Author Archives: Rosemary

About Rosemary

Who: Naturalist and salamander enthusiast from Canada. Likes: Learning new ferns. Favorite part of the job: Hanging out with other people who like nature!

Get Started with Wildlife Tracking

Posted on February 18, 2014 by Rosemary

When it snows, something magical happens: you can peek into the lives of many secretive creatures by examining the tracks they leave behind. Tracking is about more than just following an animal’s trail. It’s about discovering the natural world around you while sharpening your powers of observation.

Like any skill, tracking takes practice. Here are a few basic things to keep in mind:

  • Snow conditions. Animal prints can look different depending on their age and the condition of the snow. Old prints in melting snow, for example, can look much larger. If snow has fallen on a track, obscuring details, focus on the pattern of the whole trail.
  • The shape of the prints. Are they round or oval? Are some of them bigger than others (since many animals have different-sized front and hind paws)? How many toes can you count?
  • The pattern of the prints. For example, a squirrel that hops between trees leaves a box-like pattern of four prints. A bounding weasel may leave a string of two side-by-side prints.
  • Size. Grab a ruler and measure your discoveries. A good tracking book will help you use these measurements to distinguish between the tracks of similar species.
  • Habitat. Clues from the environment may enable you to figure out which animal left the trail and what it was doing. For example, you’re more likely to find red squirrels in conifers and gray squirrels in deciduous trees. Was the animal wandering all about or just quickly passing through?
  • Other signs. Don’t just look for prints—can you see any chewed nuts, bark, or twigs? Any signs of digging?
  • Keep your distance. Winter is a challenging time for wildlife. Be careful not to stress animals and don’t approach their homes or resting sites.

Now that you know the basics, let’s identify some common tracks you may find:

deerWhite-tailed Deer

These hoofed creatures leave pointed prints with a split down the middle. Deer also have two toes higher on the leg called dewclaws that sometimes appear in the print (see them to the left of the photo). The two largest pointy hooves point in the direction of travel; this deer was headed to the right.

turkeyWild Turkey

Big birds leave large tracks, and turkey prints can be three to five inches long. They look a bit like dinosaur footprints! Note the three widely-spread toe prints pointing forward. There’s also a tiny toe print pointing backward—can you see it?

 

squirrel (3)Gray Squirrel

Here’s a case where the pattern of the prints is more useful than any individual print. When a squirrel hops, it puts down its smaller front paws side by side first (the shorter dashes) then puts down its larger hind paws directly in front (the longer dashes).

 

rabbit2Eastern Cottontail Rabbit

Rabbit tracks look a bit like squirrel tracks, but the two smaller front feet are placed one in front of the other, rather than side by side. This animal was traveling from right to left.

 

Learn More

This post just scratches the surface of animal track identification. It’s a complicated art and science; experts can uncover amazingly detailed stories from clues like stray hairs and places where tracks from two species meet. Find out more by attending one of our tracking programs.

Also, browse a selection of guides for all ages and skill levels at the Audubon Shop in Lincoln, including Big Tracks, Little Tracks: Following Animal Prints for 3-6 year olds, the Science on a Tracking Expedition kit, which is packed with games and activities, and the North Woods Animal Tracks Guide, a weatherproof set of ID cards on a keychain.

What natural secrets have you uncovered through tracks?

7 Reasons to Appreciate Squirrels

Posted on January 21, 2014 by Rosemary

January 21 is National Squirrel Appreciation day. We know it can be hard to appreciate these creatures sometimes, especially when they’re swinging acrobatically from a bird feeder. Here are seven interesting things you can observe about squirrels that might help you see them in a new light:

red_squirrel_rmosco

They can be black

Sometimes we hear reports from surprised people who have come across these darker squirrels. They aren’t a separate species—they’re actually members of our most common species, the eastern gray squirrel, but have more dark pigment. Scientists have identified two color variations: black and black-brown (which has a rusty underbelly).

Or white

The rare squirrel that appears all white is also technically a gray squirrel, but with a reduced amount of dark pigment. These squirrels are considered leucistic or partially albinistic.  In order to be a true albino, the squirrel would also have pink eyes.

And don’t forget red!

These smaller rusty-colored squirrels belong to a separate species, the American red squirrel. They often feast on conifer cones. If you come across a pile of pinecone pieces in the woods, perhaps sitting on a stump, you know that a red squirrel has dined there.

They can “fly”

There are two squirrels in Massachusetts that people almost never see: northern and southern flying squirrels. They only come out at night, and often visit bird feeders—you can try spotting them using a red light, which won’t spook them like a regular light. They don’t actually fly, but glide on membranes of skin.

 They have famous cousins

This Groundhog Day, celebrate squirrels! Although they lack fluffy tails, groundhogs belong to the squirrel family Sciuridae, as do prairie dogs and chipmunks.

 They play tag

There are many reasons why squirrels chase each other. Red squirrels are territorial and will race after any squirrel that intrudes on their space. Gray squirrels don’t maintain territories, but will chase each other to assert dominance, as part of courtship, or (in the case of young squirrels) just for fun.

They really know their acorns

When a gray squirrel finds an acorn, it has two choices: it can eat it, or bury it for later consumption during cold weather. Some acorns, like the acorns of white oak, sprout quickly, which makes them less palatable. Gray squirrels tend to eat these acorns right away. They bury red oak acorns, which have a longer shelf life. In years when there are many white oak acorns, squirrels will use their sharp teeth to remove the embryos, enabling them to be stored for months without risk of germination

Squirrels are fascinating, complex animals, but there’s no denying that they sometimes come into conflict with people. Check out some tips for solving common situations.

Have you observed any interestingly-colored squirrels lately? Let us know!