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http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/wildlifemgmt/species/americanbison.htm[2/27/2012 4:34:37 PM]

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American Bison

The history of American Bison has shown both the tragedy of overexploitation and the miracles thatcan occur when conservation efforts are created.

American Bison (Bison bison) belong to the family Bovidae, which includes cattle and goats. Due tothe misnomer given by early settlers because of the resemblance to the herds of oxen in Asia andAfrica, they are sometimes called buffalo. One main physical difference is the large shoulder humpfound on the bison.

Bison are the largest land mammals found in North America since the end of the Ice Age, reachinglengths up to 10 feet and shoulder lengths up to 6 feet. They can weigh over a ton. They have a

huge head with a single pair of curved, horns, a large shoulder hump, and tapered hindquarters. They are covered withwooly hair that varies in color with the season, but is usually dark brown to black.

Despite their great size, bison are quite agile and can run up to 35 miles per hour. They have poor eyesight, but acutehearing and an exceptional sense of smell. Though they can appear peaceful and unconcerned, their temperament isunpredictable, and can respond quickly when disturbed.

During most of the year the older bulls remain separated from the main herd of females and calves, but they return duringmating season which peaks in July and August. Females are very protective of their young, and can become aggressive ifthreatened. Male bison do not take part in caring for the young.

The gestation period lasts about 285 days, and births usually occur in April and May. Calves are a reddish-brown or buffcolor, generally weigh 30 to 70 pounds, and do not have the apparent hump of the adult bison. It will stand to nurse within30 minutes, walk within hours, and in one to two days join the herd with its mother. The calf stays with its mother for aboutthree years. Life span for bison can range from 18 to 22 years.

Bison are grazers, and their diet consists of various grasses and sedges, and will sometimes feed on berries and lichens.Adults need an average of about 30 pounds of forage daily. In the winter, they will use their head and hooves to clear thesnow from vegetation, and will eat snow when water is covered with ice.

Bison were highly important to many American Indians. Almost every part of the bison could be used for some purpose.Besides the use of meat for food and the hides for clothing, the teeth, bones, fat, organs and even excrement of bisonwere of use to many tribes.

When European settlers arrived, bison populations were estimated at approximately 50 million animals. Through the nextcenturies the number drastically decreased, falling to about 1,500 by the late 1800s. However, with help fromconservationists and private owners, the bison population has increased significantly and is now numbered at over350,000 nationwide. The American bison began its come back in the rugged landscape of southwest Oklahoma. In 1905,William T. Hornaday and others organized the American Bison Society and demanded that the buffalo be given care andprotection. Through the efforts of the American Bison Society and the New York Zoological Society, an offer was made todonate 15 bison to the Wichita National Forest and Game Preserve (now the Wichita Mountains National Wildlife Refuge).Congress set aside $15,000 for this purpose, and on October 11, 1907, 15 buffalo from the New York Zoological Park wereshipped by rail to Oklahoma. Seven days later, these seven bulls and eight cows had safely returned to the plains andmountains.

Today the herd numbers about 600 strong and bison from the Wichita’s have been transported to begin and bolster newherds across the country. Bison can also be seen at the Nature Conservancy’s Tallgrass Prairie Preserve near Ponca City.

Considering the drastic number that bison were reduced to just a few generations ago, it is a true gift that we can see themtoday.



































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Species Spotlight: Badger

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Badger

Taxidea taxus, or badger to you and me, is one of Oklahoma’s more unique and lesser knowmammals. This powerful carnivore is actually a member of the weasel family. But comparing aweasel to a badger is like comparing a house cat to Bengal tiger. While they are members of thesame family they are too very different animals.

Should you come across a badger, it will be easy to distinguish it from other ground-dwellingmammals in the state. The badger is rather distinctive, growing up to two and a half feet long andweighing as much as 30 pounds. Some have been known to stand 14 inches tall at the shoulder.The loose fitting coat can best be described as a weathered grayish-yellow color. A distinct white

stripe runs from the nose, over its head to the shoulder area. The face also has a white crescent just behind each eye,which runs down and connects under the chin. With a black nose and black patches just in front of the ears, the badgerhas a “mask” that is similar to raccoons. Badgers have large, muscular front feet with claws up to one inch long; the hindlegs tend to be smaller then the front. A robust body makes for a very short neck connected to a head with small eyes andears, and a mouth full of sharp teeth.

Badgers make their burrows in the arid, open country of the western two thirds of the state, where the loose soil facilitateseasy digging. With their long front claws and powerful legs, badgers can excavate a burrow with amazing speed. Athreatened badger can completely disappear beneath the ground in a matter of moments. A badger’s burrow tends to bewider than tall and can range anywhere from five to thirty feet long. At the end of the tunnel is a larger “den” room wherethe badger spends most of its day; this den can also serve as a nursery in early spring. It is a common misconception thatbadgers use these deep underground burrows to escape the cold of winter and hibernate until spring.

While a badger may sleep through several days of severe weather, they never experience true hibernation.

Badgers are for the most part solitary animals, preferring to be left alone throughout the year except for the mating season,which occurs in late summer or early fall. A badger’s home range can vary from half a square mile to one square mile area.While badgers will fight amongst themselves, they usually try to avoid each other, and will typically respect one another’sspace. The same cannot be said of a coyote or bobcat that tries to make a meal out of one. With sharp teeth, powerfullegs, long claws and

a musk that rivals that of a skunk, the badger usually leaves the would-be attacker searching an easier meal.

In July and August the normally reclusive badger becomes much more socially active in the search for a mate. Litters ofone to five kits are born in early spring. At birth, the young badgers are covered with a fine hair and their eyes are shut. BySeptember the young have learned to hunt for themselves and begin to separate from the female badger in the search fora territory of their own.

In Oklahoma, badgers are classified as furbearers and may be pursued by hunters or trappers from December 1, 2005through January 31, 2006, statewide

When it comes to eating, there’s no such thing as a picky badger. Anything that can’t fly, swim or out run a hungry badgeris on the menu. Animals such as voles, mice, rabbits and pocket gophers get a false sense of security from their deepunder ground lairs. Unless they have many exits, these small burrowers are trapped and easily caught by the furiouslydigging badger. The rattlesnake also falls on the badger’s long list of edibles.

As with any animal that can fend off coyotes and dines on rattlesnakes, it’s a good idea to leave a badger alone if youcome across one in the field. That’s not to say you shouldn’t stop to admire this unique native, and perhaps take a fewphotos, you just might want to have a zoom lens handy.


































Species Spotlight: Badger

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Species Spotlight: Black-Tailed Jackrabbit

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Black-Tailed Jackrabbit

Pound for pound, the black-tailed jackrabbit is the greatest of all Oklahoma long-jumpchampions.

A large mammal weighing between four and seven pounds, the black-tailed jackrabbit(Lepus californicus) is not really a rabbit, but a hare. It has a buff gray body above, whitebelow, and a black stripe down the center of its back. Its most distinguishable features are itsblack-tipped ears, which measure between five to seven inches in length, as well as itsblack-top tail.

Black-tailed jackrabbits can be seen statewide, but they are most common in westernOklahoma. They got their name from early settlers of the southwest who called them“jackass rabbits” because of their large ears. Today, they are commonly called jacks, black-

tailed jacks and blacktails. Adapted to Oklahoma’s open landscapes, black-tailed jackrabbits live in brushy areas, prairies, meadows, dunes, andcultivated fields. They often prefer grazed pastures with a few shrubs or small trees. This habitat makes it easier to spotpredators such as coyotes, foxes, badgers, bobcats, and red-tailed hawks; for which they are favorite prey.

Because of their advanced sense of smell, large rotating ears, and eyes set far back on their heads, black-tailedjackrabbits are superbly adapted to life in open areas. Ever alert, jackrabbits rest in shallow depressions beneath smalltrees or shrubs during the day. They only leave their hiding places toward evening.

When flushed from cover, jackrabbits rely on their speed and jumping ability to escape predators. They can leap distancesof up to 20 feet and run as fast as 40 miles per hour, often sprinting in a zig-zag pattern. When running, they flash thewhite underside of their tails to warn other jackrabbits and jump exceptionally high every few leaps to see theirsurroundings and confuse their pursuer.

Unlike true rabbits, whose young are born helpless and without fur, jackrabbit leverets are born fully furred with open eyesand plenty of energy.

Jackrabbit populations experience drastic fluctuations every three to 10 years. Populations increase to great abundanceand then suddenly decrease for unknown reasons, but disease, food shortages or an increase in predators may contribute.In some years, nearly 90 percent of the western population of blacktails may perish, but they recover quickly because theyare such prolific breeders. A female jackrabbit may bear three to four litters per year with up to eight young per litter.Leverets reach adult size and are able to breed in about seven to eight months.

Black-tailed jackrabbits eat twigs and bark of woody plants during fall and winter, and grasses and weeds during springand summer. They get most of their water from succulent plants. Jackrabbits eat constantly and are particularly fond ofalfalfa.

When populations are at average numbers, black-tailed jackrabbits may complement livestock grazing. They eat grassesthat are undesirable to cattle, as well as some poisonous plants, thus reducing poisonous plant cover. On the other hand,large jackrabbit populations can compete with cattle and overgraze ranges, but its need for high visibility generally leads tohigher densities in range land that is in fair condition. The best way to minimize the competition between black-tailedjackrabbits and livestock for forage is to keep range lands in good to excellent condition.

Black-tailed jackrabbits are a symbol of western grasslands. When afield, hunters and nun-hunters alike are quick to smileat the sight of the leaping long-jumper with the colossal ears sprinting across the landscape. Whether providing breakfastfor a hungry coyote or exercise for a bobcat, jackrabbits play an important role in Oklahoma’s wildlife community.


































Species Spotlight: Black-Tailed Jackrabbit

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Species Spotlight: Black-Tailed Prairie Dog

http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/wildlifemgmt/species/prairiedog.htm[2/27/2012 4:34:49 PM]

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Black-Tailed Prairie Dog

The black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) is one of the most social ground squirrels, livingcommunally in large underground networks called "towns." Named for the bark-like warning givenwhen predators are nearby, prairie dogs have an interesting social life, are ecologically important tothe prairie ecosystem, and have seen drastic declines since 1900.

Weighing in at two-and-a-half to three pounds, these gregarious rodents are primarily light brownwith a black tipped tail. The tan coloration serves as a predator defense; blending in with the habitatallows prairie dogs to escape from hawks circling overhead and coyotes hunting from the ground.Like most rodents, prairie dogs are herbivores, feeding on grasses and annual forbs. This diet keepsthe surrounding area clipped, encouraging desired forbs to grow while improving predator detection.

Prairie dogs are unusually social for rodents, greeting each other by placing their forearms around each other or eventouching noses or teeth. Although often incorrectly referred to as hugging, these greetings are in fact a way to identifycolony members by smell. The smallest group within a town is called a coterie and consists of a breeding male, three tofive females, and several juveniles. Breeding season is in late winter to early spring with the first litter of four to six pupsbeing born in April. Pups emerge from the burrow six to seven weeks later. While females remain in the town of their birth,males disperse one to two years later to avoid breeding with close relatives.

Found in dry, upland shortgrass and mixed-grass prairies, these rodents have well developed forefeet used to dig andmaintain their extensive burrows. Entrances to the burrows are typically volcano-shaped and provide ventilation to thesystem, serve as look out posts, and even help keep water out of the town. Prairie dog towns are surprisingly complicated.Dropping 10-15 feet from the surface of the main entrance, the primary tunnel can extend 50 feet or more in length.Several chambers can be found at the end of secondary tunnels that are used separately for caching food, nesting andeven defecation.

Often referred to ecologically as a keystone species, the importance of prairie dogs in an ecosystem is disproportionate totheir abundance. While a prairie dog town may be relatively small, it provides habitat, feeding grounds, and other importantareas for several species of wildlife. One study identified 30 species of mammals, 18 species of reptiles and seven differentamphibians at prairie dog towns in the panhandle of Oklahoma. In a similar study, 73 species of birds were observed atthe same towns. This means the presence or absence of prairie dog towns in Oklahoma could potentially affect 128 otherspecies! While a portion of these species may not be fully dependant on the prairie dog to survive, others are directly linkedto this rodent. Burrowing owls nest in pre-existing burrows, while the black-footed ferret relies on the prairie dog as a foodsource.

One of the largest threats to black-tailed prairie dogs is the sylvatic plague, a disease carried by fleas. Once the plague isintroduced to a colony, it spreads quickly, and can cause a drastic decrease in the population within months. Other leadingthreats come in the form of habitat loss and various control programs. These three factors are responsible for the 90-98percent population reduction seen in the last 100 years. Regrettably, many people are unaware of the consequences ofprairie dog eradication. Completely removing these towns may cause an increase in woody brush and a decrease inoverall wildlife diversity.

Wildlife managers have made several repopulation attempts across the western portion of the state. Some areas, includingthe Wichita Mountains National Wildlife Refuge, even have viewing areas. When visiting these towns, it is important toremember these are wild animals. By feeding them human food, you can damage their digestive system and even makethem more susceptible to predation. Enjoy watching from a safe distance!


































Species Spotlight: Black-Tailed Prairie Dog

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Species Spotlight: Beaver

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Beaver

Anyone spending much time around a lake, pond, river, or creek has surely seen the telltale signs ofbeaver-felled trees or mounds of sticks and logs protruding above the water. This rodent, the largestin North America, is found throughout Oklahoma where suitable habitat is available.

Though usually brown in color, the beaver's fur can range from a light chestnut to near black.Occasionally, several variations occur within the same colony. Adult beavers, both males andfemales, average 40 inches in length and weigh from 35 to 65 pounds.

Because of its large hind legs and short forelegs, the beaver waddles awkwardly while on land. Its long, heavy clawsfacilitate digging and also offer great dexterity, allowing the beaver to fold individual leaves into its mouth or to rotate small,thin stems as it gnaws on bark. The beaver (Castor canadensis) is also characterized by its webbed toes and flat, paddle-like tail, which is hairless andcovered in uncornified scales. The tail serves many purposes, including functioning as a prop while sitting. Beavers alsoslap their tails against the water to warn against danger, and they also use them for steering and swimming.

Further facilitating the beaver's aquatic lifestyle are its valvular nostrils and ears, which shut tight when submerged. It alsohas a third eye membrane that allows it to see while submerged. Its waterproof fur consists of long, coarse guard hairs anda short, soft undercoat.

Beavers are also known for their castor glands, which are located near the tail. They use these glands to scent-markterritory. Humans use this scent as a base aroma in many perfumes. Beavers are monogamous and produce only one litter per year, usually in late spring or early summer. A typical littercontains three to four young beavers, called "kits." The fur of newborn kits may vary in color as much as that of adults,though it is usually reddish or cinnamon brown.

A typical colony of beavers usually has five or six members consisting of an adult pair and their kits from the previous litter.Young beavers will either leave voluntarily or be driven off by the adults before the second litter is born.

Beavers often build enormous lodges of sticks and logs which protrude above the water. These conical lodges featureunderground passages to the den, enabling a beaver to enter and leave the den while submerged. This offers protectionfrom predators like coyotes. These mammalian engineers will also build dams, similar in construction to lodges, which serveto maintain a constant water level in the animal's living area. A consistent water level ensures that the entrance to the lodgeremains underwater, and it also maintains a proper depth in the canals, or "runs," which are built to make it easier for thebeaver to seek vegetation away from its lodge.

Favorite foods for the beaver in Oklahoma are cottonwood, willow and Johnson grass roots, but they'll eat almost any typeof bark, bud, root and leaf. Though a beaver can hold its breath for up to 15 minutes during a dive, it is often seen cruisingthe surface of a lake or pond carrying sticks or twigs in its orange-tinted front teeth.

Although they can cause flooding and damage to ornamental and crop trees, beavers also perform a valuable service tofarmers and sportsmen by helping to control erosion. With their dams, they also create wetland habitat for waterfowl andother wildlife.

With its dedication to hard work and its ingenious structural designs perfected over millennia, it's no wonder that the beaveris considered the master engineer of the animal world.


































Species Spotlight: Beaver

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Species Spotlight: Bobcat

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BobcatEveryone has probably either had a housecat, or at least known someone who does. When peoplethink of the wild relatives of the neighborhood today, many probably think of cheetahs, lions, tigersand other big cats in Africa. But we have our own wild feline right here in Oklahoma – the bobcat.

Lynx rufus is a small cat with slight ear tufts. Its back, sides and upper tail is pale to reddish brownwith black spots, while the lower part of its body is white with dark spots.

Bobcats have a range that stretches from southern Canada to northern Mexico, and are foundthroughout the continental United States except in the upper Midwest and parts of New England.Bobcats frequent habitat types ranging from coniferous and mixed forests to desert scrublands to

Cypress swamps.Just like their larger African cousins, bobcats mark their territory with urine. A male’s home range is generally two to threetimes larger than that of the female’s, and it includes the ranges of several females while partially overlapping the ranges ofother males. Females are much more exclusive about their territory, and their ranges do not overlap.

Bobcats generally breed in January or February, but have been known to reproduce year-round, especially when food isplentiful. Once the female has mated, she will seek out a fallen log or a rock overhang for a den. She will give birth twomonths later to two to five kittens. However, younger females generally produce smaller litters than older, maturer females.The kittens are weaned after two months but stay with their mother until they are around a year old and are about half-grown.

Bobcats are thought to live for around 12 years in the wild and can weigh more than 25 pounds as mature adults. Cats inthe North and animals in more open areas are usually larger than those that live in the forests or in the southern reaches oftheir range.

While bobcats can be active throughout the day or night, they are primarily crepuscular, meaning their peak hours ofactivity are around dusk and dawn. Although small in stature, bobcats are very effective predators, even of large ungulatessuch as deer, especially fawns or yearlings. More often, though, bobcats prey on rabbits and other rodents, as well as wildturkeys and other ground-nesting birds. Male bobcats are generally larger than females, and are more likely to take downlarger prey.

Bobcats have been the most heavily harvested and traded cat species in the past two decades, and interest in bobcat peltshas increased in recent years due to increased demand from furriers in China and Russia. Through effective managementand responsible harvesting, the bobcat population is very healthy in Oklahoma, and sportsmen have ample opportunities tohunt or trap cats.

For those who are fortunate enough to have seen one of Oklahoma’s wild felines, it is a special occurrence. These cats arevery elusive and hard to spot, but they are spectacular to watch when you are lucky enough to catch a glimpse of one!

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Species Spotlight: Bobcat

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Species Spotlight: Coyote

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Coyote

Native American folklore often tells the story of Coyote. He plays many roles but isbest known as the trickster. Coyotes (Canis latrans) are extremely adaptable andthrive in a wide range of habitats from mountains to deserts. In fact, they are amongthe most adaptable mammals in North America. Even as humans modify theirhabitat, they still are able to exploit necessary resources. They can be found as farnorth as Alaska and as far south as Central America. The coyote’s deceptive manoralong with its intelligence has made it the survivor it is today and that it has been forthousands of years.

It is easy to see that coyotes are canines, like domestic dogs and wolves. Whencoyotes run, they hold their tails down, unlike wolves, which run with their tailsstraight out. Coyote fur can vary considerably. Depending on the region, coyotesmay be brown, red, or grayish. They have long, triangular ears and a narrow snout.

Coyotes do most of their hunting at night and their diet can vary. They areopportunistic and eat whatever is available to them but they prefer fresh kills.Mammals are a major portion of their diet, although sometimes they will eat snakesand birds. In the fall and winter months, coyotes are known to eat fruits and berries

along with other vegetation. Coyotes are incredible hunters. When hunting small prey like mice, a coyote will standextremely still and wait for the mouse to come in pouncing range. Other times they will stalk prey. Working in a packcreates an advantage for coyotes when preying on larger mammals such as deer, or when defending food resources,territory, and themselves. When hunting larger prey, they work in teams and take turns chasing the animal until it tires,making it easier to kill.

