All in Wildlife Watching
Tree swallows are a common sight from spring throughout the summer in many areas as they expertly flit and fly over ponds, lakes, marshes and fields. These small, streamlined birds migrate back northward throughout the U.S. from their overwintering areas in Central America and Mexico to nest and feed here throughout the warm weather months.
American bullfrogs are the largest frog in North America, and they are one of the symbols of spring and summer around our lakes, ponds and marshes. Their distinctive croaking calls blend with the crickets and other night-time sounds.
One very popular fish in much of the United States is the yellow perch (Perca flavescens). They are easily recognized by their pale golden-yellow body color and the dark vertical stripes on their sides. Also called lake perch, striped perch and ringed perch, these tasty freshwater fish have been a favorite dinner entrée in local restaurants for decades.
Sparrows are often called “little brown birds”, and for good reason. There are lots of different species of sparrows in North America, and many of them are small and brown! If can be very difficult to tell them apart, at least until you know what you are looking for.
Have you ever caught a warmouth while fishing for bluegills or other panfish? Warmouth are found in the Great Lakes states and the Mississippi River basin, and they are common throughout most of the southeastern United States from central Texas east to Florida and the Carolinas.
One of the most common visitors to back yard bird feeders in the northern half of the United States (and much of Canada) is the Black-Capped Chickadee. They do not migrate south for the winter, and for a very small bird they can withstand some extremely frigid temperatures.
Everyone has seen a mouse at one time or another, right? Mice are very common rodents, but did you see a deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus) or a house mouse (Mus musculus)? A deer mouse has a brown back and a white belly, with white legs and feet.
The Wilson’s Snipe is a strange-looking bird that is about the size of an American robin. It is a chubby, medium-sized shorebird with feathers that are a mottled mixture of brown, tan, cream and white. It’s got a round head and a very short tail, but the weirdest thing about it is its beak.
When people see a water snake, they frequently exclaim “Water Moccasin!” This often happens even in northern states like Wisconsin and Michigan that are way out of the snake’s native range. Water Moccasins (or Cottonmouths) are venomous, and although they do venture as far north as Indiana and Illinois, they are typically only found in the extreme southern parts of those states.
Visitors to Florida, especially south Florida, are likely to see a very unusual bird walking along the shoreline of local lakes and marshes: the Limpkin. This tall, heron-like wading bird is a mottled brown color overall with white flecks, and it has a long neck with lighter brown-and-white streaking.
The channel catfish is the most common catfish species in the United States. It inhabits lakes, rivers, streams and ponds. It is easy to identify because it has a fairly large head and has a total of eight whiskers (or barbels) located around its mouth.
Most people have trouble identifying sparrows. After all, there are many different species and some of them look very similar to each other. They are called “little brown birds” by lots of people, simply because that’s a pretty good description and it’s easier than figuring out the identity of each individual sparrow.
