Wildlife Profile Set 5.

Wildlife Profile Set 5

Bats Only flying mammals Largest- Hoary Bat Smallest- Pygmy Bat
9 PA species, 2 rare visitors Insectivores, consume 25% of weight per feeding Small eyes, BIG ears Echo location Mate in late summer/fall, store sperm till spring Single, naked, helpless babies once per year 3 species migrate south, 6 hibernate here

Bats Misconceptions- rabies prone, droppings have TB, attack people, carry lice Long life spans (30 years) due to low repro rate Humans pose greatest threat, white nose fungus

Little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus)
- Most common, 1200 insects/hour, males are solitary, females form nurse colonies, 1 baby, 4 weeks till grown, females mature at 8 months, males in second year, 30 year life span

Indiana Bats (Myotis sodalis)
like little brown, but with pinkish fur, PA is on the NW fringe of range, susceptible to hibernation disruption

Northern Long-eared Bat (Myotis septentrionalis)
Similar to LBB with longer ears and tail, only local/irregular distribution

Small-Footed Bat (Myotis leibii)
One of North America’s smallest bats, distinct black mask, rare in PA, late hibernator

Silver-haired bats (Lasionycteris noctivagans)
Usually use trees, rare in caves, earliest feeder of the bats, hibernate south of PA, mate north of PA

Eastern Pipistrelle (Pipistrellus subflavus)
AKA Pygmy Bat, short elliptical tree top level flight, very sound hibernators (unlike LBB), throughout PA

Big Brown Bat (Eptesicus fuscus)
2nd largest bat, all of PA, straight flight, latest hibernator, 2 babies, 19 year life span

Big and Little Brown Bat

Red Bat (Lasiurus borealis)
Rusty coat, single roosting in trees not caves or buildings, migratory, across PA, babies cling to mom while she hunts

Hoary Bat (Lasiurus cinereus)
Largest eastern bat, rare but through all of PA, roost in conifers, hunt later than other bats, migrate, give birth while hanging in trees,

Rare Bats Seminole Bat and Evening Bat have been found a few times but are not considered regular residents Seminole Bat Evening Bat

White Nose Syndrome

Crows and Ravens Corvidae Family Classified as songbirds
Includes Crows, ravens, and fish crows

American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos)
All 50 states and Canada and Mexico 20 oz., inches, 3 foot wing span All black Short sturdy beak, smaller than raven In PA all year, but they migrate N/S Flocks can range 30 miles per day Omnivorous scavengers Keen sight and hearing Some in flock act as sentries watching for danger Males display fighting and flight routines Both sexes raise babies , might be monogamous 3-4 eggs, April to May, bluish green with spots, 18 day incubation Family sticks together until following spring

American Crow Act as predators for songbird and waterfowl eggs, and hatched young Preyed on by raccoons, opossums, tree-climbing snakes, great horned owls Crows will mob great horned owls in the day Like shiny objects Very vocal Only “migratory non-game bird” that may be hunted Varied habitat, farmland, need trees for cover

American Crow

Fish Crow (Corvus ossifragus)
Name means bone crusher Found along Susquehanna River Remain near water Smaller than crow Eat fish

Ravens (Corvus corax) Common in PA 20-25 inches, 4 foot wings
Males larger than females Thought to be PA extinct but now recovering Ravens- bulkier, hawk-like, massive bill, elongated flight appearance, longer wings, soar, aerial acrobats, males carry sticks (Crows- broader wings, short square tail, sleeker) Very intelligent, good eyes and hearing

Ravens Nest miles from others, courtship display flights, often nest on cliffs, build nest on top of last year’s nest, 3-6 eggs, greenish with olive markings, mainly female incubation, need seclusion for successful reproduction Live up to 35 years Awesome Sounds

Ravens

Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)
Stout strong seed crushing bill Seeds and fruit in fall winter spring Insects in summer Thick cover, brush, hedges, thickets Males bright red, females yellow brown with red tint Rare in PA before 1900, now everywhere except Allegheny High Plateau Year-round residents Act as predators for insects

Northern Cardinal Call in Feb/Mar. for mating
Males bring food to females for courtship Females build nest, rarely over 6 ft. high 2-4 whitish eggs with brown, lavender, and grey spots Female incubation Female begins second clutch immediately after first fledge while male cares for Cowbirds often lay eggs in nest and cardinals raise them, cowbirds dominate cardinals Male/Female bond weakens in fall but they join flocks for winter Preyed on by hawks, owls, foxes Rural development and human provided feeders caused population increase