Coyotes live in a variety of social arrangements. Some live alone, others in mated pairs, and others in packs, which mayconsist of one mated pair, their new young, and offspring from the previous season that have not yet left their parents.Generally coyotes living in unexploited areas form packs. In the spring and early summer, females typically have a litter ofabout six puppies. The puppies are born helpless and blind. After 10 days the puppies can open their eyes and after aboutfour to six weeks they emerge from their den. Coyotes only use dens to give birth and nurse their young. The den servesonly as a temporary nursery. Dens often have more than one opening and are hard to find. Coyotes are very careful aboutnot leading anyone or anything to their dens. Coyotes have not one, but several dens which they use. This not only protectstheir pups from predators, but moving the pups also protects them from the fleas and other parasites that build up in theden. Coyotes will aggressively defend their puppies if threatened. After the female nurses the puppies for four to six weeks,both the male and female co-parent the puppies by feeding them regurgitated food.

Coyotes are the most vocal mammals in North America. In fact, their name comes from the Aztec word, “coyoti,” whichmeans “barking dog.” Because coyotes are more active at night, vocal communication is more important than visualcommunication. Coyotes communicate using a variety of sounds including barks, yips and howls. Coyotes use howls to letother members of the pack know their location. They use short barks to warn others of danger nearby. When a pack ofcoyotes welcomes a new member into the pack, they “yip.”

The coyote is often viewed as a nuisance, but they are highly intelligent and play an important role in the naturalecosystem. They are, however, remarkably adaptable and therefore management of the species through hunting andtrapping is beneficial. In Oklahoma, coyotes are open to hunting year-round with no daily limit or season limit. For fullseason details, consult the current “Oklahoma Hunting Guide.”


































Species Spotlight: Coyote

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Species Spotlight: Eastern Chipmunk

http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/wildlifemgmt/species/chipmunk.htm[2/27/2012 4:35:02 PM]

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Eastern Chipmunk For centuries, they have entertained nature lovers young and old. What appears to be nervousmischief and daring bravery on their part has captured the heart of many a cartoonist. And somemight even call it woeful to spend a weekend in a state or National Park without encountering atleast one.

Before you get too confused, let me set you straight – we’re not reminiscing park rangers, but ratherthe delightful eastern chipmunk

In Oklahoma, this species primarily is found, as one might assume from its name, in the eastern part of the state. EasternOklahoma, in actuality, is the western fringe of the eastern chipmunk’s natural range. It finds a special niche the rockyhillsides and dry ravines of the beautiful Ozark hills habitat. Chipmunks, like most small rodents, are burrowers. They prefer openings beneath protected locations such as logs orrocks, with a dugout chamber for a nest. They are commonly confused with Oklahoma’s 13-lined ground squirrel. To thecasual observer, both appear reddish-brown or tan, with conspicuous dark stripes alternating with gray or brown. Theirunder parts are white or buff. Also, both use cheek pouches inside their mouth to carry food. When filled to capacity, eachpouch can expand almost as large as the animal’s head, giving the impression of just returning from a dentist’s office whereyour wisdom teeth were removed.

Yet several characteristics set these two species apart. The lines on a chipmunk extend the entire length of the body, fromnose to tail. The ground squirrel only bear lines on the midsection of its back. A chipmunk also is noticeably smaller, it earsmore prominent, and its tail less bushy than that of the ground squirrel.

The eastern chipmunk subsists on small nuts, weed seeds and small fruit. Interestingly, it’s a successful carnivore too. It iswell documented that this species sometimes feeds on a considerable amount of insects. Instinctively, these rodents storefood within their burrows. These caches help sustain this species are usually in stock at all times.

Chipmunks are as popular with campground visitors as campground visitors are with chipmunks. What camping area wouldbe complete without a few of these furry critters dashing from rock to rock? Although timid when first approached,chipmunks soon lose their fear once they associate people with an easy source of food. But this cornucopia of potato chipsand hot dog buns may do harm more than good. Other than the obvious lack of nutritional value, chipmunks become all-too-accustomed to handouts from well meaning campers. Often, this junco food is taken back to the burrow and added tothe food cache. However, if it is not eaten soon, these human morsels can spoil an entire winter’s food supply.

Some individuals hibernate through the cold months, but spend the winter deep in their burrows; awake but lethargic,waiting to resume their active pace above ground once warmer temperatures return.

Mating occurs about 10 to 20 days after chipmunks become active each spring. This may happen sooner or laterdepending on seasonal weather patterns and conditions. Gestation lasts approximately 30 days, after which female selectsa grass-lined section of the burrow where five to six young will be born.

At birth, each is naked and only about two inches long. They are weaned at about five weeks, but remain with the femalefor several more months. Young chipmunks reach sexual maturity when less than a year old. The average life span isabout five years, which is fairly long for a rodent. However, this species is so fleet-footed and wary that it is not easilycaptured by predators.

On any given warm and sunny afternoon, whether you’re deer hunting deep in the Ozark hardwoods or picnicking in aneastern Oklahoma campground, you are sure to hear the contented chirps of one of our most endearing watchable wildlifespecies – the eastern chipmunk


































Species Spotlight: Eastern Chipmunk

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Species Spotlight: Eastern Cottontail Rabbit

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Eastern Cottontail RabbitWhether it is pursued behind a pack of beagles or it is encountered on some early morning in yourown backyard, the Eastern cottontail rabbit (Sylvilagus floridanus) is one of Oklahoma’s most wellknown and beloved wildlife species.

The cottontail rabbit has been a huge success in adapting to man’s manipulations of theenvironment. When homesteaders first came to this state rabbits found new garden buffets, and assubdivisions now go up in our metropolitan areas, rabbits find remaining niches of cover to raisetheir young. They can be found from southern Canada to South America, predominantly east of theRocky Mountains.

Mostly ears and legs, an adult cottontail measures about 16 inches and weighs between two and three pounds. It has softbrown hair and a white underbelly, as well as its namesake cotton ball-like tail. Similar to the whitetail deer, the cottontailwill raise its tail like a warning flag when fleeing danger.Cottontails can be found in a variety habitats, but are most abundant in open country. Rabbits will most often be foundanywhere two types of cover meet, such as fence rows, or in tangled thickets in pastures or along roadsides. Rabbits alsoshow a preference to areas not far from a water source whether it be a pond, creek or spring.

Cottontails rely on shrubs or woody vegetation for escape cover. Just like Briar Rabbit, the denser and thornier the cover is,the better the rabbit likes it. A rabbit’s home range varies depending on the quality of habitat. On average, a femalecottontail's home range is five to 15 acres, while the male's may be as much as 100 acres.

A cottontail will eat just about anything green, but use the most nutritious foods first, such as legumes, clover and youngforbs. A young rabbit will consume large amounts of grass and weeds like dandelions and ragweed. During the winterwhen its normal food sources are scarce, rabbits will resort to eating shrubs and tree buds. Rabbits are most active duringthe early morning and late evening hours.

Cottontails are one of the primary links of the food chain and wherever they are found serve as essential prey forpredators. Young rabbits in particular are an important food source for a variety of species from coyotes to red-tailedhawks. As a result of this predation, a cottontail that lives more than a year is in the minority. However the rabbit is not ahelpless victim, it can jump distances of up to eight feet at a time and can make lightning quick changes in direction toelude predators.

Cottontails begin to court as early as February. A litter of four to seven bunnies is born after a gestation period of 27 days.The mother rabbit feeds her young milk twice a day at dawn and dusk. To protect the helpless, hairless bunnies from thecold, the mother builds a nest from surrounding vegetation and the soft fur from her belly. She covers the young in the nestto keep them warm and dry when she goes out to feed

The young rabbits grow very fast, and after only a week, the bunnies have fur, and their eyes and ears are open. After twoweeks, the bunnies take their first hops away from the nest and a few days later they leave the nest to fend for themselves.

Rabbits are quite prolific and may produce multiple litters; in a year with good weather and habitat a female rabbit mayproduce six litters in a single year.

Cottontail rabbits have historically been an important game animal in Oklahoma. Their prolific numbers have providedgenerations of hunters with hours of sport and countless meals of tender rabbit.

Whether in a windswept prairie or quiet suburban yard, the cottontail rabbit will continue to be one of the state’s mostpopular wildlife species.


































Species Spotlight: Eastern Cottontail Rabbit

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Species Spotlight: Eastern Gray Squirrel

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Eastern Gray Squirrel

While many of Oklahoma’s native wildlife species have a tough time adjusting when humans moveinto their habitat, the Eastern gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) is certainly an exception to the rule.

Gray squirrels use our attics for homes, our power lines as highways and our bird feeders as theirpersonal buffet tables. They inhabit the eastern half of the U.S., and have adapted well to ourbackyards and parks.

The gray squirrel is a medium sized – measuring around 17 inches from nose to tail and weighingapproximately one pound. Both sexes are the same size and covered with soft fur that may range incolor from light gray to light red.

The most notable physical feature of the gray squirrel is its large, bushy tail, which is comprisesabout half its total length. In fact, the Latin word for squirrel, sciurus, comes from a Greek word meaning tail. The tail hasmany important functions other than looks. It acts as a rudder when the acrobatic animal jumps from tree to tree, as a sunshade, as a warm covering during the winter, and as a signal to other gray squirrels indicating an individual's mood. The tailcan even be used to distract a pursuing predator.

Gray squirrels live 10 to 12 years and typically do not roam far from the place where they were born. Their home rangeconsists of between 1 and 7 acres of mast-bearing hardwood trees. Mast is any hard fruit such as acorns, hickory nuts,pecans or walnuts and is among the squirrels favorite foods. However, these aerial acrobats are part of the rodent familyand are opportunistic feeders that may eat flowers, buds, fruit, cones and samaras (fruit of maple trees), even mushroomsdepending on what is in season

They prefer cavities in the trees to escape predators, for winter shelter and to raise their young. When cavities aren’tavailable, they will also build a nest out of leaves and twigs high in a tree.

Although the squirrels can reproduce year round, most litters are born in the spring. After a gestation period of 42 days, alitter of 3 to 5 blind, hairless babies are born and the mother assumes all parenting roles until the young squirrels are ableto fend for themselves at about three months of age.

While in the nest, young squirrels are vulnerable to snakes and raccoons and once they grow up they are constantly on thelook out for other predators including foxes, bobcats, coyotes, hawks and even owls. In urban areas, dogs, cats and carscan also take their toll on squirrel populations.

Squirrels are well known for the habit of burying and hiding nuts during the fall to supplement their winter diet. The nuts areusually very close to the surface and the squirrels do not remember where the nuts are, but find them using their keensense of smell. Inevitably, a large percentage of these cached nuts are never found and come up as seedlings the nextspring.

So, next time you watch an eastern gray squirrel scurrying around your yard, local park or the forest, enjoy the sight andtake pleasure in knowing that it is doing its part to refurbish the forest habitat.


































Species Spotlight: Eastern Gray Squirrel

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Species Spotlight: Eastern Red Bat

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Eastern Red Bat

One of the most wide-spread bats of North America, the Eastern red bat is often overlooked —mistaken for a hardwood leaf hanging from a tree or brush pile.

Like all bats, the Eastern red bat (Lasiurus borealis) is a member of the Order Chiroptera, true flyingmammals. Wings are made of a thin membrane, or patagium, with slender hand bones stretching inflight and folding the wing when at roost. Although this bat is only four inches long — not including the two inch tail — and weighs only 0.2-0.5ounces, it is considered a large bat. Named for its coloration, it is the only bat with obviousdifferences between the male and female; males have a deep carrot-red coat while females andjuveniles have a duller coat with prevalent white tips. Each individual hair of the red bat is made offour bands. Males have a base color of dark gray, a band of yellow followed by a band of carrot-red

with a white band at the tip. Females have a similar arrangement, but the yellow band is wider and the carrot red isreplaced with a maroon band, giving them a dull chestnut coat. Both sexes have buffy white patches on the wrist.

Although found throughout the eastern United States, this bat is common in the Eastern Deciduous Forest. In Oklahoma, itfrequents the eastern half, but has been found as far west as Texas County in the panhandle. Often seen in forested areas,this tree-dweller feeds on insects — especially moths — in early evening. As with other bats, the red bat feeds by way ofecholocation. A high-pitched sound wave is sent out while feeding and reflects off an object, hopefully an insect. The bat isable to determine the distance to the insect based on the amount of time it takes for the sound wave to return. Once the batlocates its prey, it either catches the insect with an open mouth, or will use its wings to capture it.

Breeding season for the red bat is in late summer; bats mate while in flight. Like many other bats, this species has delayedimplantation (the egg isn’t implanted in the uterine wall until after hibernation). Three to four young are born in the summerin tree-top roosts. While many other bat species only have one or two young, the red bat is able to produce more offspring.Young bats take their first flight three to four weeks after birth, and are weaned two to three weeks later.

Even though the Eastern red bat is one of the most prevalent bat species in North America, it isn’t on the top of the foodchain. Owls, hawks, house cats, raccoons, and foxes are major predators. Another threat to the red bat is the disturbanceof hibernation sites. Although many bats hibernate in caves, the red bat overwinters in tree tops, in bark crevices, andsometimes in brush piles. Because a bats’ heart rate drops from over 400 beats per minute to just 11-25 beats per minutewhile in hibernation, it is very stressful to be removed from a deep sleep, find a new place to hibernate, and go back intohibernation.

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Species Spotlight: Elk

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Elk

Standing nearly five feet at the shoulder, and weighing between 700 and 1,000 pounds,the elk (Cervus elaphus) is the universal symbol of the American West. The secondlargest antlered animal in North America, the elk is easily distinguished by its cream-colored winter coat and contrasting chestnut mane. In fact, the origin of the ShawneeIndian word "Wapiti," which means "white deer," is derived from the elk's coloration.

With their enormous antlers, elk are easily distinguished from other American ungulates.Yearling bulls may grow buttons, spikes or exhibit up to five tines, but they rarelypossess a brow tine. During their second year, young adult bulls, often called raghorns,usually produce multi-tined antlers which include a brow tine. Bulls shed their antlers in

March and immediately begin growing replacements. The new growth is covered by a blood-filled velvet coating thateventually hardens into bone. As the antlers reach their maximum size in late August, the velvet dries and is eventuallyremoved by rubbing or scraping the antlers on trees or shrubs. This rubbing hones the bull's antlers to a shine, preparinghim for the sparring he will do with other males as mating season begins.

Late September finds the bulls with gleaming antlers, swollen necks and short-tempers. Elk are polygamous, and once themating season arrives, bulls assemble females, or cows, into harems. A harem contains as many cows as a bull cansuccessfully defend from competing bulls.

Bull elk use a high-pitched, flute-like call, or bugle, to attract cows and to announce their willingness to defend their cowsand breeding territory against competing males. The fall mating season is the only time males and females are commonlyfound together. Cows usually produce a single calf, typically born in May or June. At birth, calves weigh 30 to 40 poundsand possess a tawny-colored coat covered with white speckles. Within a month, the calves begin eating grass, althoughthey continue nursing throughout summer. By fall, the calves are weaned and are independent from their mothers. Likeother ruminants, elk consume forbs, fruits and other easily-digestible plants. However, they also eat large amounts of grassand other rough-fiber vegetation, especially during winter. In some areas, elk are known to make long, seasonal migrationsbetween summer and winter ranges, but in Oklahoma they are essentially non-migratory. One of the most popular andsought-after species of wildlife in western North America, the elk is highly adaptable and has been transplanted into manycentral and eastern states. In Oklahoma, the largest free-ranging elk herds can be found on the Wichita Mountains WildlifeRefuge, as well as at Pushmataha, Cookson Hills, Spavinaw and Cherokee wildlife management areas. Small herds alsoinhabit private land in Kiowa, Comanche and Caddo counties. Because their natural predators have largely disappeared,unmanaged elk may overpopulate their available range, causing habitat degradation. In 1966, the Wildlife Department andthe United States Fish and Wildlife Service reached a cooperative agreement that provided for an annual controlled hunt tomanage elk populations at the Wichita Mountains NWR. Since then, the agreement has proven instrumental in controllingherd numbers while allowing a few fortunate hunters, selected through an annual drawing conducted by the WildlifeDepartment, the opportunity to pursue the American elk in its native habitat. Unlimited wildlife viewing opportunities alsoare available to outdoor enthusiasts at the refuge. As anyone who has heard the eerie bugle of bull elk at daybreak willattest, we're all fortunate to share the land with the animal known to the Shawnee as, Wapiti.


































Species Spotlight: Elk

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Species Spotlight: Groundhog

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Groundhog

It has it's own special day on the calendar, and it starred in a self-titled movie.Even so, there's a lot more to the groundhog than its mythical ability to predict theduration of winter.

The groundhog (Marmota monax), or woodchuck, is usually 1 to 2 1/2 feet longand weighs between seven and 14 pounds. Its short legs, stocky body and bushytail are covered with thick brown fur, which can have a reddish or yellowish cast. Ithas a distinctive flat head, and its face can show small areas of pale white.

With an average life span of four to five years, the woodchuck is very active onsunny days and can be seen feeding on grasses, clover and alfalfa all over

southern Canada and the eastern United States. In Oklahoma, you are most likely to see one in the extreme northeasterncorner, within a few hundred feet of its burrow.A prolific digger, the groundhog can create a new burrow overnight. Burrows are recognizable from the large mound of dirtthat surrounds the main entrance. To keep its home from flooding, the woodchuck usually digs at an angle about five feetdeep, then tunnels back up about two feet before excavating the actual burrow. From there, it usually digs a 30-foot tunnel,with one or two escape tunnels and two side chambers. One chamber is used entirely for waste disposal. Once filled, theanimal will seal the chamber and build another. It uses the second chamber for sleeping, hibernation and nesting.

After the first heavy frost, a groundhog retires to its burrow and seals the entrance to its hibernation chamber. Whilehibernating, a woodchuck lives off its fat reserve. Its heart rate may drop from 100 beats per minute to just four beats aminute, and its body temperature may drop as much as 50 degrees. Length of hibernation varies by latitude, but mostgroundhogs leave their chambers in late February or early March. In Oklahoma, it's possible for groundhogs to emerge byGroundhog Day.

Upon leaving their burrows, male groundhogs are driven by an intense desire to mate. A male immediately searches forother groundhog burrows, and if it finds one containing only female scent, it will cautiously enter in hopes of acceptance.

As soon as courtship ends and the male departs, the female begins nesting by removing old grass from the hibernationchamber and bringing in new dry grass. Four to five kits will arrive about four weeks later. They are about an inch long andhairless when born, but they grow quickly on the high fat content of the mother's milk and double their weight within a week.By mid-summer, the young woodchucks leave their mother's burrow and occupy vacant burrows nearby. They remainunder the mother's supervision until they leave the area in late summer.

Upon establishing their own territories, young woodchucks quickly burrow in time for hibernation the following winter. OnFeb. 2, people across the nation watch closely for their emergence in hopes of an early spring.


































Species Spotlight: Groundhog

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Species Spotlight: Long-tailed Weasel

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Weasel

It’s a good thing long-tailed weasels can’t enter pie-eating contests because if they could, no humancould compete with them.

