#848: Wren

There are 80 species of true wrens, all but one species of which are found in North and South America. Wrens from Australia and New Zealand are different species, and unrelated, named for their similarity in appearance to their European namesake. These wee fellow is a Carolina Wren. Wren are small and insectivorous, although they will take other invertebrates and even tiny vertebrates when the opportunity arises. Well camouflaged and secretive, he is more often heard than seen.

#843: Woodcock

The Woodcocks are seven species of wading bird, being related, and similar in appearance, to the snipes. These species are ranged across the Northern Hemisphere, with some ranging down as far as New Guinea. The Woodcock is characterised by his stocky body and long bill. He is one of the few birds to have a flexible upper mandible. His large eyes are positioned such that he has 360° vision. He leads a nocturnal lifestyle, foraging for invertebrates and relying on his cryptic colouration to hide him during the day.

#834: Wigeon

The Wigeons are three species of dabbling duck, found in Eurasia and America. All are characterised by their rounded head and large forehead. During the breeding season, the American Wigeon drake sports a colourful face and cream crown. Outside of this time, his plumage is more subdued. They are talkative birds, with the drake whistling, whereas the female grunts and quacks. Found in wetlands and swamps, he feeds by grazing on land, or dabbling in the water; he is also known to steal weed from diving birds such as coots.

#796: Vermilion Flycatcher

The Vermilion Flycatcher is a small and brightly coloured passerine found in the lower North American states and Central America. True to his name, he feeds mostly on insects, which are snapped from the air, although he has been observed catching small fish. Only the male is the bright and vivid red, the female is rather more drab. This allows her camouflage as she incubates their 2-3 eggs.

#789: Variegated Squirrel

The Variegated Squirrel can be found in North and Central America. He can be found in both dry and wet forest, but favours the arid environment. He is solitary and diurnal, constructing a nest in which to sleep through the nights. Unlike his more northerly relatives, Variegated Squirrel do not hibernate, but will become less active through inclemental weather. His diet consists of fruit, seeds and nuts and he plays an important role in seed dispersal.

#755: Thrush

The Thrush are medium-sized songbirds of the Family Turdidae. Many species, like this Song Thrush, have a speckled belly, but this Family also includes the American Robin (named such for his red breast), the Blackbird and the Ouzel. The Blackbird and the Song Thrush are English in origin, but have been introduced to New Zealand, where they are a common sight in urban gardens. Thrush follow an insectivorous or omnivorous diet. The Song Thrush is particularly fond of snails, and will often use a favourite stone as an "anvil" to crack open the shells. He will also rummage through leaf litter in search of worms and insect prey.

#739: Tamandua

The Tamandua are two species of Anteater, the Northern and the Southern, adapted to an aboreal lifestyle. Both are characterised by their black "waistcoat" and prehensile tail. His diet consists almost entirely of termites and insects, which he laps up using his long, sticky tongue. The middle claw on each forefoot is modified into a hook, perfect for ripping open insect nests. Tamandua are generally solitary, coming together only to mate. The single baby spends the first few weeks sheltered in a tree hollow, then rides around on the mother's back.

#712: Spadefoot Toad

The Spadefoot Toad of America is named for the ridge of keratin on his feet, which help him to dig. A similar Family live in Europe, bearing the same name, but are not closely related. He makes his home in arid environments, burrowing  beneath the soil to find moisture. He can remain underground for months. After the rains begin to fall, he surfaces to feed on insects such as ants and grasshoppers and to breed. Due to the ephemereal nature of the desert pools, tadpoles must develop swiftly if they are to survive and they can hatch, grow and metamorphose within 14 days. Remarkedly, some Spadefoot tadpoles follow the typical vegetarian diet, whereas others become carnivorous, even predating their siblings (although they prefer not to).

What is the difference between frogs and toads?
Generally speaking, frogs are more adapted for an aquatic or humid environment. They have longer legs, smoother skin and are slightly slimy due to the mucus they excrete. Toads are adapted to drier habitats. They have nobbly, thicker skin and stockier limbs. In fact, all toads are frogs, as they are members of the same Order, but not all frogs are toads.

#710: Sockeye Salmon

Salmon is the common name for several species of fish, all sharing the same Family, along with trout, char and grayling. Popular in aquaculture, they are farmed throughout the world. However, they are naturally found in the North Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Most species, including the Sockeye, are anadromous; hatching in the freshwater, the fry then migrate out into the ocean to feed and grow. Once sexual maturity is attained, he begins the journey back up the river - normally the same river he was born in - to breed. Once he has spawned, releasing masive amoutns of hormones, his body begins to deteriorate and he dies.