Northern Cardinal

Rose-breasted Grosbeaks (Pheucticus ludovicianus)
Stout strong seed crushing bill Seeds and fruit in fall winter spring Insects in summer Thick cover, brush Males have black head, large ivory beak, white on black wings, and rose colored patch on breast Female looks like large brown sparrow Statewide in PA, more common in north Eat insects, seeds, tree buds, flowers, fruit

Rose-breasted Grosbeaks
Males claim territory by singing, court by dancing low to ground Females build nest, ft. above ground 3-5 eggs, greenish blue Both parents care for young May have multiple broods in nests close to each other Migrate south to Central & South America ***Also a blue grosbeak found in SEPA.

Rose-breasted Grosbeaks

Blue Grosbeak (Guiraca caerulea)
A southern species that has expanded north to southern PA Open areas, forest edges Ground feeders, insectivores, seeds, plants, Males sing from tree tops and utility wires Female builds nest, 3-10 feet above ground Parasitized by cowbirds

Blue Grosbeak

Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea)
Stout strong seed crushing bill Seeds and fruit in fall winter spring Insects in summer Thick cover, brush Male is bright blue to black Eat from ground and low bushes, consuming mostly insects, along with grass, seeds, and fruit Migrate for weather

Indigo Bunting Males have moth like display for territory, and spend a lot of time singing from prominent places Females very shy Female builds cup shaped nest, usually les than 3 feet from ground, usually 2 broods per pair Adults molt in August and male matches female Migrate south

Indigo Bunting

Dickcissel (Spiza americana)
Stout strong seed crushing bill Seeds and fruit in fall winter spring Insects in summer Thick cover, brush Breeds in midwest, nests in PA grasses Nest on or near ground in western PA Newly found in PA

Dickcissel

Squirrels Use tails for balance Black and white vision
Great hearing and smell Rodents Species cannot interbreed PA’s most heavily harvested small game species Population controlled by severe winter, low mast Prefer diverse forest

Gray Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis)
Can be grey with rusty underside, or black due to melanism, or white due to albinism Mast, berry, mushroom, bud and pine seed eaters Ensure continuous forest growth due to cache burying Predators rarely take squirrels Den in leaf nests and cavities Litters born Feb.-Apr. Not territorial

Gray Squirrel

Fox squirrel (Sciurus niger)
Western and southern PA Prefer open areas Nest, den, and feed like gray squirrels Larger than grays, slower, quieter Do not hibernate but hole up through snow and extreme cold periods Get along with grays Litters similar to grays

Fox squirrels

Red Squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus)
Smaller than grays Prefers conifers Eat immature green cones, look for pile of stems at base of tree Store food in large cache, usually a log (gray and fox cache food singly) Very territorial and will fight off other squirrels

Red Squirrel

Southern Flying Squirrel (Glaucomys volans)
Throughout PA, more common than northern flying squirrel Large eyes for night vision Flying membrane is a flap of skin between fore and hind legs, uses broad flat tail as rudder Flies up to 40 yards down hill Mainly arboreal, sometimes forage on ground Males do not help females with young Eat nuts, berries, buds, fungi, insects, mice Snuggle together in winter, torpid during coldest weather

Southern Flying Squirrel

Northern Flying Squirrel (Glaucomys sabrinus)
Darker than southern Very similar to southern, but stronger preference for conifers Old growth and mature forests Forage from dusk to midnight, and just before dawn Considered threatened in PA, loss of habitat is the cause

Northern Flying Squirrel

Purple Finch (Carpodacus purpureus)
Male is maroon red, female brown with dark streaks Like conifers, like Christmas tree farms, for habitat and nesting Nest feet above ground Nests are cup shaped Both parents care Often driven from feeders by other birds

Purple Finch

House Finch (Carpodacus mexicanus)
Descend from birds released in NY City in the 1940s, native to US southwest Red due to beta carotene in food Males defend area around mate, not territory Population exploded until 1990s when an eye disease lowered numbers

House Finch

Pine Siskin (Carduelis pinus)
Breed mainly in northern tier Very tame, like feeders Forage in flocks Some years many overwinter, other years none

Pine Siskin

American Goldfinch (Carduelis tristis)
Males are bright yellow with black wings and forehead, females dull olive grey Distinct bouncing flight pattern, while in flock it appears to roll as rear leap frogs lead birds Say “perchickory” while flying Year round Breed where they hatched Start nesting than any other NE bird Cup-like nest lined with thistle, so tightly they hold water Female incubates, while male feeds her Cowbirds parasitize nests, but often die because they don’t get enough protein from goldfinch’s regurgitated seeds

