Category Archives: Take 5

Virginia Opossums © Scott Eggimann

Take 5: Misunderstood Wildlife

Over the years, some wildlife has developed a “bad reputation”. The reasons for this can vary—some animals, like opossums and ravens, display behaviors and self-defense techniques that can look scary or off-putting to the human eye, while others, such as bats, are maligned by old folklore and mythology. Sometimes, a few “bad actors” can lead to an entire group of beneficial creatures to be feared, as is the case with wasps.

At the heart of these apprehensions is simply a misunderstanding of what we’re seeing and the reasons behind it. Unfortunately, some of these fears and misunderstandings have led to widespread persecution of some wildlife, including poisoning, overhunting, and in some cases, extinction.

To help shine a more positive light on the incredible adaptations and important ecological role some of these animals play in nature, we’re hosting a Misunderstood Wildlife online program series. Over the course of four sessions, we’ll examine bats, opossums, ravens, and wasps, exploring the reasons they develop unfavorable reputations and the myths and facts that impact them. You’ll never view these animals the same way again!

Enjoy these five photos of the stars of this upcoming program series, taken by entrants to our annual Picture This: Your Great Outdoors photo contest, and register today for one or all four online programs.

Thread-waisted Wasp © Barbara Taskovics
Thread-waisted Wasp © Barbara Taskovics
Virginia Opossums © Scott Eggimann
Virginia Opossums © Scott Eggimann
Common Raven © Doug Pederson
Common Raven © Doug Pederson
Big Brown Bat (likely) © Eric Windover
Big Brown Bat (likely) © Eric Windover
Digger Wasp on Spotted Bee Balm © Christine Ceranowicz
Digger Wasp on Spotted Bee Balm © Christine Ceranowicz
Savannah Sparrow © Phil Doyle

Take 5: Sorting Out Sparrows

There are some birds that scream for attention, like Northern Cardinals or (more literally) Blue Jays. Sparrows are not that kind of bird. Sparrows are subtle, nuanced, and notoriously tricky to tell apart from one species to another. Commonly referred to as “Little Brown Jobs” (LBJs for short), sparrows mostly just run around, eat seeds, and try to stay out of trouble.

One useful tip to narrow down your options from the more than two dozen sparrows that can be found in Massachusetts is to pay attention to habitat. Some species are grassland specialists, like the Grasshopper Sparrow or Savannah Sparrow. As their names suggest, Seaside Sparrows and Saltmarsh Sparrows are most often seen at the shore. Swamp Sparrows prefer freshwater marshes, and Field Sparrows like early successional habitat (recently or frequently disturbed areas, like grasslands, pastures, shrubby thickets, and young forests).

Geography and time of year can be useful as well, as there are some species that only breed in Massachusetts in the western counties, such as White-throated Sparrow and Dark-eyed Junco, but all bets are off during migration when most of these species can be seen almost anywhere.

At that point, your best bet is to narrow down your choices by looking for identifying physical features: Is the breast striped or clear? Is the crown solid or striped? Are there any spots of yellow around the face?

Ask almost any expert for help honing your sparrow identification skills and they’ll likely give you a sympathetic smile and say something encouraging like, “Just keep practicing,” or “Don’t get discouraged.” Sorting out sparrows is, in the end, an exercise in patience and persistence.

If you’d like a leg up on your LBJ-identification training, check out our upcoming online program, Sorting Out Sparrows & Other LBJs. And enjoy these five photos of sparrows from our annual Picture This: Your Great Outdoors photo contest. The 2021 photo contest closes this Thursday, September 30, so submit your own nature photography today!

Saltmarsh Sparrow © Andy Eckerson
Saltmarsh Sparrow © Andy Eckerson
Savannah Sparrow © Phil Doyle
Savannah Sparrow © Phil Doyle
Swamp Sparrow © Matt Filosa
Swamp Sparrow © Matt Filosa
Song Sparrow © Thomas Kilian
Song Sparrow © Thomas Kilian
Grasshopper Sparrow © Kevin Bourinot
Grasshopper Sparrow © Kevin Bourinot