Frisco Critters Checklist
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Red-Eared Slider Leopard Frog REPTILES Red-eared sliders are generally These medium frogs (2- Reptiles are cold-blooded and have bodies seen sunning during warm FRISCO 3"), are brown or green covered in scales or plates. weather, but stay hidden with dark brown spots. during winter. This common Their call sounds like a Western Rat Snake turtle has a small red stripe short, chuckle-like shrill. CRITTERS behind its ear. These non-venomous snakes Gulf Coast Toad can often be identified by the Five-Lined Skink These true toads have dry, dark "saddles" that run down CHECKLIST its back. They eat small These skinks have five warty skin, short legs, and a mammals, birds, reptiles, and yellow stripes running chunky appearance. They amphibians. You may spot a from snout to tail. As can be found in backyard "kinked" rat snake climbing a juveniles, they have gardens, near ponds, and in tree to hide or catch prey. bright blue tails which the prairie. fade as they age. Green Anole These lizards can vary in Western Milksnake color from gray-brown, to INSECTS Brightly colored and strikingly brown, to bright green. Insects have exoskeletons, no backbone, three patterned, these non-venomous They can change their main body parts, and six legs. snakes are often confused with color to blend in with coral snakes and copperheads; but their surroundings. they pose no threat to humans. Butterfly Adult butterflies have large, often brightly coloured wings, Speckled Kingsnake and conspicuous, fluttering AMPHIBIANS flight. These moderately large Amphibians are cold-blooded creatures with non-venomous snakes moist, scaleless skin. All amphibians begin Damselfly feed on small mammals, their life in water with gills and tails. Damselflies are generally smaller, birds, frogs, lizards, and more delicate, and fly weakly in other snakes, including comparison with dragonflies. They venomous snakes such American Bullfrog rest with their wings up. as copperheads. This checklist features common animals The largest of North American Dragonfly frogs (up to 8"), the males can found in the City of Frisco's natural areas. Adult dragonflies are characterized be heard day or night emitting Find a trail, grab your binoculars, and DeKay's Brownsnake by large, multifaceted eyes, two the "jug-o-rum" bellow. check these awesome critters off of your These secretive non-venomous snakes are pairs of strong, transparent wings, often found in gardens and city parks., and and an elongated body. They rest “to see” list! open meadows. They are harmless and very Cricket Frog with their wings to the side. small, averaging between 23 to 52 centimeters These small (0.75-1") frogs are long. often seen hopping along the Beetle banks of a pond or along a The front pair of a beetle's wings trail. Their distinctive call are hardened into wing-cases,, sounds like marbles being hit distinguishing them from most together. other insects. Coyote MAMMALS Like domestic dogs, coyotes belong to the canine BIRDS Great Horned Owl Mammals have warm blood and are furry or family. They are highly intelligent and have their Birds have feathers and lay eggs. There are This large, thick bodied owl has two hairy. They feed their babies milk. Rabbits and own "language" of howls, barks, and yips to many species of birds who migrate through, or prominent feathered tufts on its head. deer are mammals, and so are you! communicate with each other. Coyotes primarily live year-round in Frisco- just look and listen! eat small rodents, rabbits, and berries. You may see them at dusk swooping across roads or fields. Their call is a deep series of four to five hoots. Virginia Opossum Red-Bellied Woodpecker This nocturnal marsupial is an This small woodpecker feeds at sap opportunistic feeder- meaning wells- neat rows of shallow holes they Northern Cardinal it will eat almost anything! drill into tree bark. They eat insects A beautiful bright red (male) or red- Gray in color with a white face, that get stuck in the sticky sap. gray (female) bird that is often seen opossums have a partially flitting from bush to bush, eating prehensile tail that they use for berries and seeds. Their common grasping. call is "Cheer, Cheer, Whip-Whip- White-Tailed Deer Red-Shouldered Hawk Whip-Whip!" Deer are often seen around Red-shouldered hawks soar over Raccoon dawn and dusk. They are very forests or perch on tree branches or Blue Jay The raccoon has a masked fast and agile runners and utility wires. They hunt small You might hear this bright face and a ringed tail. It is excellent jumpers. They eat mammals, amphibians, and reptiles blue bird with white and nocturnal and spends most leaves, acorns, and berries. from perches or while flying. black markings calling its days sleeping high in trees. name, "Jay! Jay! Jay!" as Look for its tracks in mud near you walk through the the water's edge- they look like American Crow woods. tiny hands! Bobcat A large black bird, the crow is Approximately twice the noisy and often seen in size of a house cat, the groups. Listen for their call, Nine-Banded Armadillo bobcat has light brown "Caw! Caw! Caw!" Egrets and Herons Armadillos are solitary, nocturnal fur, pointed ears, and a Tall and slender, white or gray-blue, creatures. Armadillo means "little short tail. They may look egrets and herons have long beaks man in armor" in Spanish and cute and cuddly, but these felines are fierce predators. Mallard and legs for catching fish, frogs, refers to the bony plates that They can leap up to 12 feet and run at speeds up to 30 Often found in Frisco ponds, and crawfish. Quietly approach a help protect it from its predators. mph. They are capable of taking down much larger the mallard eats plants, bugs, pond and you may see one Look for them around dusk as animals, such as young and injured deer. and lots of mosquito larvae! "fishing". they dig for insects to eat. Squirrels Fox Northern Mockingbird Three kinds of squirrels live in Both red and gray foxes are found in Osprey The state bird of Texas, these birds Frisco. Fox squirrels are Frisco. These highly intelligent and are gray, black, and white. They can These large raptors can reddish-brown, grey squirrels cunning critters are opportunistic imitate the calls of other birds, and be found near ponds are smaller than fox squirrels omnivores and will eat fish, insects, even car alarms! and lakes, diving into the with a white belly, and flying birds, leaves, and berries. water feet first to pull out squirrels are very small and a fish. only come out at night . .