Backyard Critters and Projects
Putting up a bat house is a great way to help control insects while helping to conserve the bats in your area. There are a lot of bat houses for sale but they are some extreme differences between them.
This article will walk you through:
Let’s get started!
When woodpeckers go to work ‘drilling’ for the insects they rely on for food, we can clearly see that they do significant damage to the surfaces of the trees they peck. Observing this behavior, it’s a reasonable question to ask: “Are woodpeckers bad for trees?”.
In this article, we’ll be answering this question using data that biologists and arborologists have discovered. Hopefully, in learning more about the ‘true’ damage that woodpeckers cause, you can develop a newfound appreciation for these fascinating and resourceful birds.
So, are woodpeckers bad for trees? Woodpeckers do minor damage to individual trees but are extremely critical in helping a forest stay healthy. So, overall, woodpeckers are highly beneficial for trees as a whole. Let’s take a closer look at why!
Pileated Woodpeckers are a unique and majestic sight to behold: their bold, red head plumage and trademark, black-and-white patterning make them very easy to identify in densely wooded areas throughout the eastern United States and in most of Canada.
This bird is often heard before it is seen, however, as it’s ‘drumming’ can be quite loud. The volume of Pileated Woodpecker drilling can be attributed to the fact that this is, indeed, a very massive woodpecker!
For birdwatchers or backyard wildlife enthusiasts, attracting Pileated Woodpeckers is a common topic, and there are some things that can be done to increase the chances of a Pileated Woodpecker showing up on your property to score a free meal or a rinse in your bird fountain.
I have been learning a ton while researching different bat questions for this site. One of the things I learned was that I could be a participant in the “Bat Community” without having to muck about in damp caves or musty attics.
It turns out that the easiest and most fun way of helping bats is to Sponsor a rescued bat at the Bat World Sanctuary!
The Bat World Sanctuary is located outside of Cool, Texas and was founded in 1994. They are a 501c non-profit and have the following Mission: [Read more…]
Throughout the eastern United States and even into parts of the Pacific Northwest, the Pileated Woodpecker is a common sight. This striking bird is very large—arguably reaching ‘crow size’ territory—with many observers reporting sizes that might surprise you.
So, how big is a Pileated Woodpecker? In this article, we’ll be exploring the wide variety of Pileated Woodpecker sizes, starting from when this bird hatches to when it reaches full maturity.
They perch on the sides of dead or dying trees, and if you’re lucky, you might occasionally find one battering away at a section of wood, as woodpeckers are known to do. This is a bird that looks unlike any other: of course, we’re talking about the Pileated Woodpecker.
Also known as Dryocopus pileatus, the Pileated Woodpecker would have been a much more common sight just a few hundred years ago, when this bird enjoyed abundant access to heavily forested areas throughout the eastern United States. However, in the 18th and 19th century, large swaths of wood clearing contributed to the sharp reduction of Pileated Woodpecker populations. Recently, though, their numbers have seen a healthy rise, making them an increasingly popular bird to look for when outside.
Today, if you’re fortunate enough to spot one, you’ll be able to identify it by it’s pinpointed head plumage and bold streaks of red, black, and white—the immediately identifying traits of this iconic bird. Once you’ve located one, you might find yourself thinking, “What do these birds eat?”.
They’re a common sight throughout most of North America, and to many, squirrels are as cute and furry as they are entertaining. They’re small, too—they don’t bark, and they even seem to have personalities all their own.
Granting all of this, it’s no surprise that squirrels are considered by some to be a great pet. But this all sounds too good to be true…can a cute, friendly, furry little critter that scales trees in a flash and hides nuts in its cheeks really be a manageable pet?
In this article, we’ll be exploring the many reasons why squirrels can become great pets. And, we’ll also be discussing the many lesser-known features of squirrels that can present challenges to prospective pet squirrel owners.
Due to their uncanny resemblance to rats and mice, bats are often presumed to be flying rodents, a misunderstanding that furthers the animals sour reputation of being a pest.
But, are bats really rodents? Are they even remotely related to Rodentia, the family of mammals that are classified as ‘rodents’?
No, bats are not rodents. The difference between bats and rodents is based upon their dental structures. The teeth of rodents are highly specialized and have two key features not seen in bat teeth. Let’s clear up some confusion about the subject while also helping to educate people about the true nature of Chiroptera (bats).
There are more than 1,300 species of bats throughout the world. Many of them are threatened or endangered, yet they are all vitally important to the ecosystems in which they live. But, among all of the bats that exist, one in particular serves an especially important role—that bat is The Little Brown Bat.
Why is this ‘little’ bat such a big deal? Aren’t all bats the same, anyway? Not quite. As it turns out, The Little Brown Bat leads a fascinating life that is a crucial link in the overall food chain. In this article, we’ll be explaining why by examining this remarkable flying mammal, it’s behavior, roosting characteristics, and other features.
[Read more…]
When someone mentions the phrase ‘Vampire Bats’, images of Dracula and shrieking human victims might come to mind. Vampire Bats have been an especially spooky element in storytelling and modern culture for decades. What makes Vampire Bats even more intriguing is the fact that they actually exist.
So, what are these bloodthirsty animals all about, anyway? Where do they come from? How exactly do they go about feeding? In this article, we’ll be answering these questions and more, as we take a closer look at these hematophagous flying mammals.
