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Wildlife Is EVERYWHERE
Conservationist NEW YORK STATE Wildlife is EVERYWHERE NEW YORK STATE Welcometo Conservationist In this issue: Mule deer in the western U.S. are found near human development, as are New York’s white-tailed deer. Want to receive We enjoy seeing Conservationist for Kids wildlife, but at home? Subscribe to Conservationist magazine! sometimes it’s You’ll get six issues of the award- nearer than we winning Conservationist expect. How will magazine each year, plus Conservationist for Kids in the you live in October, February and April harmony with your issues. Call 1-800-678-6399 wild neighbors? for information about how Visit to subscribe. www.dec.ny.gov for information for kids interestedKids GO in (Getthe environment. Check out Outside) for activity ideas, and look for Conservationist for Kids online. Contact us at: Conservationist for Kids This issue of Conservationist for Kids is funded by 625 Broadway, 4th Floor Return a Gift to Wildlife. Donations to this program Albany, NY 12233-4500 support fish and wildlife conservation in New York State, including education about conservation issues. Go to or e-mail us at www.dec.ny.gov/animals/327.html for more information. [email protected] 2 Cover photo Gerry Lemmo Wildlife is everywhere. DEC/Scott Smith Animals are found wherever there is suitable habitat. Some species have adapted to live near people and may be seen where they were once unfamiliar visitors. Many–such as bobcat, fisher, owls and coyotes–are nocturnal (active mostly at night) or secretive and are noticed only by careful observers or by their tracks or other signs. -
NEWSLETTER Issue 4
NEWSLETTER Issue 4 October 2008 CONTENTS Page Chairman’s Introduction 1&2 Contact Details / Dates for your Diary / EIG Website 3 A Code of Practice for Butterfly Recording and Photography in Europe 4&5 A List of European Butterflies – A Role for EIG 6,7&8 Mount Chelmos, Greece 2008 Visit 9&10 Discovering Butterflies in Turkey’s Kaçkar Mountains 11&12 EIG Surveys in Hungary May – June 2008 13,14&15 Efforts for the Conservation of the Scarce Heath in Bavaria 16,17&18 Jardins de Proserpine 19 Spring into the Algarve 20&21 INTRODUCTION EIG now has 147 members and has had a successful year. In this Newsletter there are two reports of successful trips by EIG members to Mount Chelmos in Greece (Page 9 & 10) and to Hungary (Page 11,12 & 13). These activities are beginning to influence local National Parks and it was encouraging to hear that grazing has resumed in the Latrany Valley in Hungary something that the West Midlands group that went to Hungary in 2006 recommended. It was this group that formed EIG. We are able to organize activities in Europe only if we don’t fall foul of the 1991 EU Travel Directive and the 1993 EU Package Travel Directive. This means for all EIG trips we have to either use a travel company such as Ecotours or book our own flights and accommodation as we did in Greece or to travel independently and meet up at the arranged site as we did in the Ecrins last year. There is however an insurance issue outstanding, which would cover BC from, claims from anyone participating in the same way as they are covered by BC’s insurance for a field event or work party in the UK. -
The Northern Cardinal Margaret Murphy, Horticulture Educator and Regional Food Coordinator
Week of February 2, 2015 For Immediate Release The Northern Cardinal Margaret Murphy, Horticulture Educator and Regional Food Coordinator The northern cardinal is probably the most recognizable bird in the back yard – at least the male. He wears brilliant red plumage throughout the year. It is this amazing color that has made him the subject in many photographs and artists’ drawings, especially in winter and often on Christmas cards. Nothing is quite as cheery as seeing this holiday red bird sitting on a tree branch with a snowy scene in the background. But let’s not forget the female cardinal. While she lacks the bright red feathers, she does hold the distinction of being one of few female songbirds in North America who sing. She often does so while sitting on the nest. According to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology All About Birds website, a mated pair of northern cardinals will share song phrases. Northern cardinals are found in our region throughout the year. They are common to back yards and are frequently heard, though not always seen, perched in the higher branches of trees or shrubs while singing. They nest in shrubs, thickets or sometimes in low areas of evergreens and build their nests in the forks of small branches hidden in the dense foliage. The female builds a cup-shaped nest made of twigs. She will crush the twigs with her beak and bend them around her while she turns in the nest. She then pushes the twigs into the cup shape with her feet. The nest is lined with finer materials such as grasses or hair. -
Northern Cardinal - Cardinalis Cardinalis