Though its appetite is huge, the long-tailed weasel (Mustela frenata) is the smallest member of itsfamily, which includes mink, otter, skunk, fisher, marten, wolverine, and badger. Long-tailed weasels,most abundant in northeast Oklahoma, have long, skinny bodies, short legs and a small, narrowhead with long whiskers. Northern populations of weasels shed their summer brown coats for a whitecoat during the winter. Oklahoma’s weasels shed their fur twice each year and sport a brown coat,cream belly, and a bushy, black-tipped tail.

Long-tailed weasels have adapted well to habitat changes brought on by man. They can be found in a variety of habitatsincluding woodlands, agricultural fields, bottomland waterways, and brushy areas. Weasels are often found near rock pilesand firewood stacks and are known to nest in hollow logs and under barns.

The long-tailed weasel is an efficient and beneficial predator. It has the highest metabolic rate among mammals of similarsize which fuels a never-ending hunger. Weasels have a reputation for raiding chicken houses and birds nests, but aremuch more likely to attack farm pests, especially rodents. Their lengthy, agile bodies are perfect for underground hunting,pursuing gophers, ground squirrels, mice, and shrews in their burrows. The much larger males may even attack larger preysuch as cottontail rabbits. After picking up on a scent or sound, they follow their prey until making a quick attack. Smallmammals make up 95 percent of the weasel diet, but they’ll also consume birds, reptiles, fruits, and berries.

Weasels occupy a home range of 30 acres or more depending on prey abundance. The home range of a male weasel mayoverlap with those of several females and males may occupy one area their whole life. Females are known to moveseveral times throughout their lives.

Although long-tailed weasels can be seen day and night, they are primarily nocturnal, venturing from the den an hour aftersundown. Females often travel farther than males, searching for food or new den sites. The weasel’s vulnerability to heatloss limits excursions from the den during the cold winter months.

Throughout most of the year, long-tailed weasel males and females live separately from each other. They co-habitat duringthe breeding season with mating occurring in July or August and four to eight young born in April or early May. Youngweasels or kits are born blind and have wrinkled skin and white fur. After two months of receiving meals from their mother,the young are able to kill prey on their own. Female weasels are sexually mature after only three months while males take12 months to mature.

Because of the secretive nature of the long-tailed weasel, population estimates are difficult to obtain. Long-tailed weaselpelts were a part of the early American fur trade, but were never a popular commodity and weasels were never extensivelytrapped. Today, populations of long-tailed weasels remain stable throughout North America, though local populationsfluctuate in conjunction with prey availability.

The hungry, fearless weasel is always looking for a quick meal, and we should be grateful he usually finds it.


































Species Spotlight: Long-tailed Weasel

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Species Spotlight: Mink

http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/wildlifemgmt/species/mink.htm[2/27/2012 4:35:25 PM]

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Mink

They are common but secretive. Many may have seen them while fishing a favorite stream orwhile taking a walk along the water’s edge. That quick blur out of the corner of your eye thatleft you wondering if you’re seeing things. Odds are that blur was Mustela vison, the mink.

Mink are ferocious predators that are about the size of a housecat and chocolate-brown incolor. Their long, thin bodies, short legs, small eyes and ears, and sleek fur make them justthe right size to fit in many holes, crevices and burrows to pursue prey. They may eat groundsquirrels, rats, snakes and even birds. Mink are also semi-aquatic and their webbed feetallow them to capture frogs, clams and even fish. These shy mammals can be found statewide around permanent water but prefer smaller

streams choked or lined with debris. They may den in the debris or may dig burrows among the roots of trees. They haveeven been known to evict or kill muskrats to use their den.

Mink are often nocturnal, but can be seen around dusk and dawn. They are active year-round, but stay closer to their denduring winter. They don’t hibernate, but if the winter is especially harsh or if there is deep snow, they may curl up in the denand sleep a day or two before emerging to hunt.

Solitary by nature, mink will locate a mate in February and breed. The females are responsible for raising the four blind,helpless “kittens” born about six weeks after breeding. They are covered with a coat of fine, silvery-white hair and will growtheir adult fur seven weeks later. The young are weaned around three months and will venture out on their own after aboutfive months.

Mink are generally shy creatures but can be very bold if their curiosity is piqued. Those who are fortunate to observe amink’s behavior should use caution. The animals have scent glands under the skin and when they get excited or stressed,musk is released. The obnoxious odor can be just as repulsive as a skunk’s.

The mink is one of the most common fur-bearing animals harvested in the United States. Oklahoma’s harvest season runsfrom Dec. 1 through Jan. 31, and there is no limit to the number of mink that can be taken. Trappers must possess aspecial trapping license, while hunters must possess a hunting license.

Mink are also one of the few furbearers that can be raised on commercial fur farms. Mink fur is extremely soft and verydurable. Smaller pelts are sewn together to make coats and larger ones are typically used for fur trimmings. While minkfarms are controversial, wild mink are quite common and populations appear healthy.

So, next time you are near water or at your fishing hole and begin seeing little shadows moving in the brush around dawnor dusk, just remember the mink, one of our most secretive furbearers.


































Species Spotlight: Mink

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Species Spotlight: Mountain Lion

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Mountain Lion

The mountain lion (Felis concolor), also known as the cougar, ranks among the most elusive anddiscussed of all of Oklahoma’s wildlife species.

The mountain lion can be identified by several distinguishing characteristics. Its tail is more than halfthe length of the body, it has black tips on the tail and ears, and is primarily tan in color. The size ofthese animals varies by sex. Males average seven feet long (from nose to the tip of its tail) andweigh around 140 pounds, while females average six feet in length with a body weight around 95pounds.

Sightings and evidence of cougars have been documented back to 1852, where two cougars werekilled in southwest Oklahoma. Accounts continued into 1953 when an Oklahoma State University mammalogistdocumented tracks of a mountain lion southeast of Canton Lake in northwest Oklahoma. Further reportings continued intoSeptember of 1984, where the refuge manager observed a mountain lion on the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge. Thebest habitat and area for current day sightings pertaining to the cougar could be the Rolling Red Plains ecoregion, locatedin far western Oklahoma. This region is made up of 60 percent rangeland (large blocks of private land holdings with a lowhuman population density), ideal for mountain lion habitat. They may move into and out of the state along major waterwaysfrom New Mexico, Colorado, and the Texas panhandle. Cougars may even have home ranges that cover 200 squaremiles, and most wild cougars entering Oklahoma are young males searching out new territories.

Mountain lions are most active at night and may travel as far as 25 miles in a single night in search of deer (both whitetailand mule deer), the principal prey species for the mountain lion. The cougar generally hunts at dawn or dusk, but can beactive during the day in areas undisturbed by man. An entire deer can be consumed in two nights. Mountain lions kill largeprey species with regularity, usually one deer-sized animal is killed every six to 12 days. Mountain lions will almost alwaysattempt to cover the uneaten portion of a kill with leaves or other debris.

The mountain lion can give birth at any time during the year, but the female only produce a litter once every two years, withsummer being the peak time for kitten births. Once the male breeds the female, he leaves and the female is left to raise theyoung on her own. Her young usually consist of a litter of three to four kittens. These kittens are born blind, open their eyesat two weeks, and at six weeks the kittens are ready to eat meat. The young hunt for themselves at nine months and leavethe mother after approximately 15 to 22 months. Juvenile males tend to disperse long distances as opposed to femalejuveniles who have short dispersal patterns. Mountain lions can reach life spans upwards of 18 years of age.

In 1957, the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation listed the mountain lion as a game species with a closedseason. Agency personnel have not conducted population surveys or assessed habitat availability, making it impossible toissue clear statements about the abundance of wild mountain lions. One thing is certain, despite many rumors and claimsto the contrary, ODWC has never stocked, relocated or released any mountain lions in the state of Oklahoma. Furthermorethe agency has no plans to do so.


































Species Spotlight: Mountain Lion

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Species Spotlight: Oklahoma Bats

http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/wildlifemgmt/species/okbats.htm[2/27/2012 4:35:32 PM]

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Oklahoma Bats

The World of Bats Bats are the only flying mammals. The bones in a bat' s wing are the same as those of the human arm and hand, but abat's finger bones are elongated and support a tough, elastic membrane.

Although bats have relatively good eyesight, they depend on a well-developed echolocation system, similar to sonar. Batsemit pulses of very high frequency sound, which are not audible to human ears, at a rate of a few to more than 500 persecond! By listening to the echoes that reflect back to them, they are able to maneuver around objects in their path andcapture tiny flying insects.

All bats in Oklahoma feed on insects such as moths, mosquitoes, cucumber and June beetles, leafhoppers and evenscorpions, to name just a few. In fact, bats are the only major predator of these night-flying insects. Some bats canconsume more than 3,000 mosquitoes each night!

Bats generally mate in fall and delay fertilization until spring, when the female usually gives birth to one offspring. Redbats, however, may produce twins or quadruplets. Young bats develop rapidly and most are able to fly about two to fiveweeks after birth.

Bat Trivia Do bats lay eggs? No. All bats give birth to one or two naked young a year. A newborn bat has well developed feet andclaws that it uses to cling to its mother or to roost when the mother leaves to eat. Disturbances of maternity roosts canresult in large numbers of young bat deaths. When disturbed, the mother bat becomes excited and flies, jerking the youngbats and causing them to fall.

Are bats blind? No. Bats have small eyes that are functional and sensitive to light. Several Oklahoma bats, such asRafinesque's and Townsend's big-eared bats, have greatly enlarged ears to help in echolocation, but bats also use sight toperceive their environment.

How do bats eat? Once they locate an insect, they often trap it with their wing or tail membranes and then reach down andtake the insect into their mouth. This action, as well as the chase, results in the erratic flight most people are familiar withwhen they observe bats feeding in the late evening or around lights at night. Are bats dangerous? All healthy bats try to avoid humans by taking flight and are not purposely aggressive. Most bats inOklahoma are about the size of a mouse and use their small teeth and weak jaws to grind up insects. You should avoidhandling bats because several species, such as the hoary and big brown bats, have large teeth that can puncture skin ifthey are handled improperly.

What about bats and rabies? Less than one percent of the population contracts the disease, a lower rate of incidence thanother mammals such as skunks. Still, you should not handle or disturb bats, especially those that are active and appearsick during daylight hours. All bat bites should be washed immediately with soap and water, and a physician should beconsulted. Are there really vampire bats? Yes, but not in Oklahoma. Of the three species of vampires in North America, only a singlespecimen has been recorded for the United States in extreme southwest Texas. Vampires do not suck blood -they make asmall incision with their sharp front teeth and lap up the blood with their tongue. Vampires in Mexico and South Americafeed on the blood of livestock such as cattle and horses, as well as deer, wild pigs and even seals.

Where do bats live? In general, bats seek out a variety of daytime retreats such as caves, rock crevices, old buildings,bridges, mines and trees. Different species require different roost sites. Some species, such as the Mexican free- tailed andgray bats live in large colonies in caves. A few solitary species, such as the red bat, roost in trees.

Do bats hibernate? Yes. Oklahoma bats either hibernate in winter or migrate to warmer areas. Those that hibernate buildup a fat reserve to sustain them through the winter. If they are disturbed, their fat reserve could become exhausted andthey could die prior to spring.




































Oklahoma Bats Oklahoma has 22 bat species, several of which are migratory and leave the state for the winter. Following are the speciesfound in the state, with scientific names provided by Mammals of Oklahoma, William Caire...et al., 1989. Southeastern Bat (Myotis austroriparius) Gray Bat (M. grisescens) Keen's Bat (M. keenii) Small-footed Bat (M. leibii) Little Brown Bat (M. lucifugus) Indiana Bat (M. sodalis) Cave Myotis (M. velifer) Yuna Bat (M. yumanensis) Silver-haired Bat (Lasionycteris noctivagans) Eastern Pipistrel (Pipistrellus subjlavus) Western Pipistrel (P. hesperus) Big Brown Bat (Eptesicus fuscus) Evening Bat (Nycticeius humeralis) Pallid Bat (Antrozous pallidus) Rafinesque's Big-eared Bat (Plecotus rafinesquei) Townsend's Big-eared Bat (P. townsendii pallescens) Ozark Big-eared Bat (P. t. ingens) Red Bat (Lasiurus borealis) Hoary Bat (L. cinereus) Seminole Bat (L. seminolus) Mexican Free-tailed Bat (Tadarida brasiliensis) Big Free-tailed Bat (T. macrotis)

Oklahoma Bats in Trouble

In recent years, bat research scientists have noted serious population declines in several species. Oklahoma has threespecies on the federal list of endangered species -the Indiana, gray and Ozark big-eared bats -and three candidate species-Southeastern, small- footed and Rafinesque ' s big-eared bats. Three main causes for the decline in bat populations are: • Loss of habitat from surface mining operations, urbanization,lake and reservoir construction, and cave commercialization. • Vandalism from people not understanding the important role bats play in the ecosystem. They needlessly kill and disturbbats in maternity caves and during hibernation. • Pesticides entering bats via the numerous insects they eat which have been sprayed with agricultural pesticides.

Why Build a Bat House? Due to decades of unwarranted human fear , vandalism and habitat loss, bat populations are declining in numbers. Byputting up a bat house, you can help protect Oklahoma's valuable bat resource and benefit from their remarkable ability tocontrol insect pests.

Bat House Success Secrets A successful bat house depends upon many factors. In Oklahoma, the following factors should be taken into consideration: • Bat houses must be located a quarter mile or less from a stream, river or pond larger than three acres. • Bat houses must receive no more or less than four hours of daily sun. • In areas south of Interstate-40, paint houses white to protect bats from overheating. • In areas north of Interstate-40, paint the top half of the house light brown and the bottom half white. • Mount houses 15 feet or more above the ground. Houses mounted on the sides of buildings or poles are more attractiveto some bats than houses placed on trees. • If possible, erect houses in groups of three or more. Houses on the sides of buildings should be placed close together.Pole-mounted houses can be placed facing different directions where they won't receive too much sunlight.

No Bats in Your Belfry? If bats don 't occupy houses after two summers, experiment! Bat roosting preferences are still not completely understood.Try moving the bat house a few feet to receive more or less sun or try raising it higher off the ground. Double check your assessment of the house's location. Have all criteria for bat house placement been met? Bats may not be able to live in your area due to heavy pesticide use, inadequate food supply or because they already havesufficient local roosts. Generally, do not expect bats to use your house during the winter.

Bat House Management • If wasps become a problem, blast them with a high- pressure hose. Scrape mud dauber nests early in the season forbetter control. DO NOT USE PESTICIDES! • Check bat houses for bats once or twice a month in summer and then once each fall and winter. After bats areestablished, check only a few times per season. • To check bat houses, briefly shine a flashlight into the house. Be careful not to touch the house and be as quiet aspossible. • If the wood of your bat houses begins to warp, especially near the top, seal any gaps with silicon caulking. If the warpingis significant, build a new house. Drafts keep bats from efficiently trapping body heat and from maintaining optimumconditions for rearing young. • Besides mounting bat houses, you might consider wrapping corrugated metal around tree trunks to provide summerroosts for tree-dwelling bats.

Bats Most Likely to Use a House The following bats would be the most likely species to occupy bat houses. In general, any species that naturally roosts in



buildings, under bridges, or in trees and cavities is a bat house candidate. • Little Brown Bats are not common in the state, but houses probably would be used by males for summer roosts. • Cave Myotis are found in the western half of the state. Houses probably would be used for late summer and early fallroosting. • Eastern Pipistrel are very abundant in the eastern third of the state. Houses might be used for summer roosts. • Big Brown Bats are widespread through the eastern half of the state. Houses could be used for nursery colonies, summerroosts or hibernation. • Evening Bats are most abundant in the eastern half of the state. Houses would be used for rearing young and forsummer roosts. • Pallid Bats are found in Cimarron, Woodward and Woods counties and in the Wichita Mountains. Houses probably wouldbe used for summer roosts. • Mexican Free-tailed Bats migrate each fall to South America but return in spring to set up nursery colonies in gypsumcaves in the western third of the state. Houses could be used for rearing young or as roosts by transients.

Bat Viewing in OklahomaCome see one million bats fly out into the July evening sky at a Selman Bat Watch in northwest Oklahoma. Registrationrequired. For more information go to www.watchbats.com or call (405) 424-0099.

Additional Sources• If you have a bat house already mounted or know of a roosting area for bats, the Wildlife Diversity Program would like tohear from you. Call or write for the "Bat House /Bat Roosting Survey." • Bat Conservation International is recognized as the international leader in conservation initiatives that protect bats andtheir habitats. They have an " Adopt-A-Bat" program that people can support. Write BCI, P.O.Box 162603, Austin, TX78716, or call (512) 327-9721. www.batcon.org

BUILD A BAT HOUSE

Bat houses, like the one shown here, provide needed roosts for bats as they face an increase in habitat destruction. Thishouse can hold up to 30 bats. MATERIALS: One -I" x 7 1/2" x 6' board of rough-cut lumber, preferably cedar (Figure I); 28 -I 1/2" flathead wood screws number eights;two -10-penny nails TOOLS: Pencil, tape measure, saw, screwdriver, carpenter's square, drill with 1/8" drill bit CONSTRUCTION: 1. With a pencil, measure one piece 7 1/2" x 3 1/2" (Roof- A); one piece 7 1/2" wide x 25" long (Back - B); one piece 7 1/2"wide x 21 1/2" long (Front -C); two pieces 21 1/2" long x I 1/2" wide (Side -D); one piece 3/4 " wide x 6"long (EntranceSpacer -E) and one piece I 1/2" wide x 6" long (Ceiling -F).

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2. Cut out measured boards; make sure inside-facing surfaces are roughened. Depending on your location, paint thehouses according to "Bat House Success Secrets" section on the opposite side of this brochure. 3. Drill two 1/8" holes inthe upper portion of the back (B) for hanging completed bat house. 4. Assemble boards according to Figure 2, making sure that the painted surfaces face out. Add some insulating material(insulation, cotton balls, etc.) before installing ceiling (F). Secure assembled box with wood screws. 5. Locate a spot at least 15 feet above the ground that receives about four hours of sun daily. After matching the holes inthe back (B), hammer the 10-penny nails into the location, which should probably be either the side of a building or a pole.Hang bat house on these nails.

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INTRODUCTION

Mammals have several distinctcharacteristics that distinguish themfrom other animals. Like other verte-brates, they have a flexible backboneor vertebral column. which supportstheir body and protects the extensivenerve system of the spinal cord. Allmammals have hair, which serves asan insulator to retain body heat andward off cold.

Most Oklahoma mammals arecompletely fur-covered, though othersdisplay only sparse patches of hair.Mammals are warm-blooded{homeothermic--body regulates itsinternal temperature) and have a four-chambered heart that circulates butcompletely separates oxygen-rich andoxygen-poor blood.

Since mammals can maintain aconstant body temperature independ-ent of surrounding temperatures, theycan endure most environmental con-ditions and are found in a wide rangeof habitats.

Another primary characteristic isthat mammals bear their young aliveand nourish developing offspring withmilk produced from mammary glands,from which the class Mammaliareceivesits name.

In proportion to body size. mam-mals have large brains surrounded bya prominent braincase.

In contrast, mammals differ inmany ways. too. They use a variety offorms of locomotion: they can fly,glide, swim, run, leap, climb and bur-row. They can either be predator orprey and may feed on meat {carni-vores). plants {herbivores), or both

{omnivores).Mammals prefer different habitats,

too. Some species are under-grounddwellers. whereas others choose tolive on land, in water or trees. Somespecies are so versatile they can useany habitat from the arid, sparselyvegetated land in western Oklahomato the more humid. forested regions ofthe southeast.

Mammals developed from reptilianancestors 200 million years ago. Theadaptations that made these animalssuccessful have been refined by natu-ral selection as vegetation and climatehave changed in response to majorgeologic changes.

