Squirrels at the Feeder

Backyard Critters and Projects

How Fast and High Do Bats Fly?

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In the world of flying animals, bats are among the most acrobatic, intuitive, and effective flyers to ever exist. These masters of aerial navigation use sonic frequencies emitted by their noses and mouths to better understand their terrain and to locate prey, a feature of bats known as echolocation.

Not only are bats exceptionally good flyers—they’re also distinctly different from birds insofar as their bodies and bone structure are concerned. The flight pattern of the bat is almost a trademark of this animal, and in this article, we’re going to be taking a closer look at just how fast and high bats fly, and for what reasons.

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Pet Chipmunks: A Few Things You Ought To Know!

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The maxim that you should never judge a book by its cover holds true when it comes to the contrary appearance and nature of chipmunks.
Just look at this cute, innocent, little rodent – who wouldn’t want to cuddle it!  As much as their appearance and behavior may be heartwarming, chipmunks are wild creatures that unless already tamed, right after their birth. just might respond to touching with a bite!

This doesn’t mean that chipmunks can’t be kept at home as pets. It’s just that you need to devote a lot of time, patience, and space for them. If you’re willing to commit, you’ll love living with these adorable creatures. Before you buy one though, you should look up your state laws and local ordinances because in some regions, it’s illegal to keep chipmunks as pets.

Apart from that, you need to know a few things about these rodents before you bring them home.

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How To Attract Woodpeckers To Feeders

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I have spent the last two months running experiments to figure out how to attract woodpeckers to feeders and thought some other folks would be interested in the results.

This was a massive case of making lemonade when life gives you lemons so if you find the article useful then it is a double bonus for me!

Red Headed Woodpecker at Feeder

Attracting Woodpeckers to Your Bird Feeders

The general steps for getting woodpeckers to eat at your feeders are as follows:

  • Make your yard hospitable for woodpeckers
  • Understand which types of woodpecker are present
  • Feed peanuts for larger woodpeckers
  • Feed suet for smaller woodpeckers
  • Consider Feeder Placement (Open vs Treeline)
  • Feed Consistently

Let’s look at each of these steps in a little more detail.
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What To Feed A Baby Chipmunk

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Have you stumbled upon an orphaned chipmunk? What with their size and those wide, black eyes, baby chipmunks can be hard to resist. Nevertheless, the first thing you need to do is figure out whether a chipmunk even needs your help or not. Chances are, it may just be out and about but may not necessarily be an orphan. Take a look around and see if you can spot its mother.

There are other signs that can help you discern whether a chipmunk is orphaned as well. For example, if the chipmunk doesn’t make too much effort to evade you and looks very thin, then it may need your help.

Now that you have managed to rescue a baby chipmunk, what’s next? Caring for a chipmunk isn’t easy and there’s a lot that you will have to learn. In this article, I’m going to talk about one of the most primary aspects of caring for a chipmunk— knowing what to feed it. Let’s get started.
What to feed a baby chipmunk
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How Long Do Bats Live?

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Bats have been around for at least 50 million years, and there are many reasons for why they’ve managed to thrive for so long and in so many different environments. From their highly evolved bodies seemingly built for flight to their hyper-accurate sense of echolocation, bats have become one of the hardiest and longest-lasting species of animal to ever exist.

Alas, bats do die. However, they live lives that are comparably long, even when we consider how long some birds live (some Cockatoos can live to be 80+ years old). In this article, we’ll be answering the question, “How long do bats live?”, and we’ll be exploring the many factors that contribute to bat death, either prematurely or naturally.

Types of Bats

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Bat Anatomy: Do They Really Have Fangs?

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Bats are truly fascinating creatures. They’re the only mammals capable of true flight, they sleep hanging upside-down, and they are a crucial link in the food chain.

What’s even more remarkable about bats is how they manage to live their lives so efficiently. Thankfully, Mother Nature has equipped bats with all the tools they need to survive and thrive, as they have been doing so for millions of years on almost every continent throughout the world.

In this article, we’ll be looking closely at bat anatomy, exploring the tools that equip bats to be expert flyers, hunters, and foragers. We’ll also be answering some of the most commonly asked questions about bat anatomy. [Read more…]

What Animals Eat Chipmunks? Predators on the Prowl!

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Like other members of the squirrel family, chipmunks can be highly susceptible to attacks from predators. Predation contributes significantly to the mortality rate for a chipmunk. Most chipmunks will not survive beyond their first year due to this very reason.

Predators that eat chipmunks vary across location and habitat and many chipmunks have established a set of predator specific alarm calls to help each other, and especially fellow family members escape attack.  Let’s take a look at some chipmunk species and which predators they need to watch out for.

What Animals Eat Chipmunks

Note: All information below was obtained from the species specific entries at the Animal Diversity Web.

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Do Bats Hibernate? How Do They Survive The Winter?

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Bats are fascinating creatures. They’re nocturnal flying mammals (in fact, they’re the only mammals that can fly at all), and they hang upside down when they sleep. Because bats prefer to live in dark recesses like caves and abandoned buildings, the question is often asked, “Do bats hibernate?”

In this article, we’re going to be addressing this question and answering it definitively. We’ll also be looking at the various behaviors that different bat species exhibit. After reading this, you’ll be well on your way to becoming a bat expert!

Do Bats Hibernate

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Chipmunk Sounds: What Are They and What Do They Mean?

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Have you ever heard a chipmunk? Even if you haven’t, then a quick search through Google will tell you how chipmunks are quiet animals. However, they will emit an alarm call when they spot a predator nearby. Chipmunks can make quite a variety of sounds as well. Several studies have been conducted over the years that aimed at deciphering the language of these furry animals.

So, without further ado, let’s take a look at what the scientific community has to say about chipmunk sounds and what they mean!

Chipmunk Sounds

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Types of Bats: An Introduction To Common Bats Of The United States

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No other flying animal gets as bad of a rap as bats do. These fascinating creatures can teach us a lot about how nature has managed to adapt and overcome throughout millenia of evolutionary changes. Not only are bats fantastic flyers and hunters; they also live in virtually every part of the continental United States.

To understand bats is to understand what separates one species of bat from another. In this article, we’re going to examine the most populous bat species in North America. We’ll be giving you some identifying characteristics so you can spot them yourself, and with some luck, you’ll learn a thing or two about bats that you didn’t know before reading this!

Types of Bats

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