Northern Cardinal - Cardinalis cardinalis Photo credit: commons.wikimedia.com. Female in left photo, male in right photo. The Northern cardinal is easily distinguishable from other birds by their bright red color and prominent crest, the Northern Cardinal is a territorial songbird often found in gardens as well as around the Garden City Bird Sanctuary. They prefer nesting in shrubs and trees. Bird Statistics Description Scientific name- Cardinalis cardinalis Size and Shape- Mid-sized songbird with a Family- Cardinalidae short and stout beak, a long tail, and a crested Conservation Status- Least concern head Length- 8.3-9.1 in (21-23 cm) Color Pattern- Males are mostly bright red Wingspan- 9.8-12.2 in (25-31 cm) with darker red wings. Females are more Weight- 1.5-1.7 oz (42-48 g) grayish tinged with red. Both sexes have a reddish beak and black around the beak Egg Statistics Behavior- Often found foraging on or near the Color- Brownish or grayish white speckled with ground near shrubbery. Males are territorial dark brown and can be aggressive Nest- Bowl-shaped that consists of twigs, leaves, Song- Series of high-pitched chirps and grasses Habitat- Live in dense and brushy areas such Clutch size- 2-5 eggs as edges of woodlands, thickets, swamps, Number of broods- 1-2 overgrown fields, and gardens Length- 0.9-1.1 in (1.7-2 cm) Range- Year-round in northern and central Width- 0.7-0.8 in (1.7-2 cm) part of the US, parts of southern Canada, Incubation period- 11-13 days Mexico, and around the Gulf of Mexico Nestling period- 7-13 days Diet- Mostly grains, seeds, and fruits from bird feeders and the ground supplemented with Additional Information: insects such as grasshoppers and cicadas http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_cardinal http://birds.audubon.org/birds/northern- cardinal Thanks to Crystal Chang for this bird data page. -
Camp Chiricahua July 16–28, 2019
CAMP CHIRICAHUA JULY 16–28, 2019 An adult Spotted Owl watched us as we admired it and its family in the Chiricahuas © Brian Gibbons LEADERS: BRIAN GIBBONS, WILLY HUTCHESON, & ZENA CASTEEL LIST COMPILED BY: BRIAN GIBBONS VICTOR EMANUEL NATURE TOURS, INC. 2525 WALLINGWOOD DRIVE, SUITE 1003 AUSTIN, TEXAS 78746 WWW.VENTBIRD.COM By Brian Gibbons Gathering in the Sonoran Desert under the baking sun didn’t deter the campers from finding a few life birds in the parking lot at the Tucson Airport. Vermilion Flycatcher, Verdin, and a stunning male Broad-billed Hummingbird were some of the first birds tallied on Camp Chiricahua 2019 Session 2. This was more than thirty years after Willy and I had similar experiences at Camp Chiricahua as teenagers—our enthusiasm for birds and the natural world still vigorous and growing all these years later, as I hope yours will. The summer monsoon, which brings revitalizing rains to the deserts, mountains, and canyons of southeast Arizona, was tardy this year, but we would see it come to life later in our trip. Rufous-winged Sparrow at Arizona Sonora Desert Museum © Brian Gibbons On our first evening we were lucky that a shower passed and cooled down the city from a baking 104 to a tolerable 90 degrees for our outing to Sweetwater Wetlands, a reclaimed wastewater treatment area where birds abound. We found twittering Tropical Kingbirds and a few Abert’s Towhees in the bushes surrounding the ponds. Mexican Duck, Common Gallinule, and American Coot were some of the birds that we could find on the duckweed-choked ponds. -
Polar Bears Are One of the Largest a Camera with a Telephoto Lens
Come see animals US $16.95 / $21.95 CAN R o s face to face eet the olar ear ... i m p b n through in-your-face animal adventures. g / C face to face with animals a Cuddly cubs. r is brought to you exclusively from n e National Geographic photographers and Powerful predators. y researchers in the field observing animals. Each book combines exciting Lords of the Arctic . firsthand animal information with f stunning animal photography. Read about a close calls, narrow escapes, and the one c that got away. Find out about the field of e animal study and observation and all the t latest discoveries. o f a You’ll find important conservation c have you ever messages about the need to protect e been face to face with animals and their threatened habitats. w You’ll receive “tips from the expert” with i a polar bear? fun and practical nuggets of information t about working with animals in the field. h face to face with Norbert Rosing has. He's had his tires A “facts at a glance” reference section P slashed by a polar bear, almost became O puts information at your fingertips. L a polar bear’s lunch when his truck A scientific adventure experiment, a A became stuck in a snowdrift, and nearly R glossary, and a “find out more” section lost his fingertips to frostbite. But he B all help you process what you’ve learned. E keeps returning to the beautiful Arctic A landscape and to the company of his R S favorite animal. -
Reference Center Catalog