Mammals and humans share animportant relationship-since we'remammals too. Man relies on wild anddomestic animals fur food, fur, leather,bone, oil, perfume, fertilizers, chemi-cals and medicine. And hunting andtrapping game and furbearing mam-mals provides many recreationalopportunities and substantial revenue.particularly in rural areas. Watchingand photographing mammals pro-vides many hours of enjoyment forother outdoorenthusiasts.

Except for members of the squirrelfamily, most mammals tend to be noc-turnal and secretive, so it's possibleyou may never have seen some ofthose illustrated on the followingpages. The diversity of mammals, dueto Oklahoma's variable climate, vege-tation and habitat types, and geogra-phy, may surprise you.

This booklet describes a smallcross-section of the more than 100mammals found in Oklahoma.

EASTERN FOX SQUIRREL

Length 19-29 inches including 9-14 inch tail. Weight 1-3 pounds. Fur color burnt orange orgrizzled brown. Preferred habitat is open upland groves of oak and hickory. Diet of acorns,hickory nuts, insects, bark, berries, sap and seeds. Unlike other squirrels, fox squirrels arenot always "early risers." On cold days they may not leave the nest until noon. Summer nestof leaves and twigs. Winter nest in hollow tree. Mate twice a year normally from January toMarch producing 2 litters. Gestation period 40-44 days, usually 2-5 young are born blind andnaked. Remain in nest for about 6 weeks. Range: statewide except extreme west panhandle.

SOUTHERN FLYING SQUIRREL

Length 9-11 inches including 3 1/2-4 1/2 inch tail. Weight 2-3 ounces. Color medium gray withvarying amounts of brownish tinge on upper parts and tail. Underparts are white or creamy.Loose skin along the body extends to support gliding animal. Preferred habitat is hardwoodforests or woodlots containing dead trees. Diet chiefly nuts, fruits and insects. Breeding sea-son extends from February into summer with 1 litter being produced. Gestation period about40 days. Two to 6 young are born in hollow tree. Family may stay together until followingspring. Range: eastern half of state.

EASTERN GRAY SQUIRREL

Length 16-20 inches including 71/2-10 inch tail. Weight 3/4-1 1/2 pounds. Fur gray on backwith white undersides. Edge of tail whitish. Ears light gray in fall and winter. Preferred habitatis hardwood forests, city parks. Diet of acorns, hickory nuts, mushrooms, various seeds.Breeds from late December to early autumn often producing two litters per year. Gestationperiod 44 days. Three to 5 young are born in leafy nest or tree hollow. Young leave nest at 6weeks. Gray squirrels are most active in the early morning and evening hours, when theycome to the ground to glean nuts and seeds from cut branches. Range: eastern two fifths ofstate.

13- LINED GROUND SQUIRREL

Length 9-12 inches including 2 1/2-5 1/4 inch tail. Weight 3-7 ounces. Color of head and under-parts yellowish tan to brownish gray. Back color pattern consists of 13-15 brown and pale yel-low stripes. Preferred habitat is grassy prairies or rocky areas. Diet chiefly green grasses inspring and early summer, seeds in late summer and fall. Insects, field mice, bird eggs andfledglings are also eaten. Ground squirrels remain underground from September throughMarch, coming up in warm weather. Breeds in spring. Young may number 7-10. Gestation peri-od 23-28 days. Range: statewide except for southeastern corner.

PLAINS POCKET GOPHER

Length 7-10 inches including 2-3 inch tail. Weight 7-14 ounces. Short fur typically pale brownabove and lighter colored on underparts. Preferred habitat is loose, sandy soil in open andsparsely wooded areas. Diet includes roots, tubers, rhizomes and grass stems. Dwelling is anunderground maze of interconnected tunnels containing food storage cubicles and sleepingchamber. Three to 5 young are born blind and almost naked but develop rapidly and strike outon their own at 2 months. Name of animal derived from two slit-Iike pouches, one on eitherside of head; used for carrying food and nest material. Range: statewide except for north-eastern corner.

PRAIRIE DOG

Length 12-16 inches including 2-4 inch tail. Weight 2-3 pounds. Color grizzled yellow- graywith slightly lighter underparts. Habitat is semiarid plains and plateaus, overgrazed pastures.Highly social animals, prairie dogs group together in colonies commonly called "towns."Entrance to burrow is volcano-shaped cone designed to keep 9ut surface water. Diet includeswild grasses, succulent forbs and some cultivated crops. During severe winter weather theyare dormant. but a few days of mild weather will bring them out again. After a gestation peri-od of 28-32 days, 3-5 young are born in early May in burrow nest chamber. Range: westernhalf of state.

EASTERN COTTONTAIL

Length 14-17 inches. Ears 2 1/2-3 inches. Weight 2-4 pounds. Color generally grizzled tan,brown and gray mixture; white or light tan on feet and underside. Underside of tail white,resembling powder puff. Preferred habitat is edge cover, brush, creek bottoms, briar patchesand swamps. Diet includes herbacious vegetation in summer and bark and twigs of woodyvegetation in winter. Three to 5 litters are produced during February-September breeding sea-son. Four to 7 young born after gestation period of 26-30 days, usually in grass and furlinednest found in shallow depression in ground. Young leave nest in less than 3 weeks. Range:statewide.

SWAMP RABBIT

Length 14-17 inches. Ears 3 1/2-4 inches. Weight 4-6 pounds. Has shorter, sleeker, darker furthan cottontail's. Rust color on hind feet. Underside of tail white. Preferred habitat is marshes,floodplain forests, sloughs and other areas of standing water. Diet consists mainly of grasses,sedges, shrubs, and tree twigs and bark. Readily takes to water and swims well. Peak matingseason from mid- February to September; normally 3-5 litters born to each female yearly, usu-ally in grass and fur-Iined nest on mound above water. Young leave nest in 3 weeks. Range:eastern third of state with scattered isolated populations.

BLACKTAILED JACK RABBIT

Length 21-23 inches. Ears 6-7 inches. Weight 4-7 pounds. Buff-brown color above, white onunderparts. Ear tips and topside of tail black. Diet consists of green vegetation. Particularlyfond of alfalfa, can damage this crop when numbers are great. Habitat ranges from sparsebrushland to open plains to irrigated croplands. Mating season January through September.One to 6 fully-furred young are born after a gestation period of 41-47 days. Eyes are open atbirth. One to 4 litters per year are normally born in grass and fur-lined nest. Young independ-ent in 3-4 weeks. Range: statewide but more common in western Oklahoma.

RIVER OTTER

Length 36 1/2-50 inches including 12-17 inch tail. Weight 10-30 pounds. Short, dense fur thatis dark brown to pale chestnut above and light brown to silver gray below. Preferred habitatalong streams and lakes. Diet consists of fish, crayfish, frogs, insects, earthworms, birds andoccasionally small mammals. Dens in abandoned beaver or muskrat lodges or uses burrowsdug by other animals. Breeds in late winter and early spring. Gestation period 288-375 days.One to 4 (usually 2) young are born blind and helpless. Young weaned at 90 days and familygroup breaks up 3 months later. Range: eastern rivers, streams and reservoirs.

BEAVER

Length 34-40 inches including 9-10 inch paddle-shaped tail. Weight 30-60 pounds. Fur dense,brown, waterproof. Tail scaly, flattened horizontally. Preferred habitat is streams, lakes, moun-tain meadows. Constructs dam of branches, mud, vegetation. House or lodge made of samematerial, usually a large cone-shaped structure having one or more underwater entrances.Bank dens are also common. Diet consists of bark, cambium, roots and twigs of willows, cot-tonwoods and other trees. Mates in January and February. Usually 2-4 young called "kits" bornin April or May on dry platform nest in lodge. Young remain a part of family until mature, usu-ally 2-4 years. Range: statewide.

MUSKRAT

Length 20-25 inches including 8-11 inch tail. Weight 2-4 pounds. Coat of thick, dark brownishor blackish fur with coarse, darker guard hairs. Fur silvery underneath. Tail naked, semiflat-tened vertically. Inhabits marshes, lakes, ponds, water-courses. Active at all hours. Diet of cat-tail and bull rush stems, mussels and aquatic grasses. Builds a cone-shaped house fromstems of bullrushes, cattails and mud or lives in bank burrow with underwater entrance. Matingseason from April to September. Gestation period 22-30 days. Five to 6 young driven out when1 month old as female prepares for next litter. Most valuable furbearer in U .S. in numbertrapped. Range: statewide.

WHITE- FOOTED MOUSE

Length 6-7 1/2 inches including 2 1/2-3 inch tail. Weight 1-1 1/4 ounces. Color of upperpartspale to rich reddish brown. Belly and feet white. Tail usually shorter than head and body andhas large ears up to 1/2 inch long. Habitat consists of woody or brushy areas, sometimes openareas. Diet of seeds, nuts and insects. Stores seeds and nuts. Nests any place that affordsshelter, including old bird or squirrel nests, buildings, stumps and logs. Breeds all year in south.Gestation period 21-27 days. One to 7 (usually 4) young born in nest lined with plant down andshredded materials. Females breed at 10-11 weeks. Range: statewide.

LEAST SHREW

Length 21/2-31/2 inches including 1/2-3/4 inch tail. Weight 1/8-1/4 ounces. Color dark brownon back with dark gray underparts. Species characterized by short tail. Preferred habitat isprairies and weedy fields. Diet consists of insects, snails, slugs, earthworms and sometimesvegetation. Can eat more than its body weight in a day. Nest built of grasses, leaves and twigsin surface depressions. Mating season extends from March to October. Two to 7 young areborn after a 21-23 day gestation period. Female born in the spring can produce a litter at theend of the breeding season. Young are weaned at about 20 days. Range: statewide except forwestern edge of panhandle.

EASTERN MOLE

Length 5 1/2-7 1/2 inches including 3/4-1 1/2 inch tail. Weight 3/4-31/2 ounces. Male largerthan female. Color silver gray. Some have yellowish orange patch on breast. Preferred habitatis moist lawns, gardens, and fields. Avoids arid soils. Spends most of life underground. Digsshallow tunnels to search for food and deeper tunnels for permanent living quarters. Broadfront feet adapted for tunneling. Diet includes earthworms, insects and some vegetable mat-ter. Nests beneath rocks, stumps, logs and debris. Two to 5 young born in March or April aftera 6 week gestation preriod. Young weigh about 1/5 ounce. Only 1 litter produced per year.Young are independent at 1 month. Range: statewide.

PORCUPINE

Length 25-31 inches including 7-9 inch tail. Weight 10-20 pounds. Coat overall blackish withoverlay of yellow-tipped hairs. Most of body, especially rump and tail, thickly set with longsharp spines that dislodge easily. Preferred habitat is forested areas, although they are some-times found in brush-lands. Diet consists of inner bark, small twigs, bark of pines, poplar andother trees. They depend on their keen sense of smell and hearing. Dens in hollow trees oralmost any place where it can get out of the weather. Mates late fall or early winter. Gestationperiod about 7 months. One to 2 well-developed young are able to climb trees and eat solidfood a few hours after birth. Range: rare in western Oklahoma.

OPOSSUM

Length 24-33 inches including 9-13 inch prehensile tail. Weight 4-12 pounds. Looks like over-size rat. Color a grizzled gray, face white. Preferred habitat is woodlands in farming country.North America's only marsupial or pouched mammal. Diet consists of fruits, insects and smallmammals. Dens in hollow trees, under buildings, etc. Breeds in early spring. Gestation period12-13 days. As many of the 8-18 young as there are mammae will stay attached in belly pouchup to 70 days. When crowded out of pouch, young will cling to coarse coat of female untilapproximately 2 months of age, when they leave. When suddenly confronted with danger, ani-mal will often feign death. Range: statewide.

ARMADILLO

Length 24-32 inches including 9-14 inch tail. Weight 8-17 pounds. Color generally dark grayor sooty black, lighter at edge of armor plate. Outer covering, except for underparts, consistsof shell-like plating which is solid atop the head, over the shoulders and hind quarters. Joinedto the fore and aft plates are nine bands of plating that are flexible where they join. The tailplating consists of joined flexible rings. Preferred habitat is woodland, open savannas, scrubareas. Presently expanding its range northward through Oklahoma. Diet of insects but will eatfruits. Breeds in July. Four identical young born in burrow in spring. Range: statewide.

STRIPED SKUNK

Length 20-28 inches including 7-10 inch tail. Weight 6-10 pounds. Typical color is black over-all except for white stripes (two) extending forward over rump to converge at neck and formwhite skull cap, sometimes sides of tail, occasionally tip, are white. Skunks may be found inwoods, plains, swamps, meadows, suburbs and countryside. Diet includes rats, mice, chip-munks, insects, fruits, berries and birds' eggs. Preferred den sites under buildings and in bur-rows so long as site is dry. Skunks mate in late winter or early spring. Gestation period about63 days. Four to 10 young born in den lined with vegetation. Family breaks up in August orSeptember. Range: statewide.

SPOTTED SKUNK

Length 18-21 1/2 inches including 6 1/2-9 inch tail. Weight 1-1 1/2 pounds. Male larger thanfemale. Overall color black with white mark on forehead, under each ear and along neck, backand sides. Tail has white tip. Preferred habitat is forest edge, wooded stream banks andprairies. Favorite den sites are dry areas beneath buildings, overhanging creekbanks, wood-piles or other animals' burrows. Diet consists of mice, birds, eggs, insects and sometimes fruitor vegetables. Mates in March and April. Litters of 4-9 (usually 5) young are born after a ges-tation period of 50-65 days. Young weaned at 50-54 days. Range: statewide except for west-ern edge of panhandle.

MINK

Length 17-26 inches including 5-9 inch tail. eight 1-2 pounds. Color a uniform dark own toalmost black with white patch on in. Occasionally has scattered small white spots on belly. Tailslightly bushy. Preffered habitat is streams, marshes, lakes near woods. Males may range sev-eral miles along streams. Diet consists of small mammals, birds, frogs, fish and eggs. MatesFebruary or March. Gestation period 45-60 days. Two to 6 young born in hollow tree, crevicein rocks or burrow in stream bank. Family unit breaks up in fall. Demand for mink pelts is sogreat that a separate industry raises the animals domestically for sale to the fur market.Range: eastern four/fifths of state.

RACCOON

Length 26-40 inches including 8-12 inch tail. Weight 8-35 pounds, usually 15-20 pounds. Bodycovered with dense fur ranging from yellow to almost black. Darker on face. Bushy tail ringedwith bands buff and dark brown or black, depending on color phase of animal. Preferred habi-tat is anywhere near water, woods and marsh. Diet includes fish, crayfish, frogs, fruit, vegeta-bles, insects, eggs and poultry. Dens in hollow tree or dry cavern among rocks Nocturnal inhabits. Mates January through June. Two to 6 (usually 4) young born about 63 days later in anest or hollow. Leave nest at 2 months, family breaks up when young are about 1 year old.Range: statewide.

WOODCHUCK

Length 22-26 inches including 4-6 inch tail. Wight 4-12 pounds. Color varies but is typically agrizzled grayish brown with darker forehead and tail; underparts a lighter shade. Preferredhabitat rolling farmland and pasture receiving moderate rainfall. Diet includes grass, row crops,clover. Mates in early spring after emergimg from hibernation. Gestation period 31-32 days.Two to 6 (usually 4) young are born April or May in a grass-Iined underground den. At 4months, 3-pound young are independent. Den, usually located on well-drained slope, com-monly has 3 entrances. Woodchuck is often seen sitting upright on mound of dirt at "front door." Range: northeastern portion of state.

BADGER

Length 22-28 inches including 4-6 inch tail. Weight 13-25 pounds. General color is grayish toreddish, with white stripe extending from nose to shoulders. Black patches are prominent onface and chin. Throat and mid-ventral region whitish. Feet dark brown to black. Preferred habi-tat is dry, open country. Diet includes ground squirrels, pocket gophers, moles and mice, occa-sionally carrion. Breeding season is August to September. although fertilization is delayed untilFebruary. Gestation period about 43 days. Usually 2-3 young are born in a grass-lined burrow.Weaned at 6 weeks family breaks up in late summer. Range: western three/fourths of state.

SWIFT FOX

Length 24-32 inches including 9-12 inch tail. Weight 4-6 pounds. A small, large-eared, palebuffy yellow fox having a black spot on either side of snout and black tip on tail. Preferred habi-tat short grass and mixed grass prairies. Diet mainly consists of rats, mice, rabbits and insects.Less wary than other foxes, the swift fox has been exterminated over much of its range. Maydig own burrows or use deserted burrows of other animals such as badger or prairie dog.Breeds in late winter. Three to 6 young born in March or April nurse about 10 weeks. Both par-ents care for young until they leave in late summer or early fall. Range: panhandle andextreme northwest.

RED FOX

Length 36-41 inches including 14-16 tail. Weight 10-15 pounds. Color generally reddish brown.Ears and feet trimmed with black; underparts and tip of tail white. Preferred habitat rolling farm-land mixed with streams, wooded areas and marshes. Diet includes insects, rodents, grass,fruit, small birds. The red fox is most notable for its skill as a mouse-catcher. Mates January orFebruary; 4-10 cubs born 49-56 days later, usually in abandoned burrow. Cubs remain in den3-5 weeks, leave it at about 3 months. Family group disperses in August. When pursued, redfox prefers to stay above ground to elude capture. Range: sparse statewide, most dense innortheast.

GRAY FOX

Length 32-45 inches including 11-16 inch tail. Weight 7-13 pounds. Color generally a "salt andpepper" gray, with sides of neck, lower flanks and underside of tail a rusty color. Preferred habi-tat is wooded areas and swamps, but not rolling farmland. Rocky brushlands ideal. Dietincludes rodents, birds, insects and carrion. Especially fond of cottontail rabbits. The gray foxis an excellent climber. Permanent den in hollow tree, hole in sandy ground or cavern in rocks,where it spends the day. Mates from January to February, 2-7 cubs born 55-63 days later.Family breaks up in early fall. Range: primarily eastern half of state; sparse in westernOklahoma.

BOBCAT

Length 30-36 inches including 5-6 inch tail. Weight 10-30 pounds, usually 15-20 pounds. Colorpale brown to reddish brown with black streaks and spots above, whitish with dark spotsbelow. Ear tufts small. Tail barred with black, black on top of tail tip; white underneath.Preferred habitat is bottomland forests, canyons and mountains. Active mostly at night. Climbsand swims well. Diet includes rats, mice, rabbits, snakes, birds, occasionally small domesticlivestock and poultry. Mates in late winter. Gestation period 60-63 days. Usually 2 kittens bornin hollow log, natural cave or thicket. Young weaned at 2 months. Family breaks up in 6-7months. Range: statewide.

COYOTE

Length 33-53 inches including 11-16 inch tail. Height at shoulder 21 inches. Weight 20-50pounds. Color grayish or tawny, nearly white on underparts. Preferred habitat is open plainswith occasional brush thickets and former forest land that has been opened up. Diet includesfruits and vegetables, rodents, birds, insects and carrion. Favorite food is rabbit. Dens incaves, rock shelters, hollow trees or burrow dug in ground. Mates in January or February,young born 60-65 days later, blind, helpless and covered with short, dark fur. Leaves den areaat 3 months. By fall young coyotes are on their own and may range as much as 100 miles frombirthplace. Range: statewide.

