirrels is fun. They
look like a circus act as they jump from tree to tree. They run along
tree branches, leaping from branch to branch—it is unbelievable that they can move so fast and not fall! Sometimes you
can hear them barking...
Can you imagine eating bugs and berries and living inside a tree?
Western bluebirds do just that! They are members of the thrush family,
meaning that they are related to robins. There are three species, or kinds, of bluebirds in the United States: the Eastern
bluebird, the Western bluebird, and...
Hummingbirds are among the smallest birds in the world, only 3 to
4 inches long and about 1⁄10 ounce. They may be small, but these beautiful birds are easy to see and fun to watch.
Hummingbirds feed on nectar and small insects. They get most of their water from nectar.
The Pacific chorus frog, which used to be known as the Pacific treefrog,
is the most abundant kind (species) of frog in Oregon. Pacific chorus frogs are amphibians, like other frogs, toads, and salamanders. The word amphibian means “double life.” These critters are given this
name because they spend some...
The American robin, Turdus migratorius, is one of the best known
birds in North America. Robins are the largest member of the thrush family. Thrushes have large eyes, long legs, and strong bodies. Robins are known for their habit of feeding on earthworms in lawns and for the song they...
Raccoons are very interesting animals to watch because many of
their motions remind us of things we do. Raccoons walk flat footed like humans, and their front paws work a lot like human hands. Their ability to open doors, refrigerators, and garbage cans causes many conflicts between humans and raccoons.
The California quail, Callipepla californica, is one of Americaʼs
most interesting game birds. It is easily recognizable by its loud calls
and by the clump of feathers on its head called a topknot. Over the years, this bird has been given several common names,
including California quail, valley quail,
and...