Squirrels at the Feeder

Learn About Chipmunks, Bats, Squirrels and Birds!

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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How Long Do Bats Live? Factors That Influence Life Expectancy

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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…]

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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How Long Do Chipmunks Live? Lifespan In the Wild vs Captivity

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Chipmunks are the smallest members of the Sciuridae family and there are 25 different species of this cute animal.  Chipmunks have much in common with their slightly larger cousins, Ground Squirrels and Tree Squirrels, but their smaller size makes them quite different in many aspects of their lives.

One difference between the different members of the Sciuridae family is lifespan.  Some species of Tree Squirrels have been reported to live up to 18 years (see How Long Do Squirrels Live for more information).  But what about the small guys?  How long do chipmunks live?

How Long Do Chipmunks Live

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Do Chipmunks Carry Rabies? Not Usually, But Still Be Careful!

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Chipmunks, like other animals, can be carriers of pests and diseases. Some of these are common, such as lice and mites. Others may be more dangerous. But before we get to that, let’s take a look at the matter at hand: Do chipmunks carry rabies? Are there any other diseases carried by chipmunks?

Chipmunks are not major carriers of the rabies virus. However, there are several other diseases carried by chipmunks.

Keep reading because this is going to get interesting.

Do Chipmunks Carry Rabies

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When Do Chipmunks Have Babies? Spring and Fall Litters

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The chipmunk is among the few rodents in the world whose presence is largely limited to North America (Except for the Siberian chipmunk). Of course, this does not make them any less diverse amongst their other rodent friends. As I have mentioned in my earlier articles, you’ll find 25 different species of chipmunks in North America.

These members of the chipmunk family can be distinguished from each other in several ways. One of these is their breeding cycles, which is precisely the reason for this article!.

When Do Chipmunks Have Babies

One of the questions people often ask about these animals is, “When do chipmunks have babies?”   The quick answer is that chipmunks have babies in the Spring, typically in the March-April timeframe.  However, given the diverse geographic climates in which various chipmunk species are found, the Spring season can extend into later months with babies being born in the months of May and June.  Some species of chipmunks have a second litter of babies in September.

 

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Where Do Chipmunks Live? Right Under Your Feet!

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There are 25 species of chipmunks in the world and they are the smallest members of the squirrel family. Their small size, bushy tails, and plump cheeks are the reason some people love these creatures. But while the chipmunk scores high on the cuteness scale, there’s a lot more to these animals that people don’t know about.

In this article, I’ll be discussing where chipmunks live and the habitat of a chipmunk. To be more specific, I will also be talking about how they live and the burrow system of a chipmunk.

Where Do Chipmunks Live

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Do Chipmunks Hibernate? How Do They Survive The Winter?

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If you haven’t noticed it before, chipmunks tend to disappear as the temperatures drop when we enter into the cold months. They then resurface during March or April when it is spring again. If a particular animal disappears for the winter then you might think that it is hibernating. But what about these guys…Do chipmunks hibernate?

Chipmunks (members of the squirrel family) are not true hibernators but they do enter states of torpor.  Chipmunks retreat to their underground burrows and enter a hibernation type state but wake up every few days to eat and defecate. So, instead of hibernating, you can term chipmunks as ‘light sleepers’.

Of course, this brings up another question: How do chipmunks survive in winter?  Surprisingly enough, chipmunks will use a variety of survival tactics to make it through the cold months. Let’s take a look at what these are and how they help chipmunks survive in the winter.

Chipmunk for Winter

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