#665: Roseate Spoonbill

The beautiful Roseate Spoonbill makes his home in South America, Central America and the US's Gulf Coast. His pink colouration is derived from his food, and can range from a pale pink to a bright magenta. His bare green head acquires a golden tint during breeding season. His distinctive bill is used to sift through mud, straining out the dirt and water, leaving him with mouthfuls of crustaceans, frogs, insect larvae and small fish.

#658: Roadrunner

Roadrunners can run at up to 23 mph.
Coyotes can manage up to 43 mph.


Roadrunners are found in south-western states of America down to Mexico. She is the state bird of New Mexico and the largest member of the cuckoo family in America. Although she favours a terrestrial lifestyle, she is capable of flight. Her diet consists mainly of invertebrates and small vertebrates, and she has been known to kill and consume snakes. Unlike many of her cousins, she builds her own nest - a rudimentary platform - and both pairs raise the offspring.

#656: Ringtail

The Ringtail is a small relative to the racoon. He makes his home in the deserts and dry areas of the south-western US and is the state mammal of Arizona.

#648: Red-winged Blackbird

The Red-winged Blackbird is widespread across North America, with his range extending down into Central America. In winter, populations migrate to the warmer south and flocks can number over a million birds. His diet is omnivorous, consisting of seeds, insects and other invertebrates. During breeding season, the territorial male pairs up with multiple females. Nests are constructed in loose colonies and built entirely by the female; they are constructed above water. The drab-coloured female also incubates the eggs, relying on her camouflage to protect her from predation.

#642: Rattlesnake

The Rattlesnakes are venomous reptiles native to the Americas. She is named for her rattle: a structure formed of interlocking segments of keratin. By contracting her muscles, she can cause these structures to vibrate against each other, the sound amplified by their hollow interior. This acts as a warning system to predators that might disturb her as she rests. Although her bite can cause swelling, pain, hermorrhaging and heart failture, Rattlesnakes only attack if provoked - and many more Rattlesnakes die by human hands than humans by a Rattlesnake's fangs (about 5 of the latter per year).

#625: Queen Snake

The Queen Snake is a non-venomous North American snake. His diet is very specific - he preys almost exclusively on newly-moulted crayfish, supplemented by the occasional frog, fish or invertebrate. These he locates by using his tongue, transfering scent from the air to receptors inside his mouth. During the colder months, he retreats into a crack - either natural or artificial - to hibernate. This is when he is at his most vulnerable and may fall prey to predators - including the very crayfish upon which he feeds.

#622: Queen Angelfish

The Queen Angelfish inhabits the reefs near Florida and the Gulf of Mexico. His preferred diet is sponges, but he also eats tunicates, plankton, jellyfish and coral. He can normally be found in pairs, and may form a monogamous bond. During mating, the pair join their bellies together, rising up in the water and simultaneously releasing their eggs or sperm. Fertilised eggs hatch into embryonic larvae, which develop into free-swimming fish. Juveniles often serve as "cleaners" and feed on the parasites of larger fish.

#615. Puma

The Puma, also known as the cougar, is a large feline, found in America. His range extends from Yukon, Canadian to the southern Andes. Highly adaptable and generalistic, he can be found in almost every habitat across his range. Like all cats, he is an obligate carnivore and will feed on everything from insects up to large ungulates, favouring deer and sheep. Solitary and secretive, he comes in contact with the female only long enough to mate and plays no role in raising the cubs.

Creature Feature #588: Pika

The Pika is a sweet-faced little mammal, related to the rabbits. There are thirty species, spread across America and Eurasia, where they inhabit the colder regions, particularly in the mountains and high steppes. One species, the adorable Ili Pika of Asia, was first discovered in 1983, then not seen again until 2014, when he became an internet sensation. This species is an Collared Pika, found in the Canada and Alaska. Here she leads a solitary lifestyle, gathering grasses during the spring months, and drying them in her burrow for the cold winter. She does not hibernate. During these lean months, she may also collect any dead birds, killed by the cold, and bury them near her burrow, in snow. When she becomes hungry, she digs them out, pierces the skull and eats the brains.

Creature Feature #577: Peccary

The Peccary is a medium-sized pig-like ungulate found in the Americas. Three species are well-known to science, and a fourth may exist. This is a Collared Peccary. She is a very adaptable omnivore, and is equally at home in rainforest and grasslands, as well as within the urban environs. Social groups are known as "bands" and contain between 8-15 members of various ages  Bands are lead by a dominant male and do much of their foraging at dawn and dusk. Omnivorous in diet, she will eat almost anything: berries, roots, grass, and in the drier parts of the range, she relies on the prickly pear cactus for water. Insects and lizards are also consumed.

Creature Feature #554: Ovenbird