American Goldfinch

House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)
Not a sparrow, but a weaver Spread from Eurasia, now worldwide Introduces to US to control insects (elm spanworm caterpillar) Originally called English sparrows Year round Eat lots of spiders Destroy eggs and young of native cavity nesters Use nests as shelters Monogamous, prolific breeders, Population peaked in early 1900s, decrease due to increased sanitation so less farm feed available

House Sparrow

Winter Finches Finches that visit northeast in winter (don’t breed here like others) in search of food Red crossbills, white-winged crossbills have mandibles that cross so they can pick seeds from cones Common redpolls often forage mixed in with pine siskins and goldfinches Evening grosbeak very aggressive at feeders

Winter Finches white-winged crossbills Red crossbills Evening grosbeak
Common redpolls

Thrushes 300 species worldwide, 15 in NA, 7 breed in northeast, 1 passes through Thin bills, strong legs Ground forage for insects and invertebrates Complex singers Females do most nest construction Pale blue or blue green eggs Females incubate, both parents feed young

Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis)
Nests in east US, winters south to Nicaragua Flocks when not nesting Semi-open habitat (farms, orchards, etc) Insectivores, sit on low perch, attack from above, berries in fall Mates preen each other Large territory Cavity and box nesters, compete with starlings, house sparrow, tree swallows and house wrens, which kill bluebirds Early nesters (March) Stay for mild winters Population peaked in 1900, when farmland peaked, currently rising again due to bluebird boxes

Eastern Bluebird

Veery (Catharus fuscescens)
Named for call Most common in northern PA on Pocono Plateau Damp deciduous forests with dense undergrowth Nests on or near ground Cowbirds parasitize nests, veeries raise young Chipmunks prey on nests Migrate at night to South America (Bolivia, Brazil)

Gray-cheeked Thrush (Catharus minimus)
Shy elusive, passes through PA in spring and fall, does not nest here Hard to see and ID

Gray-cheeked Thrush

Swainson’s Thrush (Catharus ustulatus)
Nests in northern tier PA counties Breeds north of here AKA olive backed thrush Bold buffy rings around eyes Prefers conifers, hemlocks and nests there Winter in tropics

Swainson’s Thrush

Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus)
Sings “Oh, holy holy-ah, purity purity, -eeh, sweetly sweetly.” Scares intruders by perching and flicking wings and raising and lowering its tail Quiet, close to floor, mostly insectivorous Late snow kills many early returners Nests on ground, sometimes low trees Only species of this genus to overwinter in NA so it’s not as affected by loss of tropical forests as other thrushes

Hermit Thrush

Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina)
Call especially at dawn and dusk Eat insects and invertebrates Throughout all of PA Looks like robin nest but smaller Parasitized by cowbirds High number of young and eggs lost to predation Population has declines since 1980 due to forest fragmentation increasing predators and cowbirds and loss of winter forests

Wood Thrush

American Robin (Turdus migratorius)
Widespread, adaptable Only males sing, cheerily cheer-up Eat insects and invertebrates often in lawns Locate prey by sight not sound Not all go very far south, some do Males claim territories, they may overlap Males defend during day, roost together at night No distinguished courtship ritual Robins can ID cowbird eggs and kick them out Females incubate, both care for young Form flocks in summer Most abundant PA bird species

American Robin

Hawks Diurnal Sharp talons, hooked beaks
Eyes on front to provide binocular vision (human with 8 power binocular) and excellent distance judgment Acute hearing, poor smell if they have it Tendons in feet spread to allow clenching and snapping “Mantle” prey by crouching over it with wings spread to shield it from other predators Eat on ground or from feeding spot, such as fence post Tears meat with beak, does not swallow whole prey, but several hours later does produce pellet of accidentally ingested bones/feathers/fur

Hawks Males and females of each specie are usually the same, juveniles can be indistinguishable Females larger, up to twice as big PA hawks have yellow bill and yellow cere (area at the base of the bill) Often mate for life Nests made of sticks and twigs, built new or remodeled Incubation begins before last egg is laid, resulting in different aged babies Male feeds female during incubation Altricial (naked, helpless) babies

Hawks Female care until 2 weeks old, then male and female hunt for babies Control insect, rodent, small bird populations Weed out unfit individuals Often the first to show ill effects of environmental pollutants, making them indicator species Heavy metals and chlorine based pesticides (DDT) caused reduction in hawk populations