REFERENCE CENTER CATALOG KANSAS DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE AND PARKS 512 SE 25TH AVE. PRATT, KS 67124 (620) 672-0751 [email protected] Dear Reference Library User, We are pleased to announce that we have made a major change in the way we serve our users. We have organized our materials into kits that cover specific topics, such as “Kansas’ Day,” “Birds,” “Insects,” and “Weather.” This eliminates the need to “hunt” through the entire catalog to find materials on a specific topic. The new catalog will reflect this change. There are 55 study kits each containing a complete listing and description of all the resources within the study kit. Several popular topics such as “Birds,” for example, are subdivided into subtopics: “Birds of Prey,” “Predator Birds,” “Bird Houses and Feeders,” and “Birds - General.” Included with each kit is a list of additional resources which can be obtained from the Wildlife Education Service section. An order form is included with each kit. With the number and variety of resources available per kit, sharing the resources with other educators should be more convenient. There is an appendix listing the “Education Standards” being met through the utilization of the kit’s resources. An additional appendix estimates the UPS shipping cost for returning the kits. We encourage users to utilize UPS for returning the kits to take advantage of their free $100 insurance policy. Because there will only be 1-3 kits per topic area, we suggest you give us a three to four weeks notice for receiving your kit. It is also important to return the kits by their due date to avoid a backlog for the kit. -
Occasional Invaders
This publication is no longer circulated. It is preserved here for archival purposes. Current information is at https://extension.umd.edu/hgic HG 8 2000 Occasional Invaders Centipedes Centipede Millipede doors and screens, and by removal of decaying vegetation, House Centipede leaf litter, and mulch from around the foundations of homes. Vacuum up those that enter the home and dispose of the bag outdoors. If they become intolerable and chemical treatment becomes necessary, residual insecticides may be Centipedes are elongate, flattened animals with one pair of used sparingly. Poisons baits may be used outdoors with legs per body segment. The number of legs may vary from caution, particularly if there are children or pets in the home. 10 to over 100, depending on the species. They also have A residual insecticide spray applied across a door threshold long jointed antennae. The house centipede is about an inch may prevent the millipedes from entering the house. long, gray, with very long legs. It lives outdoors as well as indoors, and may be found in bathrooms, damp basements, Sowbugs and Pillbugs closets, etc. it feeds on insects and spiders. If you see a centipede indoors, and can’t live with it, escort it outdoors. Sowbugs and pillbugs are the only crustaceans that have Centipedes are beneficial by helping controlArchived insect pests and adapted to a life on land. They are oval in shape, convex spiders. above, and flat beneath. They are gray in color, and 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch long. Sowbugs have two small tail-like Millipedes appendages at the rear, and pillbugs do not. -
House Centipedes: Lots of Legs, but Not a Hundred House Centipedes Are Predatory Arthropods That Can Be Found Both Indoors and Outdoors
http://hdl.handle.net/1813/43838 2015 Community House Centipedes: Lots of Legs, but not a Hundred House centipedes are predatory arthropods that can be found both indoors and outdoors. They prefer damp places, including basements, bathrooms and even pots of over-watered plants, where they feed on insects and spiders. As predators of other arthropods, they can be considered a beneficial organism, but are most often considered a nuisance pest when present in the home. Did you know … ? • By the Numbers: There are approximately 8,000 species of Common House Centipede (Scutigera coleoptrata Linnaeus). Photo: G. Alpert. centipedes. • Form-ally Speaking: Centipedes come in a variety of forms and sizes. Depending on the species they can be red, brown, black, white, orange, or yellow. Some species are shorter than an inch, while tropical species can be up to a foot in length! • Preying on the Predators: Larger centipedes can feed on mice, toads, and even birds. • Preference or Requirement? Centipedes prefer moist areas because they lack a waxy exoskeleton. In dry areas, centipedes can die from desiccation or drying out. Identification Common House Centipede close-up. Photo: G. Alpert. Adult house centipedes measure one to two inches in length, but may appear larger because of their 15 pair of long legs. House centipedes are yellow-gray in color, with three black stripes that span the length of the body, and black bands on their legs. The last pair of legs is very long and is modified to hold onto prey items. These and other legs can be detached defensively if grasped by a predator. -
Millipedes and Centipedes