RED BAT

Length 4-4 1/2 inches. Weight 1/4-1/2 ounce. A brick-red to rusty-red bat with white-tippedhairs. Tail membrane fully furred above. Females distinctly paler color than males. Preferredhabitat is wooded areas. Usually roosts in trees, occasionally in caves. Diet of insects capturedmostly in flight. Bats emit sounds and listen for echo to detect prey. Occasionally will alight onvegetation to pick off insects. Breeding occurs mainly in late summer and early fall. Young areborn from late May to early June. Usually 3-4 young (occasionally 1-5) cling to their mother andnurse until they become too heavy for her to fly with. Leaves roost at deep dusk to feed. Range:statewide from March through October.

WHITETAIL DEER

Height at shoulder 3-31/2 feet. Weight 50- 275 pounds. usually 120-160 pounds. Color varieswith seasons; adults usually tawny in midsummer. gray in winter. Underparts white. Fawnsexhibit white spots on reddish coats for 31/2 months. Mature bucks wear antlers. which areshed yearly. They consist of main forward curving beam on each side from which single tinesproject upward. Preferred habitat is low. mixed woodlands. forest edges. second growth. Dietof grass, bark, twigs, acorns, domestic crops and young shoots of trees and other plants.When running large tail is raised showing conspicuous white underside. Mating season latefall. One (commonly 2) fawn born in late spring. Range: statewide.

MULE DEER

Height at shoulder 3-3 1/2 feet. Weight of males 125-400 pounds, females 100-150 pounds.Summer color reddish, winter coat gray. Tail black on top. Some have white rump patch. Fawnslose spots in 86 days. Mature males' antlers begin growing April or May and falloff in lateDecember or early January. Antlers branch equally from main beam. Preferred habitat is semi-arid prairies, open forests and brush lands. Diet consists of twigs, grasses, herbs and agricul-tural crops. Runs with stiff- legged gait with tail held down. Mates from late October toDecember. One to 3 (usually 2) young born in late spring. Range: western third of Oklahoma.

AMERICAN ELK

Height at shoulder 41/2-5 feet. Weight 700-1,000 pounds for adult bulls. Cows 500- 600pounds. Body color grayish brown, with dark chestnut along neck and mane. A yellowish-whitepatch covers rump. Adult males have antlers, cows do not have antlers. Preferred habitatvaries from mountain country to hilly lowlands. Diet consists mostly of grasses in spring andsummer, twigs and leaves in winter. Mating period early fall. Gestation period 249-262 days.Usually a single calf produced. Calf is weaned at 3 months. Range: Wichita MountainsNational Wildlife Refuge and selected transplant sites in northeastern Oklahom and CooksonWildlife Management Area.

ANTELOPE

Height at shoulder 3 feet. Weight 100-125 pounds. Bucks larger than does. Both sexes havehorns, those of buck longer than ears; those of doe shorter than ears. Outer covering or sheathof horn shed yearly, while core is permanent. Upper body color varies from reddish brown totan. Neck has black mane; underparts, rump and two bands across the neck are white. Inmale, face and patch on side of neck are black. Diet includes shrubs, grasses and weeds.Antelope mate in early fall. Gestation period 230-240 days. One to 3 (usually 2) are born inrolling country having low vegetation. When 4 days old young antelope can outrun man. Adultantelope can run 38 miles per hour. Range: panhandle counties.

AMERICAN BISON

Height at shoulder 5-6 feet. Weight 800- 2,000 pounds. A large, dark brown animal with mas-sive head, high hump on shoulders, and long shaggy hair on shoulders and front legs. Tailshort-haired except for tuft at end. Short, up curving horns on both sexes. Habitat open plains,grasslands. Presently exists only in protected herds. Diet mostly grasses, although somebrowse is taken in winter. Breeds July through October. Gestation perjod about 9 months. One(rarely 2) reddish-brown calf is born. It joins the herd as soon as it is able to stand. Calfweaned at 1 year, but may remain with mother for 3 years. Range: Wichita Mountains NationalWildlife Refuge and several private herds in state.

BLACK BEAR

Length 4-6 feet. Height at shoulder 2-3 feet. Weight 150-400 pounds. Color varies from black-ish to chocolate brown to pale cinnamon. Preferred habitat is inaccessible forests, swamps,brushy areas. Diet consists of nuts, berries, grasses, insects, eggs, honey, small mammalsand carrion. Not active predators. Hibernates in winter but can arouse quickly. Dens in caves,hollow logs, large trees or beneath boulders. Mates in late June and July. Gestation period of7-8 months. One to 3 cubs are born in J anu- ary to March in the winter den. Young are weanedin August. Family breaks up at end of second winter. Range: extreme southeast and tier ofeastern counties.

Species Spotlight: Porcupine

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Porcupine

People seldom see one of the state’s oddest mammals, the porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum).This is, in part, due to the solitary, nocturnal nature of the creature. Porcupines areconcentrated mostly in the western one-fourth of the state, but are slowly spreading eastward.Porcupines are the second largest of Oklahoma’s rodents, with only the beaver being larger.They can reach weights of about forty pounds, and can be over three feet from head to tail.

A porcupine’s entire body, with the exception of the belly and legs, is covered with sharp quills.The porcupine’s quills, which are actually hardened, barbed hairs, are its primary source ofprotection. Porcupines cannot “throw” their quills as is popularly thought. They can, however,slap their quilled tail with lightning speed in the direction of an attacker. If a predator comes tooclose, it is likely to get a nose or mouth full of sharp quills that will work deeper and deeper intothe flesh, causing a nasty infection and in extreme cases, possible death.

A single porcupine may have upwards of 30,000 quills, more than 100 per square inch. Native Americans once used thequills as needles, and as ornaments on clothing. They were also used in the making of Native American warriors’breastplates.

Porcupines are amazing climbers. They have been sighted over 60 feet up in the tops of trees, particularly cottonwoods,and these animals are extremely agile. Porcupines are herbivorous, feeding on bark and twigs, and prefer to eatsoftwoods, such as pine, elm and poplar. These rodents love salt and will seek it out. This craving leads them to eat suchthings as succulent plants, saddle leather, and the occasional shovel handle.

In some areas, the porcupine’s love for salt can get it into trouble. They will eat just about anything with a salty taste,including rose bushes, lily pads, garden produce and even car tires. Porcupines have been known to eat gardeningequipment, wood siding on homes and yard furniture. Even when feeding only on trees, porcupines can cause problems.They can strip so much bark off the tree that it dies. There are some products that can discourage porcupines from literallyeating you out of house and home. Most of these are liquid sprays that taste terrible to the porcupine. Another option forcontrolling problem porcupines is trapping and relocation.

In northern climates, a natural predator of the porcupine, the fisher, is sometimes introduced into an area to controlporcupine populations. Fishers are a type of weasel and are about the size of a large house cat. Other predators of theporcupine include the bobcat, and where found, the timber wolf, and wolverine. These animals are quick, and are able toflip the porcupine onto to its back in order to expose it’s soft, unprotected belly. In Oklahoma, only the bobcat, andoccasionally the coyote, are natural predators of the porcupine.

Porcupines mate in the fall and give birth about 112 days later in the spring. They usually have only one offspring, called aporcupette, and twins are rare. The porcupine’s quills are soft at birth and harden within their first hour of existence. Theycan eat solid food in about two weeks. Unlike their stoic parents, porcupettes are quite playful.

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Species Spotlight: Antelope

http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/wildlifemgmt/species/antelope.htm[2/27/2012 4:35:41 PM]

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Pronghorn Antelope

Pronghorn antelope are true American natives. Found nowhere else in the world, pronghorns areunique in every sense of the word.

In fact the pronghorn is so unique, it is the only member of its family, Antilocapra. Its latin nameAntilocapra americana, literally means the "American goat-antelope." But the pronghorn is directlyrelated to neither New World goats nor Old World antelopes.

Pronghorns are the quintessential prairie animal. It is at home in the wide-open spaces of theAmerican West where other animals may find food and cover in short supply. In Oklahoma, thesestriking creatures can be spotted in the short and mixed grass prairie of Cimarron and Texas

counties. Pronghorn populations in the state are quite healthy and were recently estimated at approximately 1,200 animals.

If pronghorns are known for one thing it is speed – dazzling speed. They can sprint up to 70 miles per hour, making themthe fastest animal in North America. They sometimes seem to fly across the prairie, covering up to 20 feet in a single stride.Besides their legs, pronghorns rely on their keen eyesight and sensitive noses to avoid danger on the prairie.

Meriwether Lewis, on his epic journey west, was fascinated by this odd animal and was the first to record it into the annalsof science. On September 17, 1804, he made these observations which are just as true today as they were 200 years ago.

"… when at rest they generally select the most elevated point in the neighborhood, and as they are watchful and extremelyquick of sight and their sense of smelling very acute …they will frequently discover and flee from you at the distance ofthree miles.... I beheld the rapidity of their flight along the ridge before me it appeared rather the rapid flight of birds thanthe motion of quadrupeds."

With rich tan coloration contrasting with brilliant white patches on the neck, stomach and rump, pronghorn antelope arebeautiful specimens. Males have black patches on the lower jaw below the eye and a black mask extending back from thenose.

Pronghorn feed on a variety of grasses and forbs and will travel great distance to find good grazing grounds. Adultpronghorn have few natural predators, although the young can be vulnerable to mountain lions, coyotes and even goldeneagles.

Both pronghorn bucks and does have horns, although the female’s horns are much smaller than the male’s which are 10 to16 inches long. The horn is made up of two parts: a bony core and a black outer sheath. Unlike true goats or antelopes (orany other animal for that matter), which grow horns that are never shed, the pronghorn sheds a sheath of its horn eachyear and grows another sheath the next year.

Mature pronghorn bucks stake out their territories and assemble harems of up to 10 does each fall. Although brief fightsmay break out between rival males, confrontations are usually decided with a few head butts and a lot of posturing.

The young are born in late May or early June and twins are quite common. Within one month the young are up andrunning with the rest of the pronghorn herd. Pronghorns travel in herds numbering from just a few to more than 20.

Each fall a lucky group of Oklahoma sportsmen have the unique opportunity to hunt pronghorn in Cimarron and Texascounties through the Department’s popular controlled hunts program. In 2003, 65 hunters participated in the hunt and 60 ofthem took home a pronghorn, that’s an impressive success rate of 92 percent.

If you have not ventured West to the home of the pronghorn antelope, then determine to do so soon. When you spot apronghorn on the wide-open prairie you know you have seen one of Oklahoma’s most wild and unique creatures.


































Species Spotlight: Antelope

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Species Spotlight: Raccoon

http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/wildlifemgmt/species/raccoon.htm[2/27/2012 4:35:44 PM]

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RaccoonFind a place in Oklahoma where there is food, water and suitable den sites and you’vemore than likely found a great location to spot a raccoon (Procyon lotor). Though foundmostly in the crosstimbers region of the state, don’t give up seeing them in prairies,marshes, cultivated and abandoned agricultural field and even in your own backyard, asthe raccoon is highly adaptable to a range of conditions.

Raccoon have dense fur that ranges in color from grayish to blackish on the back to dullbrown tinted with yellowish gray on the stomach. Adults range from eight to 35 poundsand are 10-26 inches long. That includes the tail which can be up to a foot in length.Male raccoons tend to be larger than females.

Characterized by an opportunistic appetite, raccoons are known to eat hundreds ofspecies of both plants and animals, though plants are considered the most importantcomponent of the raccoon’s diet in most habitats. In the spring, however, raccoons tendto feed more on animals than plants, including crayfish, insects and small rodents.

Fruits top the menu in the fall and acorns in the winter months. The belief that raccoons wash their food before eatingstems from a fixed patter of behavior used by wild raccoons in which they dip their paws in water when searching foraquatic prey. Captive raccoons “wash” their food as a substitute for this wild behavior.

Raccoons typically eat one-half to a full pound of food per day and up to five pounds as winter approaches and if they canfind, Excess food turns to a thick insulating layer of fat.

Raccoons are nocturnal and normally solitary but males and females join during January, February, and March to breed.Males mate with multiple females and are known to travel four to five miles in search of receptive females.

Females give birth to up to seven blind and nearly hairless “cubs” in April or May, though litters can consist of as few asone cub. Three to four cubs in a litter is considered average.

Cubs open their eyes after two and a half weeks and nurse for eight weeks. After that period, they begin following theirmother on trips in search of food. Raccoons leave their mother at about six months to establish new territory. Most will liveno more than two years in the wild, though some live to be five to six years old.

Trapping and nighttime “coon hunting” is a deeply rooted tradition in Oklahoma and it’s always entertaining to viewraccoons from a tree stand during deer season. They make for an interesting outdoor recreation or wildlife viewingopportunity and are just one unique and important part of Oklahoma’s diverse wildlife.

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Species Spotlight: Red Fox

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Red FoxAs distinguished in appearance as it is clever, the Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes) isperhaps, Oklahoma’s most beautiful wild canine.

Though the central portion of the state constitutes the extreme western range ofthe Red Fox, their populations are actually increasing in many parts of easternOklahoma. Sharing this area with the Gray Fox and Coyote, the Red Fox is noless adept at sustaining itself amidst human activity. Yet its ideal habitat is anarea of dense timber, located within or near a pasture or other farmland.

Easily identified by its long bushy tail, pointed nose and large erect ears, thosefortunate enough to observe a Red Fox in the wild often liken it to a small reddish-orange dog with a plush tail. However,the red fox may display a number of color variations, ranging from fiery orange to tawny gold, with black, brown or silvermutations acceptable. Its handsome coat is accentuated by black ears and feet, and the underside and tip of the tail arecovered in white. This small canine averages 36 - 41 inches in length and weighs from 10 - 15 pounds.Appropriately suited to predation of small mammals, the Red Fox makes its living at night when it hunts cottontail rabbits,rats and mice. Though these species constitute much of the fox’s diet, it will also consume eggs, turtles and insects. Itsadaptability is further evidenced by its willingness to eat grasses, nuts, berries and grains. Though known for its craftinessin outwitting hunters and its ability to stalk prey, the Red Fox is not above doing dirty work to find a meal. It will readilyexcavate mice from beneath stumps or dense vegetation.

Daylight hours are normally spent resting. During this time, the Red Fox is keen on grooming its exquisite coat. Using itsteeth as a comb, the fox removes loose hairs. It does not stray far from home, even when hunting. Nighttime activitiesrarely take them more than a mile from their daytime hunts, which they return to regularly to bed down. A hungry fox,however, may travel much farther to find food. Although essentially a solitary animal, if resources are abundant, up to threefoxes may inhabit the same square mile of territory.

The Red Fox breeds in late winter. Female foxes, called vixens, prepare an underground den in the spring, for whelping,and after a 52-day gestation, up to nine kits are born. Three weeks later, the kits emerge from their den to play and explorenear the burrow, under their mother’s watchful eye. An highly astute guardian, the mother will immediately hustle the kitsback into the den at the first sign of danger.

The male stays with the female throughout the denning period. He provides much of the food for the young and regularlyparticipates in their restless frolicking near the den entrance. This play, however, is actually a lesson in stalking, and willprove invaluable to the kits when they begin hunting for their own food. During this time, the entrance to the burrow is avirtual playground with the kits chasing and stalking each other. By winter, the play has ended and the kits, now youngadults, and able to mate and raise their own litters, strike out on their own.

With its protected status, biologists and wildlife lovers alike, hope the Red Fox will continue to populate the wooded hills ofeastern Oklahoma. With success, the sight of this beautiful and crafty canine, which is the subject of folk tale and legendalike, may one day become much more common.

* Beginning in 2007 sportsman can pursue these unique animals through hunting and trapping.


































Species Spotlight: Red Fox

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Species Spotlight: River Otter

http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/wildlifemgmt/species/otter.htm[2/27/2012 4:35:50 PM]

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River OtterYou might say that the river otter (Lutra canadensis) “slides” through life. One of the more livelywildlife species, river otters play frequently, diving for objects, socializing, swimming, and yes, slidingon their stomachs across ice or mud. River otters are sleek, dark brown mammals with a tan orgolden blaze on the face and chest. Their narrow bodies can be longer than four feet, much of whichis tail length, and weigh 15-20 pounds. However, they stand less than a foot at the shoulders.Females are slightly smaller than males.

River otters are found all across North America. As the name suggests, they live near rivers, ponds,or other bodies of water. They prefer seclusion, so they are often alone and found far from civilization. It has been said thatone otter could easily have a 20-mile range all to itself, though it will find and socialize with other otters. Often, if beaversinhabit an area, an otter could as well, since otters are known to put beaver dens to their own use.

It’s a good thing river otters like water, as they are built for swimming, with a small head and eyes set high to avoidsubmersion. A flexible spine and rudder-like tail allow for beamline travel in water. Added to that, a river otter can stayunder water for four minutes, using its webbed toes to pull itself along. When an otter goes underwater for a swim, hisblood flow slows significantly and cuts off circulation to the outermost extremities. What little flow remains goes back andforth from the brain to the heart, allowing the otter to withstand longer periods without breathing. No need for blowingbubbles under water to prevent water intake, either, as the river otter’s nostrils close when submerged, blocking any flow ofwater. The same goes for it’s ears. It also has an abnormally thick coat, with waterproofing on the outside that keeps waterfrom ever reaching down to his skin. Otters rely very little on fat stores for warmth, as their fur will sufficiently accomplishthe task. Harsh weather poses little threat to this hardy member of the weasel family. There is little threat of predation for river otter, either, making it easy for them to enjoy their sliding and diving sessions.They are big enough that few predators will attempt an attack, though bobcats, coyotes, and some others will occasionallybe able to catch one.

The river otter is a predator, actually, of fish, frogs, turtles, crayfish, and even the occasional egg of a ground nesting bird.Other supplements find a way into the otter’s diet, from animals to insects to vegetation, but they rely heavily on frequentcatches of fish. They will eat several species fish, such as carp and sunfish, but smaller fish make the easiest meals.

During the spring, otters travel and find mates. They use a wide vocabulary of sounds to communicate with each other.After almost a year, females give birth to two or three offspring, which are born helpless, usually in the seclusion of anotheranimal’s abandoned den. After learning to swim, the young begin learning to hunt their own food, and eventually begin totravel. At two years old, the young otters will breed their own litters. A river otter can live 15-20 years.

If you spend enough time near a river or pond, you may spot a river otter enjoying a day of diving, fishing, or sliding.However, you may not see the otter in the same place again for a while, as his travels take him on frequent journeys.

* Beginning in 2007 sportsman can pursue these unique animals through hunting and trapping.

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Species Spotlight: River Otter

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Species Spotlight: Souther Flying Squirrel

http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/wildlifemgmt/species/flyingsquirrel.htm[2/27/2012 4:35:54 PM]

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Southern Flying Squirrel

The southern flying squirrel, Glaucomys volans, is one of the smallest Oklahoma squirrels —measuring only eight to 10 inches long — but its long distance flights of up to 200 feet make up forany shortcomings in size. Actually, despite the name, the southern flying squirrel doesn’t actually fly— it glides. The difference? Flying requires an unassisted gain in altitude, while gliding can bedescribed as “descending with style.” Regardless of the terminology, watching this squirrel travelfrom tree to tree is quite a treat!

These arboreal rodents are able to gracefully travel long distances by way of two adaptations. Thefirst is its thin layer of fur-covered skin, or patagium, extending from the fore feet to the back feet.When stretched tight, this patagium acts as an umbrella, allowing the squirrel to glide through the air.

The second adaptation is the flattened tail. Almost half of the total body length, the tail acts as a stabilizer and also helpswhen balancing on small limbs.

