Author: Porter

Identification Known as terrestrial gastropod mollusks with shells. Not to be confused with sea snails or freshwater snails. Slugs are without shells. N. America has about 500 native species of land snails. The majority of land snails are pulmonates meaning they have a lung and breathe air. Others have a gill. They have a mantle(the…

Identification 28-38in body (like the size of a skinny toddler) 6.5-13 lbs 80in wingspan Adults: white head and a white tail with a dark brown body Adolescents: Dark heads and tails, body muddled with white. Takes about 5 years to attain adult plumage Habitat Found near water, especially lakes and rivers. Mostly over US and…

Identification Largest species of tree squirrel native to North America. The total body length is 17-27 in. About the size of a sub sandwich. The tail is 7-13 in. and they weigh 1-2 lbs. Have sharp claws to help with climbing. Are brown-grey or brown-orange. They have excellent vision, hearing, and smell. Habitat Most of…

Identification aka American Desert Hare The most identifying feature is its huge ears. The ears along with the tail are tipped with black fur. It has long slender front legs and large hind feet that can be 5 inches in length. They have large eyes that are high on their head and placed toward the…

Identification You’ll probably hear it’s loud call before you see it. Blue-grey with a white collar. Females have a brownish belly band and flanks. They have a large head in comparison to their bodies, and short legs. 11-13 inches long 5-6oz Wingspan 18-23 inches Habitat Belted Kingfishers are common along streams, rivers, ponds, lakes and…

Identification It is the smallest falcon. When perched it’s roughly the size and shape of a mourning dove. (9-12 inches in length), (3-6 oz) but with a bigger head. When flying they look pale from underneath and brownish red from above. The males have grey-blue wings while the females’ wings are reddish brown. Both sexes…

Identification A large insect called the “Praying” Mantis because it often stands in a pose that looks like it is praying. It is an insect, so has 6 legs, a head, a thorax, and an abdomen. It’s about 2-5 inches long and can vary in color from dark brown to green. Has two large compound…

Identification Looks similar to House Wren and Bewick’s Wren. The easiest species to confuse with the Carolina wren is Bewick’s wren, which differs in being smaller but with a longer tail, grayer-brown above and whiter below. The Carolina and white-browed wrens differ from the house wren in being larger, with a decidedly longer bill and…

Identification West Coast- Golden brown bell(or medusa) with a reddish tint. Can grow to be more than three feet across in the wild. It has white arms and 24 maroon tentacles that trail behind it. Up to 15ft in length. East Coast- Four thick, long, lacy oral arms hang from the bell margin, which is…

Identification They have very large ears and have a flat projection on the muzzle that often resembles a leaf. Because these bats echolocate nasally, this “nose-leaf” is thought to serve some role in modifying and directing the echolocation call. Usually brown, grey, or black: 1.6 to 5.3 inch in head-body length; 0.25 to 7.05 oz…

Identification Their fur is brownish-yellow to black, and they are covered with quills that have white highlights on them. Quills are 2-3 inches in length and are hollow. Is one of the largest rodents in North America. 2-3 ft in length and about 20 lbs. Only beavers are bigger. New world porcupines are those found…

Identification Once known as the fish hawk, River Hawk, or sea hawk. They are large birds of prey and raptors. 20-22 inches tall and 60-70 in wingspan. Same size as a goose or larger. Brown above and white beneath, being more white than other raptors. The head is white with a brown stripe through the…