MILLIPEDES AND CENTIPEDES Integrated Pest Management In and Around the Home sprouting seeds, seedlings, or straw- berries and other ripening fruits in contact with the ground. Sometimes individual millipedes wander from their moist living places into homes, but they usually die quickly because of the dry conditions and lack of food. Occasionally, large (size varies) (size varies) numbers of millipedes migrate, often uphill, as their food supply dwindles or their living places become either Figure 1. Millipede (left); Centipede (right). too wet or too dry. They may fall into swimming pools and drown. Millipedes and centipedes (Fig. 1) are pedes curl up. The three species When disturbed they do not bite, but often seen in and around gardens and found in California are the common some species exude a defensive liquid may be found wandering into homes. millipede, the bulb millipede, and the that can irritate skin or burn the eyes. Unlike insects, which have three greenhouse millipede. clearly defined body sections and Life Cycle three pairs of legs, they have numer- Millipedes may be confused with Adult millipedes overwinter in the ous body segments and numerous wireworms because of their similar soil. Eggs are laid in clutches beneath legs. Like insects, they belong to the shapes. Wireworms, however, are the soil surface. The young grow largest group in the animal kingdom, click beetle larvae, have only three gradually in size, adding segments the arthropods, which have jointed pairs of legs, and stay underneath the and legs as they mature. They mature bodies and legs and no backbone. soil surface. -
Determining the Dominant Bird Species Among the Northern
Determining the Dominant Bird Species among the Northern Cardinal, Dark- eyed Junco, Tufted Titmouse, and the American Goldfinch in Lonaconing, Maryland Bird Communication • Transmit information – Food – Mates – Attacks – Escapes – Territory – Identifications • Displays – Visual Displays – Vocal Displays Agonistic Behaviors • Behaviors used when two birds interact – Hostile – Cooperative • Threat Displays (TD) – Display wings and beak – Move towards – Attacks • Submissive Displays (SD) – Turn head and beak away – Move away – Flee Dominant Bird • Use more TDs • Assert status • Move without hesitation to feeders or perch • Rank higher • Reserve access to mates, space, and food • Take fewer risks • Survive longer Subordinate Birds • Use more SDs • Move tentatively • Attacked by dominants • Have less access food • Displaced by dominant birds • Move to new locations • Have higher risk of death Dominant Interactions • Intraspecies Interactions – Older dominate younger – Males dominate females – Larger dominate smaller • Interspecies Interactions – Larger dominate smaller – More dominant depending on brain chemistry Purpose of the Study Look at the interactions between four different species of birds (Northern Cardinal, Dark-eyed Junco, Tufted Titmouse, and American Goldfinch) to determine which species is the most dominate in these interactions. Northern Cardinal • Is the largest bird – 42-48 g – 21-23 cm • Is sexually dimorphic – Males red – Females brown with red tinges • Eats seeds and fruit • Flock with other cardinals in the winter Dark-eyed -
Winter Bird Highlights 2015, Is Brought to You by U.S
Winter Bird Highlights FROM PROJECT FEEDERWATCH 2014–15 FOCUS ON CITIZEN SCIENCE • VOLUME 11 Focus on Citizen Science is a publication highlight- FeederWatch welcomes new ing the contributions of citizen scientists. This is- sue, Winter Bird Highlights 2015, is brought to you by U.S. project assistant Project FeederWatch, a research and education proj- ect of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Bird Studies Canada. Project FeederWatch is made possible by the e are pleased to have a new efforts and support of thousands of citizen scientists. Wteam member on board! Meet Chelsea Benson, a new as- Project FeederWatch Staff sistant for Project FeederWatch. Chelsea will also be assisting with Cornell Lab of Ornithology NestWatch, another Cornell Lab Janis Dickinson citizen-science project. She will Director of Citizen Science be responding to your emails and Emma Greig phone calls and helping to keep Project Leader and Editor the website and social media pages Anne Marie Johnson Project Assistant up-to-date. Chelsea comes to us with a back- Chelsea Benson Project Assistant ground in environmental educa- Wesley Hochachka tion and conservation. She has worked with schools, community Senior Research Associate organizations, and local governments in her previous positions. Diane Tessaglia-Hymes She incorporated citizen science into her programming and into Design Director regional events like Day in the Life of the Hudson River. Chelsea holds a dual B.A. in psychology and English from Bird Studies Canada Allegheny College and an M.A. in Social Science, Environment Kerrie Wilcox and Community, from Humboldt State University. Project Leader We are excited that Chelsea has brought her energy and en- Rosie Kirton thusiasm to the Cornell Lab, where she will no doubt mobilize Project Support even more people to monitor bird feeders (and bird nests) for Kristine Dobney Project Assistant science.