Although primarily gray with a cream colored stomach, there are reports of reddish brown flying squirrels. This small rodentweighs only three ounces at adulthood — slightly more than a regulation tennis ball. The only nocturnal member of thesquirrel family, flying squirrels have large eyes that help them navigate in the dark, and a three to four-inch tail.Found in deciduous forests — primarily in stands of oak, hickory, or walnut — the southern flying squirrel is best known inthe eastern half of the state. Even so, they have been recorded as far west as Comanche Co. in southwestern Oklahoma.These squirrels rely on fruit or nut producing trees for food and nesting habitat. Although nuts make up the bulk of the flyingsquirrels diet, they are one of the most omnivorous of squirrels — feeding on everything from flower blossoms to bird eggs.Another distinction between the flying squirrel and other tree squirrels is the feeding pattern. Flying squirrels cut a uniformcircle on the side or end of each nut, leaving the shell intact. Other tree squirrels crush the shell to reach the meat.

Southern flying squirrels are cavity nesters, using their nest throughout the year. These squirrels often use cavities thatwere originally excavated by woodpeckers, sometimes even causing woodpeckers to abandon the nest. Entrance holes tothe squirrel nests are generally larger than one inch in diameter and the cavity is lined with bark and leaves. These rodentstypically breed twice a year—once in late winter, and again in mid to late summer. The litter ranges from one to six, butoften contains only two to three young, weighing only a quarter of an ounce each at birth. The nestlings are able to glideeight weeks later.

Due to the nocturnal lifestyle, little is known about the southern flying squirrel’s distribution or conservation status, butrecent research has shown that these squirrels have a larger Oklahoma distribution than previously known. Predators ofthe southern flying squirrel include birds of prey, snakes, and increasingly, domestic cats.

With a sharp eye and a little luck combined with a sightseeing or camping trip in Oklahoma’s eastern deciduous forest, youmay be able to catch a glimpse of the unique southern flying squirrel as it glides across the night sky.





































Species Spotlight: Souther Flying Squirrel

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Species Spotlight: Striped Skunk

http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/wildlifemgmt/species/stripedskunk.htm[2/27/2012 4:35:57 PM]

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Striped SkunkA bed of sweet smelling roses? The most expensive perfume on the market? Mountain air? Hardly.The smell filling your nose is the musk spray of the striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis). Ranging allover Oklahoma, this animal is respected by many because of the strong musk smell it releases whenprovoked.

This not so sweet smelling animal is black all over except for two white stripes running from the rumpand converging on the head to form a white cap. There are actually 13 subspecies of the striped

skunk, the only differences being geographical long, including the seven to 10 inch tail. This small mammal only reachesabout eight pounds. Except for the male averaging six percent bigger than females, both sexes are alike.

For such a small animal, the skunk can still pack a powerful punch. Their scent glands are located on each side of theanus, and powerful muscles surrounding the glands can spray the scent up to twelve feet. A common myth is that skunkscannot spray when they are held up by their tail, but this is not true. Because the spray can cause nausea and temporaryblindness of the target, skunks are rarely attacked by other mammals.

Skunks still face predators, however, including the coyote, bobcat and domestic dog, but perhaps the most danger to theskunk comes from the air. The great horned owl has a poor sense of smell, and its eyes are protected by a special eyelid,so the skunk’s strong musk does little to prevent an attack from this predator.

The striped skunk is the most common member of the weasel family. All members of the weasel family have scent glands,but none are as powerful as the skunk’s. The skunk is omnivorous, and its diet can include anything from nuts and berriesto mice and chipmunks. It ranges anywhere from the woods and swamps to the suburbs, and it will den under buildingsand in burrows so long as they are dry. Although skunks do not hibernate, they will often sleep through most of the winter.The male will stay in the same den as the females with which he will later mate.

Breeding begins in late winter or early spring, and males will mate with multiple females.About 61 to 69 days after mating,the female will give birth, having anywhere from four to ten young, all blind and helpless. Within 20 minutes of their birth,however, they are able to start nursing. They will not be able to hear anything for about another 23 days, and eyesight willnot come until a month after birth. At three months old, the young skunks will leave the family, although they won’t besexually mature until 11 months old. The average lifespan for a skunk in the wild is six years.

The skunk is a shy animal, preferring to avoid confrontations. It is most active at night, although it will start to feed atsundown and might return to its den after sunrise. It also has a good memory and is very persistent in pursuing a foodsource. Once it figures out how to get at something, it will continue to use the same method.

The best chance to view these creatures is at night, when they are foraging for food. Potent as their spray is, cautiousnessshould be used when observing them. Despite its effective defense, however, the skunk can be an enjoyable part ofOklahoma’s watchable wildlife.





































Species Spotlight: Striped Skunk

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Species Spotlight: Swift Fox

http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/wildlifemgmt/species/swift_fox.htm[2/27/2012 4:36:00 PM]

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Swift FoxThe swift fox (Vulpes velox) is North America's smallest foxand averages about the size of a large house cat. This small,nocturnal carnivore is found in the High Plains from westernTexas northward to southern Alberta, Canada. In Oklahoma,the swift fox is found only in the shortgrass prairie region whichencompasses the three panhandle counties and adjacent partsof Harper and Ellis counties. The swift fox is one of the mostelusive animals whose population is monitored by theOklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation's WildlifeDiversity Program. Because of its nocturnal behavior, secretivenature and the sparse human population where it occurs, thereare very few people who have ever seen a swift fox.

The swift fox has been classified as a species of special concern in Oklahoma since the early 1990s and in 1994, theeleven states within its range formed a multi-state conservation team specifically for this species. ODWC monitorsOklahoma's swift fox population using a standard technique shared by other states. This involves conducting timedsearches for swift fox tracks on bare surfaces (e.g. road margins, ditches, and the edges of plowed fields) where suitablehabitat exists. Suitable habitat appears to exist in 104 townships in northwestern Oklahoma and swift fox track surveys areconducted in every other township (half of these or 52 townships) on a three-year rotation.

Swift foxes resemble very small coyotes and their tracks are similar in shape to a coyote's but are less than 1/6 their size.Because of their small size, it is easy to distinguish swift fox tracks from all other carnivores, but they are difficult todistinguish from the small front paw prints of the black-tailed jackrabbit. To separate the tracks of the two species, positiveidentifications cannot be based upon single tracks; instead, we look for track lines with 15 or more continuous tracks.

During the past two years, swift fox track surveys have been conducted during the fall in 54 townships in Cimarron, Texasand Beaver counties. Swift fox tracks have been located in 51 of these townships (94 percent) and at 66 separatelocations (multiple sets of tracks in some townships). The swift fox appears to be widespread in the Panhandle, but theremay not be many in each location. This species is found primarily in locations that are dominated by shortgrass prairierangeland or locations where rangeland is intermixed with non-irrigated crop fields such as winter wheat.

In addition to fox tracks, we also record the presence of the tracks of other carnivore species and of jackrabbits. During thesurveys, we have located track lines for coyotes (over 200), striped skunks (28), raccoons (10), badgers (16), red fox (2),and many black-tailed jackrabbits (over 360).

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Species Spotlight: Swift Fox

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Species Spotlight: Whitetailed Deer

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Whitetail Deer

A quick flash of white, a burst of speed and a white tailed deer bounds away on impossibly slenderlegs, almost gliding over the ground toward a curtain of concealing brush. This popular species(Odocoileus virginianus) exists in all 77 Oklahoma counties and many Oklahomans are discoveringwhat hunters already know – watching the white-tailed deer can be fascinating and addictive.

A member of the Cervidae family, which also includes moose, elk and caribou, the white - taileddeer, has a thick tan or brown coat in the summer that fades to grayish brown in the winter. Thename :white-tailed deer” refers to the white underside of the tail. When a deer is alarmed or running,the tail is held conspicuously erect like a flag. It has white markings around its eyes and nose as wellas on its throat and stomach. Its oversized ears aid the skittish creature in picking up the sounds ofpredators and its small black nose detects even the faintest of scents. While some other hoofed

mammals have permanent, hallow horns, male white-tailed deer grow and shed antlers every year once they reach theage of two.

White-tailed deer are herbivores or plant eaters. The deer’s diet changes with the seasons, from green plants in the springand summer to acorns, corn and other nuts in the fall. In winter when food is scarce it will consume bark, buds and twigs ofwoody plants. Not one to pass up a tasty treat, the white-tailed deer will also feat on flower and vegetable gardens if giventhe chance.

Deer inhabit all types of Oklahoma terrain, but prefer open woodland. They follow established paths to and from their foodsources and feed in the early morning and late afternoon. Male deer are known as bucks and females are does.

One of the most interesting times to observe “whitetails” is during the mating or rutting season. Mating occurs in the fallwhen males will fight by butting and clashing antlers to win access to a doe. Antler size is part of what determines socialstatus in the herd and a larger rack can increase mating chances. Males will also use their antlers to strip the bark off ofsaplings or low hanging branches and paw at the ground to create a “scrape” an area of exposed earth which they markwith scent. Numerous scent glands cover the legs of the deer and secretions mark their territory during the rutting season.

One to three fawns are born six months after mating and are reddish-brown with white spots. Fawns can walk at birth andcan even forage for food a few days later. While the doe looks for food, she hides the fawns under heavy cover where theylie well-camouflaged against the ground. Fawns may lie quietly for up to four hours until the mother returns.

Fawns stay with the mother for the first year after which they male yearlings venture out on their own. Female offspringleave after two years. Deer live in family groups of a doe and her fawns. Bucks live either or alone or in small groups ofthree to four.

Besides their senses of smell and hearing, whitetails’ natural defense is their breathtaking speed. Even in dense forest thedeer can reach the speed of 40 miles per hour as they bound over obstacles. They are also good swimmers and canretreat to streams and lakes to avoid predators.

The white-tailed deer is the most popular big game animal in Oklahoma which is remarkable considering its near extinctionat the turn of the century. A brief history of the white-tailed deer in Oklahoma reads as follows: 1870s-deer abundant;1890s-reckless over-harvest by settlers; 1910s- barely 500 remain and deer seasons closes; 1930s-restoration begins;1980s-stable and abundant statewide herd restored. Thanks to the hard work of generations of conservationists, the deerpopulation has been restored to its former glory.

Though hunters go afield with the goal of harvesting a white-tail many spend the day simply watching this magnificentcreature. More and more non-hunters are joining them. If you want to catch sight of the majestic and graceful whitetail,early morning and late afternoon, when deer are feeding, is the best time to spot one. Just be careful not to startle one orelse all you’ll see is the “whitetail” waving good-bye.


































Species Spotlight: Whitetailed Deer

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Species Spotlight: Avocet

http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/wildlifemgmt/species/avocet.htm[2/27/2012 4:36:07 PM]

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American Avocet

With its bright cinnamon hued head and its upturned bill, the American avocet is one of Oklahoma’smost unique shorebirds. Recurvirostra americana has long, thin, blue-gray legs, good for wadingalong the shores of wetlands. During the breeding season, the avocet’s head and neck are acinnamon-pink, which then fades to a grayish-white during the winter. The body of an avocet iscovered with contrasting black and white plumage.

The bill of an American avocet is curved slightly upward, the female’s more so than the male’s. Afemale’s bill is also slightly shorter than the bill of a male. Avocets feed by thrusting their bills into thewater and swinging them from side to side along the bottom to stir up aquatic insects and other fooditems. Avocets also eat small crustaceans, plants, and other small aquatic animals. Avocets mate from April to June in the western half of the United States. This range includes the

Oklahoma panhandle. Avocets engage in elaborate courtship displays, with great amounts of posturing. These beautifulbirds nest in colonies of ten or twelve individuals. Nests are constructed of vegetation and twigs on the ground in mudflatsand marshes. Since these birds nest near water, flooding is a possibility, but the avocet has a defense against the risingwaters. If floods threaten the nest, the avocets will raise the nest over a foot with sticks, weeds, bones, feathers, andanything else they can find.

If danger comes not from the water but from a predator, avocets will defend their nest and youngsters very aggressively.These birds engage in distraction displays such as the "broken-wing" trick. Avocets will also "dive-bomb" perceivedpredators in order to chase them away from the nest or chicks.

Down covered avocet chicks hatch about 23 days after the olive-colored eggs are laid. Clutch size is typically three or foureggs. Avocet chicks are able to follow their parents almost immediately. They are capable of feeding themselves soon afterhatching, and can even swim if need be.

American avocets are commonly found along the shores of salty lakes, fresh and saltwater marshes, mudflats, and oncoastal bays. Birders in Oklahoma can view breeding avocets in wetlands in the Panhandle counties, Salt Plains NationalWildlife Refuge and at Hackberry Flat Wildlife Management Area in Tillman County.

American avocets are protected under the Federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and the primary threat to the species is theloss of breeding and wintering grounds due to habitat destruction and draining of wetlands. In this era of sprawling citiesand extensive urban and agricultural development, wetlands restoration projects like Hackberry Flat WMA are vital to theprotection of all waterfowl and shorebirds, including the graceful, colorful American Avocet.

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Species Spotlight: Kestrel

http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/wildlifemgmt/species/kestrel.htm[2/27/2012 4:36:11 PM]

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American Kestrel

American Kestrels (Falco sparverius) are one of the smallest falcons in North America. The bird issleek, swift, predatory and well camouflaged. Many know it by its other name — the sparrow hawk.

At only nine inches tall, this fierce raptor is capable of snatching large insects, birds and bats out ofthe air as well as rodents and lizards from the ground. Their ability to scan the ground in almosthover-like motion, their heads outstretched, in search of a meal make them a formidable predator.

Like most falcons the American kestrel has characteristic falcon maskings, often called a hood andmoustache. Their short, hooked beak is built for tearing the flesh of their prey. American kestrels

have long, narrow wings perfectly designed for speed and maneuverability. They have white on either side of their face,and a white and black-streaked breast and belly. The kestrel’s wings are a dark gray-blue with white and black streakingand spots. They are reddish in color along their backs and tail, with the same camouflaging dark streaks found on theirwings. Kestrel tail feathers also are banded in black and white.

From the tree lines in Alaska all the way to South America, American kestrels live in one area year round and do notmigrate like other birds of prey. They will inhabit nearly any terrain and are very adaptable. They do, however, tend to shyaway from heavily forested areas, often preferring open spaces. American kestrels can be seen atop telephone wires orbarbwire fences, from which they can swoop down after rodents and grasshoppers.

Kestrels are not social birds until mating season. In mid April to early June, the males and females will begin pairing upand sharing joint territories. Females will mate with several suitors before finally settling on one. Three to seven eggs arelaid, and females take responsibility for most of the incubation.

Kestrels often build their nests in hollowed logs or old woodpecker holes. They even build nests in building crevices andold rodent holes in riverbanks. Kestrel chicks are white or grey when hatched and grow their first colored coat of feathersthree weeks later. The chicks will leave the nest 30 days after hatching, but the family will remain together for a few months.

You may spot the aerodynamic acrobatics of the American kestrel on the hunt nearly anywhere across Oklahoma, so thenext time your at you favorite fishing hole or at the park, take a look around to see just what may be flying by. You maycatch a glimpse of one of our state’s most interesting predators.

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Species Spotlight: American White Pelican

http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/wildlifemgmt/species/americanwhite.htm[2/27/2012 4:36:14 PM]

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American White Pelican

There are about ten species of pelicans distributed through out the world, mostly confined to thosecountries having warm climates. Three of the species inhabit North America.

These once-scarce pouched birds appear in Oklahoma and the numbers have been on the increasesince the 1960s. They are often found in large flocks on reservoirs and rivers across most of thestate during migration from early February - May and early September - November.

In 1838 Audubon gave this species the specific name American. In writing of the naming of thisspecies he notes: “In consequence of this discovery, I have honored it with the name of my beloved

country, over the mighty streams of which may this splendid bird wander free and unmolested to the most distant times, asit has already done in the misty ages of unknown antiquity.”

Adult white pelicans, Pelecanus erythrorhynchos, are one of the largest birds weighing 16 pounds with an impressive 9-foot wing span. One must look closely at the birds as they ride the heat thermals on clear days to realize they are pelicans.While flying they seem to soar in unison, each flapping their wings at the same time while circling ever so higher. They aretruly an amazing bird to watch in flight.

Pelicans are often mistaken for snow geese, swans and whooping cranes by the novice birder. Their distinct black primaryand outer secondary feathers are sure indicators as to what they are. At a closer view you will notice they have a tuckedneck an orange bill, legs, and feet. The final distinguishing characteristic is their stocky build giving them an all-togetherdifferent profile than other birds.

White pelicans fish in groups by floating atop the water. They use their feet and wings to corral fish. Instead of diving theysimply dip their heads below the surface to troll for rough fish such as gizzard shad. They scoop the fish up in their elasticpouch. Most feeding takes place during the early morning and early evening hours. An average. pelican will consume threepounds of fish per day.

Pelicans nest in colonies on sandbars, islands, and since the peninsulas in remote, undisturbed areas. Their breedingrange extends from the prairies of Canada into the mountain states, to the Gulf Coast of Texas and Mexico. Preferrednesting habitats are islands, especially those associated with fresh water lakes. They forage primarily in shallow lakes,marshlands, and rivers.

Birds that are mature enough to reproduce will develop “nuptial tubercles,” or large ridges on top of their bills, andornamental plumes atop their head. Once chick feeding begins, the ridges fall off and the birds develop black feathers onthe back of the head. Their eye color also changes from dark to light as their breeding status changes.

Nests are built as ground depressions lined with dried vegetation. Pelicans lay an average of two eggs and incubate themusing their feet since they don’t have the typical “brood patch” of bare skin on the belly. White pelican chicks hatchhelpless, with homely, orange skin. They eat by digging digested food out of the adult’s pouch. As chicks mature, they joina “pod” or “gang” and feed in large groups until they are ready to fly at about 10 weeks.

Avid bird watchers and novice bird watchers alike flock to the Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge every September toparticipate in their week long Pelican celebration. Approximately 50,000-70,000 White Pelicans use the Salt Plains as a reststop during their fall migration. It is an incredible site that everyone should see at least once.


































Species Spotlight: American White Pelican

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Species Spotlight: Bald Eagle

http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/wildlifemgmt/species/baldeagle.htm[2/27/2012 4:36:17 PM]

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Bald Eagle

With a wingspan longer than seven feet, the bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) is a majestic andgraceful bird of prey. A common winter visitor to the Great Plains, bald eagle numbers first declinedin this region when market hunters destroyed the great buffalo herds - and so too disappeared thecarcasses on which eagles fed - during the 1800s. The bald eagle has a barrel-shaped bodymeasuring 32- to 40-inches long. It's hooked bill and legs are massive and yellow. Adult birds aredark brown to black. Their distinctive white head and tail plumage develops during their fourth or fifthyear.