Hawks Fly south in autumn
In PA hawks follow the Allegheny Plateau ridges (Hawk Mountain included) Hawks protected both by both federal and state laws, previously shooting on sight was ok

Hawks- Type 1 Accipiters goshawk, sharp-shinned hawk, Cooper’s hawk
small heads, long tails, short rounded wings Flap Flap Glide flight pattern, very maneuverable inhabit forest areas; eat other birds

Northern Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis)
20-26 in., in. wingspan, lbs Prominent white line over each eye (adult and juvenile) Adults: blue grey above, white below; immature: brown above creamy below, streaked sides Largest PA accipiter, most visible in winter Known as Blue Darters because of relentless pursuit of prey through trees Use same nest each year, 75 ft. high, fiercely defend nest

Northern Goshawk

Sharp-Shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus)
10-14 in., in. wing span, 5-9 oz. Difficult to ID, large females same as small male Cooper’s Adults: Red eyes, blue grey above, rufous breast Juveniles: brown above, streaked below Square tipped tail Nearly entire diet is birds Prefer conifers for nest, ft. high, new nest each year Male and females incubate

Sharp-Shinned Hawk

Cooper’s Hawk (Accipiter cooperii)
14-20 in., in. wingspan, oz. (smaller than crow) Adults look like Sharpy’s but Cooper’s have rounded tails Mainly eat birds the size of robins and jays Nest in trees, ft. high, mainly female incubation, but males help Do not hunt near nests Call sounds like Sharpy’s

Cooper’s Hawk

Hawks- Type 2 Buteos- red-tailed hawk, red-shouldered, broad-winged and rough-legged hawk stocky body, broad, round wings, short fanned tails mostly brown but streaked lengthwise from below Perch in open areas; Soar in circles eat mammals

Red-Tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)
19-25 in., in. wingspan, lbs. Dark brown above, light belly with streaks, adults have rusty tail Eat variety of mammals Female incubation, ft. high nest

Red-Tailed Hawk

Red-Shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus)
18-24 in., in. wingspan, 2-3 lbs. Dark brown above, chestnut shoulders, tail strongly barred with black and white Translucent area near wingtips visible during flight Eat rodents, frogs, snakes Sound mimicked by blue jays Nest ft. high in trees, incubation by both

Red-Shouldered Hawk

Broad-Winged Hawk (Buteo platypterus)
13-19 in., in. wingspan, oz. Small, heavily banded tail, 2 dark, 2 light bands Upper is dark grey-brown, white under Forested areas, Most common PA hawk Congregate in kettles of rising air to gain height during migration to South America Small nest, feet high, mostly female incubation

Broad-Winged Hawk

Rough-Legged Hawk (Buteo lagopus)
19-24 in., in. wingspan, 2 lbs. 2 color phases, lots of variation Light phase: upper light buff to white, white below, brown “wrist mark” on wing, brown band on abdomen Dark phase: upper black to dark brown, white underside Feathered feet to toes Hovers over field, beating wings ling a kingfisher or kestrel Rodent eater Nest in artic, come to PA for winter food

Rough-Legged Hawk

Hawks-Type 3 Harrier- marsh hawk (only NA harrier)
long legs, long, narrow wings, long tail soars with wing tips above horizontal (think turkey vulture)

Northern Harrier (Circus cyaneus)
18-24 in., in. wingspan, oz. Also known as marsh hawks White rump, ruff of feathers around face (owl-like) Males bluish-grey above, white below, tail grey with dark bands; Females- brown above, light below, tail barred black and buff Marshy areas and farmland Rodent eaters Congregate in together in winter Nests of sticks, female incubation

Northern Harrier

Hawks- Type 4 Falcons peregrine, merlin, kestrel
large head, broad shoulders, long pointed wings, long tail streamlined and built for speed fly in direct path with deep, rapid wing beats don’t soar Peregrines and merlins fly above other birds an attack in flight

Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)
15-20 in., in. wingspan, lbs. Known as Duck Hawks Slate blue, barred above, black cap and mustache mark below eye. Young are more brown Long pointed wing, pigeon-like rowing flight Dives at more than 175 mph, hits victim and breaks back killing prey Eats prey from perch Nearly extinct due to DDT, now recovering, and found nesting in PA’s major cities

Peregrine Falcon

Merlin (Falco columbarius)
in., in., 6-8 oz. (blue jay sized) Look like miniature peregrines Mainly eat birds, some mammals and insects Open woods, timber areas 35-60 ft. high nest, in cavities or abandoned nests Female incubation

