Have you noticed how different bird species have distinct personalities?
Some are shy and skittish, while others are curious and gregarious. Don’t you wish you could get inside the head of a bird to see what makes her tick?
Sexing Trees in Winter
Depending on the species, plants either have separate sexes, like most animals, or they are bisexual. But how can you tell a plant’s sex in winter, when there are no flowers? (Hint: look to see if it has fruits.)
Jonathan Livingston Gull
Gulls are extraordinarily variable in the way they look. The color of an individual’s plumage, legs, and eyes reveals not only what species it is but also its age, condition and social status.
Red-backed Salamanders, Forest Heavyweights
If you took all the moose or deer in a northeastern forest and put them on a scale, they wouldn’t weigh as much as the superabundant but often overlooked red-backed salamander. (Hard to believe, I know, but check out the study “Salamander Populations and Biomass in the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, New Hampshire” published in the scientific journal Copeia in 1975!)
Would You Put This Stuff on Your Lawn?
You’d have to really hate butterflies, beetles and bugs to spread insecticides all over your lawn. Take a closer look at the ingredients and cautions on the package — you may decide not to use it, and share your lawn with other living creatures instead.