Immature birds are dark brown with mottled white wings and are often confused with golden eagles.Bald eagles feed primarily on fish, but they also eat rodents, other small mammals and carrion (deadand decaying flesh). When hunting, the great bird circles high in the sky, scanning the ground with its

keen eyesight and swooping down suddenly to take its prey. The bald eagle is an efficient hunter whose sharp talons rarelymiss their target. Because of their appetite for fish, bald eagles are often found near water. Oklahoma's large reservoirsand river systems are ideal eagle habitat, especially from mid-October through mid-March, when wintering eagles spreadthroughout the state. Mainly a winter resident, bald eagles arrive in mid-October and stay through mid-March. The birds areprimarily found in the eastern and central areas of the state during this time, although some pairs have establishedpermanent nest sites in the state. Bald eagles have a daredevil-like courtship, with 100-mph dives and plummetingsomersaults. After pairing, both eagles build a colossal nest as high as 70 feet off the ground in the fork of a tree or side of a cliff.Constructed of sticks, branches, foliage, and lined with a deep layer of finer material, the same nest is used andaugmented year after year. As a result, it will often grow to enormous proportions. As early as October, the female lays aclutch of two eggs. Both parents share in the duties of incubating and feeding the chicks. The young hatch after 35 days,and three months later, when they can fly and hunt on their own, the adults drive the fledglings from the nest. With its fierceand independent demeanor, the bald eagle was chosen as our national emblem in 1782. Eagle populations haveperiodically fluctuated, with the most recent threat to the birds' survival being pesticides such as DDT. The pesticide foundits way into the food chain in the 1950s and '60s, accumulating in the fish and animals that form the basis of the eagle'sdiet. The accumulation of the chemical in the eagles' bodies resulted in their eggs being paper-thin, which resulted inbroken egg shells and no eaglets being hatched. Thanks to laws banning chemicals such as DDT, the bald eagle hasmade a dramatic recovery over the last 30 years. In fact, the comeback has been so spectacular that the U.S. Fish andWildlife Service removed the stately bird from the threatened species list on June 28, 2007, putting an exclamation point onone of America's most successful conservation stories. In 2007, 49 nesting pairs were found throughout the state.Evidence of this success is becoming more common each year, as more Oklahomans see this monarch patrolling the skiesover our state's reservoirs.

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Species Spotlight: Barn Owl

http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/wildlifemgmt/species/barnowl.htm[2/27/2012 4:36:20 PM]

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Barn Owl

The distinct face of the barn owl is recognized around the world. In fact, one is as likely to spot thewhite, heart shaped face in Oklahoma as in Africa, or even Australia.

The barn owl is one of the most wide-spread of all land birds. They are found on all continents(except Antarctica) and even on many large, oceanic islands. In Oklahoma, as in across theircosmopolitan range, barn owls can be found in mixed grasslands or open forests and they are oftenfound in close association with man.

This distinctive, crow-sized owl grows 15 to 20 inches in height and is mostly white in color althoughit can appear tan or even yellow at times. It has long, feathered legs and makes a loud, rasping hiss,

rather than the familiar hoot of other owls.

The owl’s keen eye sight and acute sense of hearing makes it a match for even the most alert mice on the darkest nights.In addition to sharp talons to catch their prey, barn owls also have special feathers on the front edges of their wings thatreduce the amount of noise they make when flying. Their nearly silent flight allows them to sneak up on mice and otherprey.

Although the nocturnal birds eat mostly mice and meadow voles, they are opportunistic eaters, consuming gophers,shrews, rats and small birds. Like other owls, barn owls are unable to digest fur, feathers and bones. They cough up theundigested parts in a pale, odorless lump called an owl pellet. Biologists can find out what an owl has eaten by examiningthe remains in the pellet.

Barn owls get their name from their tendency to nest high in barns, grain silos, steeples or other man made structures. Inthe wild, they nest in hollow trees or in rocky cliffs. Barn owls will breed any time during the year, depending on foodsupply. They typically nest in early spring, but when food supply is plentiful, barn owls may rear a second brood in the latesummer or early fall.

Unlike many other birds, barn owls do not build nests; instead the female lays 5- 7 white eggs on any flat, enclosed areahigh above the ground. The clutch of eggs is laid over a two or three day period and incubation starts after the first egg islaid. It takes from 32 to 34 days for the first egg to hatch.

Like most young animals, the little owlets are hungry all the time. Both the male and female hunt throughout the night tofeed their fast-growing young. The young owls are covered in white down when they hatch, but they grow their adultplumage in about two months. After a few flying lessons, the young hunters are on their own after a week of hangingaround the nest site and learning to hunt.

Since barn owls only come out at night, your best chance at seeing these unique birds is late in the evening as the light ofthe day fades away or first thing in the morning as sky begins to glow in the east.


































Species Spotlight: Barn Owl

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Species Spotlight: Burrowing Owl

http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/wildlifemgmt/species/burrowingowl.htm[2/27/2012 4:36:24 PM]

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Burrowing Owl

If there was ever a bird with a large-scale identity crisis, it would have to be the burrowing owl(Athene cunicularia). It is a predatory bird just like every other raptor, but it resides in holes dugprimarily by prairie dogs and mimics the rattling sound of a rattlesnake.

Found in the western third of the state, but most commonly in the panhandle, the burrowing owl isone of the state’s most unique avian species. Classified as a “grassland specialist,” the burrowingowl can be found in shortgrass prairie or desert habitat. The burrowing owl will excavate its ownhole, but only in extreme cases. It relies primarily on vacant holes dug by mammals, such as theblacktailed prairie dogs.

The burrowing owl, a medium-size bird growing to about nine inches tall, is also one of the most identifiable owl speciesfound in Oklahoma. Along with its white eyebrows, brilliant yellow eyes, and lack of ear tufts, the burrowing owl almostappears to be standing on stilts. Its long legs are unique among other owl species and are adapted for its ground-dwellinglife style.

The burrow or nest of the burrowing owl is typically six to nine feet in length and descends three to five feet before endingwith a large “domed” chamber. The nest is typically lined with dried manure, possibly to absorb water to reduce floodingwithin the nest, but may also serve to hide the scent of the owl.

Another unique characteristic of the burrowing owl is its feeding habit. While most owl species are nocturnal feeders, theburrowing owl is crepuscular, feeding at dusk and dawn. It can also be observed eating during the daytime, something youwould rarely see from other owl species. They are opportunistic feeders, primarily on insects, small mammals, and birds,but won’t hesitate to snatch up any small reptiles or amphibians.

Breeding occurs from mid-March through September. The average clutch size is six eggs and incubation lasts for 28-30days. The female will generally stay with the nest during incubation, while the male guards the nest and collects food.Three to four weeks after hatching, the family will switch burrows every 10-15 days. This moving of nests shows theimportance of prairie dogs for burrowing owls, since they dig numerous holes. Six weeks after hatching, the young arecapable of flight. The young feed primarily on insects and begin working on their predatory skills by jumping on dead or liveinsects.

The problem with being a ground-dwelling bird is the increased threat of predation. While most birds avoid predation bynesting in trees, the burrowing owl has to deal with numerous threats. Nesting in areas of short vegetation helps theburrowing owl to see possible ground predators that are approaching the nest. Keeping the nest away from trees and tallstructures helps the burrowing owl avoid being prey to a larger bird that could be perching outside the nest. Some of themain predators of the burrowing owl are larger raptors, snakes, coyotes, bobcats, and domestic cats.

The burrowing owl has one predatory defense that makes it one of the most interesting birds we have here in Oklahoma.To deter approaching predators, the Burrowing owl utters a call that mimics the rattling sound of a rattlesnake within theburrow, causing wary predators to keep their distance from its burrow.

The burrowing owl is listed as a species of concern in Oklahoma and is even classified as threatened in many other states.Due to the loss of habitat from urbanization and fragmentation, burrowing owl populations have been decreasing. With thepreservation of native grasslands and protection of burrowing mammals, we can retain this unique species for the viewingby future generations.


































Species Spotlight: Burrowing Owl

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Species Spotlight: Canada Goose

http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/wildlifemgmt/species/goose.htm[2/27/2012 4:36:27 PM]

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Canada Goose

Bone remnants found in the trash pits of prehistoric Indian camps along theArkansas River basin indicate that ancient hunters once sustained themselveson Branta canadensis (commonly known as the Canada goose, and sometimesincorrectly referred to as Canadian goose). Although hunting patterns havechanged over the past 2,300 years, these geese remain popular amongsportsmen today.

There are at least 11 recognized races of Canada geese, but some taxonomistsargue that the species actually separate into many more forms. Each form is

distinguished by variations in geographical range, coloration, structural size and body mass. Generally, three populationsoccur in Oklahoma, the Tallgrass Prairie population, Short Grass Prairie population, and the Western Prairie/Great Plainspopulation.

Giant Canadas were first released in this state by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation in 1980. More than15,000 have been released at lakes such as Sooner, Konawa, Fort Cobb, Sardis, Murray, Kerr, Canton, the Duncan area,El Reno, Afton and in the Wichita and Arbuckle mountains. Despite subtle variations between the seasonal and year-round residents, the different races appear fairly uniform. All haveblack bills, legs and feet, with plump bodies covered with gray-brown to dark-brown feathers. They have long black necksand gray wings. A conspicuous white patch on the throat and cheeks is their most distinctive feature.

Canada geese typically court in late winter, sometimes mate for life, and begin nesting in the spring. Nests are located onthe ground near water, but these birds also will use man-made, elevated nesting structures placed in or near water. Four toeight cream-white eggs are laid, usually one every other day. The female incubates the clutch for 28 to 30 days, while themale stands guard nearby. Ganders often rely on intimidation to ward off intruders. With loud hissing and threateningmovements, the male will advance until the offender retreats.

After hatching, the young are cared for by both parents. Within 24 hours, the young, which weigh only three or four ounces,are led to water for their first swim. The family unit stays together in single file, with the gander leading the way and thefemale bringing up the rear. Depending on the sub-species, geese are capable of flight in as few as 40 days after hatching.

Young geese eat constantly. In just eight weeks, they have attained a weight 24 times greater than they weighed athatching. Primarily vegetarians, geese prefer green plants and grains. In the water, geese feed much like ducks, tippingtheir tail up and plunging their heads below the surface to reach submerged foods. Their bills are quite sensitive, and areused to "feel around" underwater as the birds dabble for aquatic food. Tooth-like spikes around the edges of the bills actlike strainers, allowing the birds to retain edible items while draining excess water. Canadas also frequently feed on shore,heading upland on foot or wing to graze in the early morning and late afternoon. They are especially fond of descending onfields of winter wheat. Wheat is planted at many refuges as a food source for geese, but farmland surrounding refugesoften becomes an attraction when refuge food sources are depleted.

Adult giants can weigh more than 15 pounds, while the smaller adult "cacklers" may tip the scales at only three pounds. Onthe wing, larger geese can be recognized by their more measured and shallow wing beats, and slower flight speed. Theircalls are different, too; larger geese have longer, deeper and more sonorous calls than their smaller cousins.

Though noted for their large V-formations in flight, Canada geese do not always fly in this manner. Often they travel insmall flocks. When only five or six Canadas are seen flying together, they are probably a mated pair with their young of theyear. Families of Canadas often remain together through the winter. Many biologists believe it is this closeness of familyunits that guarantees their return to traditional breeding grounds the following spring.

In July and August, while young are maturing, adult geese molt. All flight feathers are lost at once, so these now-flightlessbirds must remain hidden or seek refuge on open water while new feathers grow. By mid-August, both adults and youngare able to fly. In September or October, they begin their fall migration.


































Species Spotlight: Canada Goose

http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/wildlifemgmt/species/goose.htm[2/27/2012 4:36:27 PM]


The migration patterns of the Canada goose have changed over the centuries, but this species has traveled throughOklahoma for at least half a million years. Today, the primary migration corridor extends from north of the Arctic Circle tosouth of the Tropic of Cancer, slicing across the prairies of our state along the way. Thousands of Canadas winter at theWashita, Great Salt Plains, Tishomingo and Sequoyah national wildlife refuges, but these birds may also be found duringthe cold months at any of the state's larger impoundments. And with permanent populations of resident Canada geesebecoming ever more common, modern outdoors enthusiasts certainly have many more opportunities to view and huntthese birds than did our predecessors of long ago!

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Species Spotlight: Cardinal

http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/wildlifemgmt/species/cardinal.htm[2/27/2012 4:36:30 PM]

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Cardinal

With its brilliant red feathers, head crest, black throat and face mask, the northern cardinal(Cardinalis cardinalis) is Oklahoma's most recognizable songbird.The female is light brown to pale yellow with reddish tinted wings, tail and head crest. Her bill is alsoreddish-orange.

Both sexes are equally adept with song. Their call is normally a very short and sharp chink, but mayvary from a what-cheer, cheer, cheer to a sweet, sweet, sweet.

Highly adaptable, cardinals inhabit woods, thickets, parks and back yards across the state. Thecardinal is also at ease in urban environments and may be seen nesting from April until September.

The female will nest two or three times a year in small trees, bushes, shrubs and thick vines at heights of three to eightfeet.Cardinals use a variety of materials to build their small, cup-shaped nests, including weed stems, grasses, thin twigs andvines. They finish them out with an interior lining of hair or moss. The female builds her nest alone. After constructed theexternal structure, she forms the cavity from the inside by turning her body and pushing out her feet.

Cardinal nests are highly susceptible to cowbird nest parasitism, a process in which a female cowbird lays her eggs in thenest of another bird after dumping the eggs of the host bird over the side. The host, in this case a female cardinal, will thenincubate and hatch the cowbird eggs and raise the cowbird fledglings.

If left alone, the female cardinal will lay three or four eggs within a week of completing the nest. Cardinal eggs are glossylight green or dull gray, with reddish brown specks or blotches. The female incubates the eggs in solitude for 13 daysbefore they hatch. Both parents share in feeding the red-mouthed, orange-skinned nestlings until they leave the nest some11 days later. At that point, the fledglings are covered with gray down.

Fledgling cardinals can fly well within 20 days, but they seldom venture far. Nonmigratory and territorial, a cardinal mayspend its entire life within a half-mile of its birthplace.

Cardinals eat a large number of seeds and insects. They also eat a variety of foods that allow them to be easily attracted tobackyard feeders. Those wishing to attract cardinals to feeders can use a variety of products, especially in the winter whennatural foods are scarce. One proven cardinal favorite is black oil sunflower seed. Other cardinal foods include milo, corn,peanut hearts, berries and even mealworms. Household foods may be placed in feeders or on the ground to attractcardinals, as well. Leftover cornbread, dried apples and raisins, as well as cantaloupe, watermelon, pumpkin and squashseeds, are all effective at attracting cardinals.

Whether seen at a feeder on a snowy winter day or flitting near a nest hidden in a shrubby countryside fencerow, thecardinal always stands out from its surroundings. With his brilliant red feathers and the sporty head crest, you can’t misshim.


































Species Spotlight: Cardinal

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Species Spotlight: Common Loon

http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/wildlifemgmt/species/loon.htm[2/27/2012 4:36:33 PM]

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Common Loon

The common loon (Gavia immer) is often called the “symbol of the north,” but Oklahomans canlook forward to the bird making two cameo appearances in the Sooner State while migrating toand from its southern wintering grounds.

With its distinctive black and white checkered plumage and dagger-like bill, the common loon isone of America’s most recognizable waterfowl species. It is also the most recognizable of the fivemembers of the loon family, all of which live in the Northern Hemisphere.

All loons are highly specialized for aquatic life. Their powerful back legs and large webbed feet allow them to diveunderwater for several minutes at a time. Their legs are set far back on their body, and while this is a great adaptation forswimming, it makes loons very awkward on land. In fact, the only time loons go ashore is to mate and to incubate theireggs. Loons are large birds, weighing up to eight pounds and measuring nearly 30 inches. Their bones are solid instead ofhollow, which presumably allows them to dive for extended periods by decreasing the buoyancy of their bodies. Loons alsohave higher levels of dissolved oxygen in their blood, which allows them to submerge for extended periods. Subsistingalmost entirely on fish, loons can dive up to 20 feet to grab fish with their long, serrated bills.

They can live as long as 20 years, and there is strong evidence that they mate for life. Although pairs sometimes winterhundreds of miles apart from each other, they always return to the same nesting lake each spring soon after the ice thaws.Loons typically lay one or two eggs each spring on a floating nest of dead vegetation. Eggs hatch in about 30 days. Loonchicks are covering in soft, black down.

Attentive parents, loons will go to great lengths to protect their young, and they often let young chicks ride around on theirbacks until they are proficient swimmers. The adults are patient and diligent teachers, helping their young hone theirhunting skills by offering them injured fish. Chicks are ready to fend for themselves at about four months.

In Oklahoma, loons may be seen each spring and fall as they fly back and forth to and from their wintering areas along theGulf Coast. At this time, they will often stop to rest and search for food on large lakes. Once loons reach the oceans,special glands help rid their system of excess salt.

Known for its plaintive, haunting cry, the loon is spiritually significant in many native cultures, and it embodies the essenceof the northland for countless others. When you can hear the loon call you know that you are in a wild place.

Unfortunately, loon populations are declining due to habitat loss. Lakeside homes occupy increasing amounts of northernshoreline, and increasing boat traffic disturbs the calm, quiet, waters they need to raise their young. Still, in many the call ofthe loon still pierces the sultry light of the dusk and dawn. With a little luck, Oklahoma lakegoers can catch a glimpse of thismajestic water bird.


































Species Spotlight: Common Loon

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Species Spotlight: Cooper's

http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/wildlifemgmt/species/cooper's.htm[2/27/2012 4:36:36 PM]

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Cooper's Hawk

Unlike larger raptors that spiral lazily above Oklahoma's wide-open spaces, the Cooper'shawk (Accipiter cooperii) keeps a low profile in woodland edges and thickets. Along with itspreference for thick cover, this species' swift flight and rather non-descript markings makesighting and identifying this diminuitive bird of prey a bit difficult. Those fortunate enough tosee a Cooper's hawk are quickly taken with its low-key elegance and understated displaysof power.

Also known as the "blue darter", the Cooper's hawk is about the same size as a crow. Itsdistinguishing characteristics include a large head, long tail and short, rounded wings. Itsback is slate gray, and its cream-colored underside is rippled with rust-colored bars. The tailis striped on top with brown and gray, and underneath with gray and cream. Perhaps thisbird's most identifiable marking is its white-tipped tail feathers. Females are larger thanmales, but adults of both sexes are known for their ruby red eyes.In flight, the Cooper's hawk resembles the closely related sharp-shinned hawk. Both flystraight and fast, and their flight pattern is characterized by strong wing strokes and shortglides.

Unlike the Cooper's hawk, however, the tail of the sharp-shinned hawk is shorterand more squared at the very end, and it also has a black tip. The Cooper's hawk's longer tail gives it great agility forhunting small birds and mammals in the restricted confines of its woodland home. This environment requires quick braking,tight turns and quick climbs, and the Cooper's hawk is perfectly designed for such deft maneuvering.

When hunting, the Cooper's hawk usually flies within a few feet of the ground and swiftly pounces on unsuspecting prey.Although it uses this method mainly for catching birds, this species also eats snakes, lizards, frogs and insects. Oneindividual was even documented eating minnows while perched near a shallow pool.

Though uncommon throughout its range, the Cooper's hawk can be found in Oklahoma year-round, especially in easternwooded areas. It is migratory, and the possibility of seeing one increases during the winter. This species' breeding rangecovers the entire state, so it's also possible to observe nesting activity.

A Cooper's hawk will nest once a year between mid-April and mid-June. The male locates possible nest sites and startbuilding in hopes of attracting a female. Even though a mated pair may use the same breeding territory year after year, theyusually build a new nest each season. Their nest consists of a stick platform, between one- to three-feet wide, built closeto the trunk of a tree in the lap several main limbs. Nests are usually 20 feet or more off the ground. The female usuallylays a single clutch of four to five greenish-white eggs. Both parents attend to the eggs for the 24-day incubation period.

Often hatching on alternate days, the fledglings can immediately see and take scraps of food from their parents. Theimmature Cooper's hawks will leave the nest 26 days later, looking much like their parents except with golden eyes,mottled breasts and white bellies. They will mature in two to three years and may live for 10 to 15 years.

Because of its speed on the wing and comparatively dull appearance, most experienced birders are satisfied simply tomarvel at this bird's power and agility. In keeping with the refined presence of this woodland raptor, that's exactly as itshould be.

Next time you're in the woods and you see a shadow sail silently through the trees, it's not your imagination. It's just aCooper's Hawk on the prowl.


