Merlin

American Kestrel (Falco sparverius)
9-12 in., in. wingspan, 34 oz. (Robin sized) Known as sparrow hawks Rusty red cap, back, tail; black and white face Males- blue grey wings --Females- brown wings Most common PA falcon, one of smallest raptors Erratic buoyant flight, can hover Summer eat insects and birds, winter eat mammals Nest in tree cavities, woodpecker holes Female incubation

American Kestrel

Cottontail Rabbits (Sylvilagus floridanus)
Most popular small game Wild animal most common in towns and suburban areas Longer hind legs allow hopping while running, zig zag to avoid predators Females larger than males Prefer abandoned burrows to digging Eyes set well back to provide wide field of vision Nocturnal Litters March through September, most in May and June

Cottontail Rabbits Early spring litters able to reproduce by late summer Young are blind and naked, female care only Rarely live more than one year, major food source for other animals, have high repro. Rate to balance this Population less than in past due to habitat loss 4 per acre in summer, 1 per acre in winter Habitat is most important influence, need brushy areas

Cottontail Rabbits

Foxes Carnivores of Canidae family
Red fox (Vulpes vulpes) Gray Fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) Excellent sight, smell, hearing (can hear mouse squeal from 150 feet) Red fox- white tipped tail Gray fox- black tipped tail Coat color varies especially in reds Mainly nocturnal Gray fox is only canine that climbs trees Feeding opportunists, east, scavenge Cache food in loose earth

Foxes Males=dogs, Females=vixens Breed in February, bark for mates
Red fox gestation is 12 days shorter Reds enlarge woodchuck dens, grays use crevices Mother nurses, both parents provide solid food Family disbands in fall, young breed first winter Reds prefer to sleep in open in winter, grays hole up Very prone to parasites- ticks, fleas, lice, mites, flukes and worms Reds more likely to get mange Overpopulation increases disease

Foxes Reds and grays prefer different habitat
Reds- sparsely settled, rolling farmland with wooded tracts Grays- brushy areas, swamps, rugged mountains Reds more comfortable with humans Coyotes push foxes out from territory Grays dominate reds Grays have larger toes and smaller feet than reds Until 1966 PA had bounties on foxes

Red Fox

Gray Fox

Raccoon (Procyon lotor)
Procyon lotor (before dog, dunks food in water) Only in North and South America Albinism (white) and melanism (black) occur occasionally Shed in spring for thinner, lighter coat Adapt well to people Omnivorous Excellent hearing, sight, and smell, and touch on forefeet which allows fishing

Raccoons Occasionally dunk food in water, but reason is unknown
Nocturnal Good climbers, spend day in trees, sun on limbs Usually have central home den, and others scattered through range Plantigrade (flat footed, like bears) Slow runners, fierce fighters, strong swimmers Variety of sounds, including piercing scream

Raccoons Do not store food, but gain layer of fat for winder
Sleep though weather colder than 25, active if warmer Mate in Feb., 3-5 young, born in April/May Male stays with female until birth, sometimes helps with young, but then leaves Family stays together through first winter 10 year life span, winter, parasites, hunting, cars kill most Stable PA population Prefer forested areas with dens, hardwoods to conifers, mixed aged & forest type is best Benefit from beaver dams that produce aquatic food

Raccoon

White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus)
Cervidae family- split-hoofed mammals with no incisor teeth in the front of the upper jaw Ruminent- 4 chambered stomach, chew cud Males grow and shed antlers, rarely females do 30 subspecies in North and Central America, but not most of Canada, NV, UT PA subspecies is the Northern Woodland Whitetail Average Buck- 140 lbs., Females smaller, but weight varies greatly through year Albinistic and Melanistic occur rarely, piebald (partial albino) more common

White-tailed Deer Have various scent glands (hindlegs, toes, eyes) to convey excitement, fear, mark trails, attract females Also use scrapes to attract does Run 40 mph for short time, 25 mph on average Jump 9 ft. high, 25 ft. wide Swim well due to air filled hairs Color blind, can’t see still objects, good at movement and excellent smell and hearing

White-tailed Deer Antler development is tied to nutrition
Antler velvet has hair and blood vessels to supply nutrition Cells in velvet secrete antlers Antlers shed after breeding season (late Feb.) Antlers soft during growth Daylight and temperature changes influence antler growth hormones, increase in testosterone stops it in late Aug./Sep., testosterone peaks in Nov., decrease eventually causes antlers to fall

