From Our Place to Yours

Bald Eagle

Art by Jackie Blurton

Nature Note by Dr. Roland Shook

The predatory habits, fierceness, and love of independence of hawks, eagles, and falcons make them suitable symbols on coats-of-arms for the great nations of the earth. Their role in falconry has endeared them to kings and nobles since the Middle Ages. Today, contrary to the views of the uninformed, birds of prey are recognized as being of great value to agriculture owing to the millions of rabbits, rodents, and grasshoppers they destroy annually. The adult Bald Eagle is our only large brown bird with a white head and tail. This magnificent species was chosen as our national symbol even though Benjamin Franklin thought the Wild Turkey was more appropriate. Bald Eagles, once in danger of extinction, have made a remarkable comeback based upon sound management practices.

Art by Jackie Blurton

Nature Note by Dr. Roland Shook

Soft fur, long legs and ears, and short tails distinguish hares and rabbits. The larger species are called hares or jackrabbits and the smaller ones are called rabbits or cottontails. Hares generally like open country and do not live in burrows, while rabbits prefer shrubby cover, and occupy burrows.

Four species of jackrabbits are native to the open arid regions of the western plains and deserts. These interesting animals are able to leap more than ten feet while running at full speed. This adaptation allows escape from their number one predator, the coyote.

Art by Jackie Blurton
Nature Note by Dr. Roland Shook

American Pipits are slender, lark-like birds of open country. They have thin bills, long hind claws, and often bob their tails while walking. The adults are brown above and streaked below. The faintly streaked back and dark legs are distinctive for the American Pipit. In flight, this species shows white on the corners of its tail and gives a call described as "tsip it" or "pip it", hence the common name.

Art by Jackie Blurton

Nature Note by Dr. Roland Shook

Alligator lizards can be found widely distributed throughout much of the Americas, North Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and China. In this family there is a tendency for the reduction of limbs, from dwarfing of the limbs in some species in South America to the complete loss of limbs in the glass lizards of both the Old and New Worlds.

Great Blue Heron

Art by Jackie Blurton

Nature Note by Dr. Roland Shook

Herons are long-legged wading birds with long necks and long, pointed bills. The Great Blue Heron is the largest heron in the United States. The adults and young are primarily bluish-gray. The crown of the lighter head is dark and often shows dark plume-like feathers. In flight, the wing beats are slow and steady. Herons characteristically pull their necks back in an "S" shaped fashion when they are flying as opposed to cranes which fly with their necks outstretched. A knowledgeable birder can identify herons at great distances using this field characteristic.

Great Blue Herons are a noisy lot, frequently calling in flight with a deep croaking call. In general, these are solitary birds except during the breeding season when they nest in colonies called rookeries. The numerous nests are often placed high up in the top of cottonwoods or other similar trees.

Art by Jackie Blurton

Nature Note by Dr. Roland Shook

The American Dipper is a bird of the fast-flowing mountain streams of the West. The name of this species is derived from its habit of perching near the water and constantly bobbing its whole body up and down. This bird is also known as the Water Ouzel, an English word for the European Blackbird.

Art by Jackie Blurton

Nature Note by Dr. Roland Shook

Ringtails are a mammal about which biologists know relatively little. They range from southeastern Oregon to southern Mexico.

The ringtail is also known as the Cacomistle, Miner's Cat, Civet Cat, Coon Cat or Band-tailed Cat. All these names refer to the prominent tail (as long as the head and body combined) of these large-eyed, shy animals. This species is pale brown in body color with a bushy tail ringed with alternating black-and-white rings.

Look for Ringtails along rocky cliffs where their weasel-like body allows them to explore ledges and crevices for prey, which primarily consists of rodents and insects.

Art by Jackie Blurton

Nature Note by Dr. Roland Shook

This species of woodpecker is characterized by a white back and undersides. It is very similar to the Downy Woodpecker but larger. Note especially the length of the bill compared to the length of the head. In this species, both are approximately the same, while in the Downy the bill is noticeably reduced.