White-tailed Deer Matriarchal social order
Doe, fawns, yearling females Bucks join loose groups after breeding, solitary otherwise Breed Sep. to Jan., peaks in early Nov. Young females have one, 2.5 and older have 2-3 Eat a variety of herbaceous and woody plants

White-tailed Deer Prefer Seedling/Sapling forest- provides concealment and a lot of food Often created by timber harvesting Require close management or they quickly overpopulate Deer life quality decreases, crops destroyed, collisions increase Control through harvest of female deer

White-tailed Deer

Wrens Perch with tails straight up
Males make dummy nests, females choose one to finish Nest in odd enclosed spaces (drains, flower pots, boots, etc.) Pester and evict other birds (including other wrens), kill eggs and young Insect and spider eaters 5 PA species

House Wren (Troglodytes aedon)
Most common PA wren Weighs only 1/3 of an ounce Attract females with song Males build dummy nests, destroy nests of other birds Female chooses male based on territory she likes Female incubation, male helps with hatched babies; Females may abandon 1st brood to male and leave to start second Male may have multiple females in area “Floater” males have no female but try to destroy existing nests Migrate at night Benefits from forest fragmentation and development

House Wren

Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus)
Largest PA wren Forage on ground Can climb tree trunks like nuthatches and creepers Eats poison ivy seeds along with other herbaceous plants Year round resident Nest in tree cavities Female incubation, male cares for her PA is on northern edge of range, none in cold winters as ice and snow are deadly Related Bewick’s Wren no longer in PA

Carolina Wren

Winter Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes)
Smallest PA wren, just over 4 inches Secretive, likes hemlocks Cavity nesters Males mate with multiple females PA Population is growing

Winter Wren

Sedge Wren (Cistothorus platensis)
Inhabits upland dry areas Breed in colonies May stay in one place for years, then disappear Nest 2-3 ft. above ground Rare and declining in northeast, listed as threatened in PA Formally known as short-billed marsh wren

Sedge Wren

Marsh Wren (Cistothorus palustris)
Inhabits cattail marshes Sounds like air bubbles coming from marshy grounds Forages on floor Insectivore Red-winged black birds attack marsh wrens on site because they destroy nests of other birds Both parents care for young, 2 broods per year Fly to Atlantic and Gulf Coast for winter

Marsh Wren

Opossum (Didelphis virginiana)
One of the oldest mammals, only North American marsupial Males are larger, about the size of a large cat 50 teeth- more than any other NA mammal 5 toes, each with claw, except 1st toe on hind feet, which acts like thumb Average 0.7 mph, max. 4 mph Excellent climbers, use hand over hand strategy and prehensile (able to grab) tail for balance Good, slow swimmers

Opossum Small, primitive brain
Good senses of smell and touch, but poor hearing and sight May defend self, or may play dead where it lies limp and still, eyes and mouth open, tongue out, feet clenched for minutes to hours. Unknown if playing possum is voluntary or involuntary Exude musky odor to repel enemies

Opossum Omnivorous opportunists, more animal than plant food
Mostly nocturnal Rarely spend two nights in same place Don’t dig own burrows, find empty ones Solitary Breed in Feb./Mar., female drives off male, raises young alone Very short day gestation, ½ inch long, crawl up to pouch 5-13 young, only 13 nipples so any over 13 die Stay latched to nipple for 7-8 weeks, then leave pouch for short time, ride on mom’s back

Opossum Females may breed again after first have weened
Spend much time in fall and winter improving nest Do not hibernate, but den during bad weather PA is northern edge of range, so many get frostbite 1.5 year life expectancy Ideally like bottomland woods, but live in farm and wooded areas, towns, etc. If enough food, has very small range area

Opossum

Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)
Relates to crows, ravens, magpies Very large cerebrum Mostly eat nuts and seeds, also insects, spiders, snails, frogs, mice, eggs, other birds Major eaters of gypsy moths and tent moths Cache acorns 3-10 males follow one female, bob body up and down, act aggressive until one is left Male brings female food Female builds nest

Blue Jay Defend nests, both parents care for young
Raid nests of smaller birds, eating young which appears to be increasing due to forest fragmentation Blue color not due to pigment, rather the feathers do not absorb blue light and cause it to scatter Accipiters (Sharp shinned and Coopers hawks) often follow flock, eating weak Avoid strictly conifer forests, prefer nut bearing trees Migrate over Lake Erie in early May, 5000 per day

Blue Jay

Wildlife Profile Set 5.

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