Species Spotlight: Cooper's

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Species Spotlight: Double-Crested Cormorant

http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/wildlifemgmt/species/cormorant.htm[2/27/2012 4:36:40 PM]

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Double- Crested Cormorant

When it comes to fishing technology, few anglers can compete with the advanced skills of the double-crested cormorant. The double-crested cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) is a goose-sized bird witha yellow throat patch highlighting a black iridescent green or purple body. It has bright turquoise eyes,webbed feet and a long black, hook-tipped, slender bill. In the spring, adult cormorants have twosmall tufts of feathers on either side of their head, a trait that gives the species its name.

For a species that was nearly placed on the endangered species list in the 1960's, the double crestedcormorant, often called the water turkey, has made an incredible recovery. This fish-eating birdsuffered a near demise earlier in the century due to the use of DDT, which thinned the birds’ eggshells, causing them to break under the weight of the incubating parent. Since the banning of DDT,and through continued protection under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, populations have

increased to around two million birds, leading anglers and aqua culturists to ask the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service todevise a plan for curbing cormorant numbers. Cormorants are water-loving birds that choose nesting and roosting habitats safe from ground predators but close tofeeding areas. When on the water, they are sometimes mistaken for geese and loons because of their longs necks, headand bill. Cormorants fly in the shape of a “V” just like geese, but often glide while flying which is uncharacteristic of geese.Cormorants are rarely vocal when flying.

Oklahoma’s numerous reservoirs and abundant fish populations are an eye-opening treat to upwards of 50,000 cormorantsmigrating to and from breeding grounds during spring and fall. The large numbers of double crested cormorants may not bewelcomed with opened arms, but they stand as a testament of how successful conservation efforts can be.

Cormorants almost always nest in colonies, which may comprise more than a thousand breeding pairs. They build theirnests of sticks and coarse vegetation on cliff ledges, in trees in or near water, or on the ground. Two nesting colonies havebeen found in Oklahoma, but the primary breeding ground is in the northern United States and Canada.

Female double-crested cormorants begin breeding at age three or four and usually only have one brood per year. They laythree to five chalky pale blue eggs in April that hatch after 25-28 days of incubation. At seven weeks, the young are able tojoin the adults to feed and at ten weeks the young are fully independent.

Double-crested cormorants are opportunistic fish-eating birds preying on a variety of fish, but concentrating on those thatare easiest to catch. Their webbed feet, positioned far back on their bodies, propel their streamlined frames to depths of 20feet or more in search of prey. They can remain underwater for about 30 seconds. On average, double-crested cormorantsforage 60 minutes per day and consume one pound of food.

Although expert swimmers and divers, cormorants look like they struggle to stay afloat. They are commonly seen with onlytheir heads and necks exposed from the water. Cormorants lack the oil glands that other water birds have so their feathersdon’t repel water well. They perch on rocks or in trees with their wings half open to dry in the sun. To take off from water,cormorants gain speed by tiptoeing along the surface while flapping their wings.

Upwards of 50,000 double crested cormorants winter in Oklahoma every year. Hopefully, we will find a way to balance thisecological success story with our state’s aquatic resources.


































Species Spotlight: Double-Crested Cormorant

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Species Spotlight: Dark Eyed Junco

http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/wildlifemgmt/species/junco.htm[2/27/2012 4:36:43 PM]

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Dark- Eyed Junco

During the winter in Oklahoma, it is not unusual to find dark-eyedjuncos (Junco hyemalis) at backyard bird feeders or on theground beneath them. In fact, they are an excellent indicator thatwinter has arrived.

These small birds prefer cold climates and retreat north as springarrives. Some populations of juncos can be found in thenortheast United States and Rocky Mountains year-round. Dark-eyed juncos are one of the most abundant forest birds in NorthAmerica and they are also one of the most variable species withseveral subspecies. The bird has a round head, fairly long tail,stout bill and crisp markings. The junco’s color pattern differs withdifferent regions, but in Oklahoma juncos have a slate gray headand chest with a white belly and pale bill. The outer tail feathersare white and can be seen during flight.

Juncos inhabit a variety of habitats. In the spring and summer they can be found in the coniferous and deciduous forests ofNorth America. In the winter, juncos can be found anywhere from parks to backyards and roadsides. Juncos are usuallysolitary but during cold winter months they will form small flocks. They may also form mixed flocks with other small, seed-eating birds like chickadees and nuthatches. Within the flock, a strong hierarchy is present and centered around onedominant male. At feeders, this hierarchy may lead to aggressive behavior and flashing of the tail feathers.

Dark-eyed juncos are ground foragers and hop rather than walk. Like many other species of birds, they are primarily seedeaters although they do eat insects during their breeding season. They mainly forage for food on the ground but sometimesthey fly very low in underbrush collecting food from twigs and leaves. At feeders they favor millet, but will also eat milo,thistle and finely cracked corn.

In the summer breeding months, males are very territorial. They claim their territory by singing from the top of the tallesttree in a two to three-acre area. Juncos are monogamous and only have one mate per breeding season. Males will fan orflick open their wings and tail, hop up and down, and pick up pieces of nesting materials to lure a mate. Usually males withthe most white in their tail are a female’s first choice. Juncos don’t reuse their nests, so every year females build a newone. Nesting material like twigs and moss are weaved together while the female’s body gives the nest its shape. It can takea female three to seven days to build a nest but the male often helps by bringing material.

Like many other bird species, dark-eyed juncos play an important role in maintaining a balanced ecosystem. As seed andinsect eaters, they help disperse seeds and help control insect populations. Watching these birds at backyard feeders is anenjoyable pastime. Birding is easy to learn, inexpensive, and fun for all ages. Dark-eyed juncos are one of the mostcommon visitors to backyard feeders so there is an excellent chance of spotting them. They favor yards with older, maturetrees and low shrubbery. Platform or ground feeders are preferred but they will also eat fallen seeds from hanging feeders.

Every winter the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation encourages people to participate in the annual Winter BirdFeeder Survey. The survey lets bird enthusiasts contribute to bird conservation while enjoying their favorite pastime. Learnmore about participating at wildlifedepartment.com or www.okwinterbirds.com


























http://www.okwinterbirds.com/









Species Spotlight: Dark Eyed Junco

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Species Spotlight: screech

http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/wildlifemgmt/species/screech.htm[2/27/2012 4:36:47 PM]

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Eastern Screech Owl

The Eastern screech owl (Otus asio) is a small, nocturnal, woodland owl. There are two colorvariations - gray and a reddish-brown. Eastern screech owls are often confused with Westernscreech owls. One way to tell the difference is the bill color; the Eastern screech owl has a grey-green bill while the Western has a black bill. They can also be distinguished by their different calls,and only occur together locally in eastern Colorado and southern Texas.

Eastern screech owls fly with a fast, steady wing beat (about five strokes per second). They rarelyglide or hover, but may fly with erratic movements when maneuvering through wooded areas. Whenthreatened, an Eastern screech owl will stretch its body and tighten its feathers in order to look like abranch to avoid detection. Weighing only seven ounces, screech owls are the smallest owls inOklahoma. They are about nine inches tall with a wing span of only 20 inches. The male’s most

common call is an eerie, mellow muted trill given during the mating and nesting seasons. Each call lasts two to threeseconds with about 35 notes given, at various intervals. When in the nest young adults give a whinny call instead of thenormal call. The female Eastern screech owl tends to bark or hoot when sitting on the nest. Screech owls do not call whenin flight unless they are alarmed.Eastern screech owls hunt from dusk to dawn. They do most of their hunting the first four hours of darkness. The Easternscreech owl hunts mainly in flight instead of from the perch. They hunt mostly open woodlands, along tree row edges andwetlands. When prey is spotted they swoop down and grab the prey with their talons. They also catch flying insects on thewing. Small prey is swallowed whole on the spot; larger prey is carried back to the perch and torn into pieces. They hunt awide variety of prey, including large flying insects such as locusts, moths, and dragonflies, and small song birds. But ascreech owl’s most dependable food sources are deer mice and other small rodents.

During the spring breeding season, males approach the females by bobbing their heads up and down and winking at thefemales. If the female accepts the male they will be paired for life unless one of the owls dies. Screech owls nest in treecavities usually six to 20 feet above the ground. They lay three to five eggs on average, and the incubation period will lasts26 to 31 days. Eastern screech owls have been known to live up to 20 years in captivity.

Some of the screech owl’s predators include great horned owls, raccoons, snakes and crows. Eastern screech owls occurthroughout Oklahoma except for Cimarron County. Screech owls are a unique part of Oklahoma’s

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Species Spotlight: screech

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Species Spotlight: American Goldfinch

http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/wildlifemgmt/species/goldfinch.htm[2/27/2012 4:36:50 PM]

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American Goldfinch

With its bright golden body and melodious singing, the American Goldfinch (Carduélis trístis), iseasily mistaken for a canary. Indeed, this bright and cheerful specimen is sometimes called the “wildcanary.”

Found throughout Oklahoma, the Goldfinch is a much more common resident during winter than insummer. It inhabits woodlots, weedy fields, brushy thickets and seed-bearing trees, while preferringa home located near a water source.

Giving the American Goldfinch its canary-like appearance is the bright yellow plumage of the male. In summer, the male’sgolden body is accented by velvety black wings and tail, while the black “cap” further distinguishes it from the female. Thefemales and immature males are brownish in color with olive overtones, lacking the black cap. Winter will find the malesand females nearly identical in appearance; the males discernible only by their darker wings and yellow shoulder patches.

The American Goldfinch’s song is a long, high and sweet “per-chic-o-ree” melody which is readily performed whilecongregating in treetops with other members of its own species, or while gliding through the air in its characteristic rollercoaster, up-and-down trajectory. Looking much like a flock of canaries, a congregation of American Goldfinches is a goldenand mobile choir producing a melody of various notes. It is not until summer that the Goldfinch will disperse and pair-up tonest.

The preferred foods of the Goldfinch are dandelion, thistle, sunflower, and elm seed. Hence, this bird is not difficult toattract to feeders. With its love for thistle seed, an offering of such may be placed in a garden or backyard feeder and thiswill serve as a magnet for these birds. Because the Goldfinch will supplement its summer diet with various insects, it is abeneficial little bird. With its brilliant golden color and seemingly endless array of cheerful notes, the American Goldfinchoffers a beam of sunshine on even the gloomiest winter day.

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Species Spotlight: American Goldfinch

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Species Spotlight: Great Blue Heron

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Great Blue Heron

Most Oklahoma outdoor enthusiasts are quite familiar with the great blue heron (Ardea herodius).The largest and most widely distributed heron in North America, the great blue heron is one ofOklahoma's largest birds.

It can weigh anywhere from five to eight pounds and stand about four feet tall. Their wings aredeeply curved with a massive wingspan of close to six feet. Though generally slate blue inappearance, the great blue heron also has patches of light to grayish feathers on the breast andshoulder areas. The forehead and the top of the head are white, with the crown, crest and legsblack.

Great blue herons live near marshes, swamps, rivers and lakes. Found from southeast Alaska throughout North America toMexico, the Galapagos Islands, and the West Indies, the great blue heron is a year-round resident in Oklahoma. Overhead,great blue herons fly with slow wing beats, their legs held straight back with their necks back to the shoulder in an "S"curve. Flight appears to be slow, but these birds are capable of reaching speeds of up to 35 miles per hour.

You can see this heron in Oklahoma along streams, ponds, and lakes. The bird stands in the shallows not moving amuscle until the split second its prey comes within striking distance. The great blue heron feeds mostly in the daytime,especially at dawn and dusk. It feeds primarily on fish and insects, however, the heron also can dine on frogs,salamanders, turtles, and small water birds and will hunt on land for snakes, and small mammals and birds.

Both male and female have long plumes on their head, neck, and back during the breeding season. To attract the female,the male performs a variety of displays, such as stretching its neck forward with its head and neck feathers erect, thensnapping its bill shut, or flying in a circle above the nesting area with its neck extended.

In Oklahoma, nesting takes place from March through June, depending on location. When building a nest alongside othersof their species, the male gathers the nesting material, and the female uses its bill to work it into the nest. Newly built nestsare often flimsy and relatively small, about 18 inches across. Older nests are more substantial because they are expandedand used repeatedly, some reaching three to four feet across. The normal clutch size is three to four. The light bluish-green to pale olive eggs hatch after about four weeks of incubation.

The young leave the nest in late spring or early summer. Both parents feed the chicks, and upon reaching the nest, theparents are greeted with sounds that resemble the barking of puppies. This causes them to regurgitate the food into theyoung herons’ open bills. The rate of feeding declines as the nestlings mature. The juvenile birds begin flying and foragingaround two months of age. The youngsters remain gray all over with dark crowns until the fall of their third year when theyattain adult plumage with some immature characteristics possibly being retained.

Whether you are out fishing, hunting or just out spending time outdoors, take a moment to enjoy the graceful beauty of thegreat blue heron.


































Species Spotlight: Great Blue Heron

http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/wildlifemgmt/species/blueheron.htm[2/27/2012 4:36:53 PM]


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Species Spotlight: Greater Roadrunner

http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/wildlifemgmt/species/roadrunner.htm[2/27/2012 4:36:56 PM]

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Greater Roadrunner

The greater roadrunner (Geococcyx californianus) is certainly one of Oklahoma’s most fascinatingbirds to watch. Powerful legs, a long tail, oversized bill and shaggy crest give the birds a prehistoricflair that makes them unmistakable among the state’s avian residents.

Roadrunners came by their name naturally. They can sprint up to 20 miles an hour, and will only flyas a last resort. They are actually members of the Cuckoo family, which may explain the comicalantics they often perform. They are, however, intelligent creatures and are quite curious abouthuman activity, often shaking their tail from side to side as they try to figure out what we humans aredoing. These crow-sized predators are skillful hunters and are not picky about what they eat. Aroadrunner’s diet consists of about 90 percent animal matter; the remainder is fruit and seeds.

Roadrunners are perhaps best known for their appetite for snakes, but they will eat anything they can kill with their sharpbeak including lizards, rodents, insects and even other birds. They often control animals that are considered pests.

Roadrunners may look tough, but they are attentive and meticulous parents. During the spring, a male roadrunner canoften be seen carrying a lizard or small snake as an offering to attract a mate. Although they spend most of their lives onthe ground, the parents will build a nest up in a tree where the female lays four to five nearly spherical white eggs. Theparents share the incubating duties and once the eggs hatch, they are both busy feeding their voracious youngsters. Thechicks are ready to leave the nest when they are around three weeks old, but their parents will continue to teach them howto hunt for several more weeks.

Roadrunners often live in extreme climates and are uniquely adapted to conserve energy. On cool nights, they lower theirbody temperature and become lethargic. In the morning, they use a built-in heat exchanger, a patch of dark skin on theback between the wings, to help absorb the warmth of the rising sun. They manipulate their feathers to expose the patch,then find a suitable sunning place and wait for their body to reach normal temperature.

These entertaining birds are not particularly vocal, but they have a wide repertoire, from soft dove-like coos to low, gutturalnotes to sharp, high-pitched barks.

Greater roadrunners prefer open country with little brush to slow them down. That is why they can often be seen alongroadsides. At one time, roadrunners were considered birds of the desert southwest, but their range has expanded eastthrough Oklahoma into Louisiana and Arkansas.

The next time you are in Oklahoma’s outdoors and you see the bright yellow eyes of the roadrunner checking you out, takea minute to look back. You might be pleasantly surprised at what you see.


































Species Spotlight: Greater Roadrunner

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Species Spotlight: Mississippi Kite

http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/wildlifemgmt/species/kite.htm[2/27/2012 4:37:00 PM]

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Mississippi Kite

They say it isn’t nice to talk about others when they are not around, but in the case of the MississippiKite (Ictinia mississippiensis), which won’t be back in town for a few months, an exception is surely inorder. Though Oklahoma birdwatchers are undoubtedly gearing up for a great winter of watchingfeathered visitors in their natural habitats and at backyard bird feeders, it will only be so long beforewinter turns to spring. It’s then that birders look forward to seeing a select group of visitors toOklahoma known as neo-tropical birds. These birds, among them the Mississippi kite, winter south ofthe Equator, but spend spring and summer in the United States and Canada. An acrobatic flyer, thishawk-like bird feeds primarily on insects, is common in suburban areas, and is well known for itsnest defense tactics.

The Mississippi kite can be easily identified by several features including color, shape, and flightpattern. Adults are 13-17 inches long and have a dark gray back, a light gray head and body, and adark gray to black tail. Juveniles have a streaked body and breast and a barred tail with a shallownotch. Both adults and juveniles have red eyes. If coloration can’t be determined due to lighting ordistance, many bird watchers look at the overall shape and flight pattern of the bird to help with

identifications. Mississippi kites are medium sized birds with a long tail and a three foot wingspan. These long, narrowwings are often held in a weak or stretched “M” while flying. Mississippi kites are insectivorous — feeding primarily oninsects — but will also capture reptiles and amphibians. Insects are caught in mid-air and are often eaten while on thewing, or in flight. Foraging areas include open meadows and nearby streams where insects are abundant. In rural areas,these acrobatic birds have even been known to hunt in recently mowed hay fields, taking advantage of the disturbance.

Oklahoma is only a breeding ground for the Mississippi kite. Although they frequent western Oklahoma, they can be seenstatewide. Preferring open woodlands and shrub lands, these opportunistic birds are also common in wooded suburbs. Inthe fall, large groups of kites stage for migration. Winters are spent in South America.

Nests are typically a shallow bowl made of sticks and are found in trees. One to three bluish-white eggs are laid in lateMay, and hatch a month later. Both parents take part in incubation and care for the young. Chicks fledge, or leave the nestfor the first time, five weeks after hatching.

Mississippi kites will aggressively defend their nests and will dive at any intruder — including humans — that gets too close.A simple way to avoid getting “attacked” is to leave the area alone until after the chicks fledge. Like many other birds,Mississippi kites are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, and it is against the law to even “attempt topursue any migratory bird, nest, egg, or part thereof.” If Mississippi kites are nesting on your property, or in your favoritepark, it is best to watch from a distance, keep your pet on a leash while at the park, and enjoy the experience.

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Species Spotlight: Mississippi Kite

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Species Spotlight: Mourning Dove

http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/wildlifemgmt/species/mourn_dove.htm[2/27/2012 4:37:03 PM]

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Mourning Dove

The mourning dove (Zenaida macroura) is a common sight at bird feedersacross Oklahoma. It gets its name from its low, moaning "coo-ooo-ooo". Theyare often seen perched on telephone wires, fence lines and foraging for seedson the ground.

As you may have guessed, the mourning dove is a member of the dove family(Columbidae). These attractive birds are long, and buff-colored with a smallhead, a plump body and a long pointed tail. Their eyes have a blue ring offeatherless skin around them. Males will be slightly larger than females, andfemales will have more of a brown coloring. When they are taking flight andlanding, their wings will make a sharp "whistling" sound. They are fast in flight,capable of reaching speeds of 55 miles per hour. Mourning doves are quickand maneuverable while in flight and can escape most predators.

They are primarily found in open country, areas with scattered trees, woodlandedges and urban areas in communal roosts, except during mating season when they split off into breeding pairs. They willeat approximately 12 to 20 percent of their body weight in seeds each day. They feed on the ground in agricultural fields,grasslands, backyards and roadsides. Mourning doves are attracted to a wide range of seed types, such as, corn, millet,sunflower seeds, wheat, pine nuts, sweet-gum seeds and many more. While they will actively forage on seeds that arereadily visible, they will not dig or scratch for seeds.

Breeding season for this bird takes places from February through October. When a mated pair begins to build a nest, themale will gather materials and bring them to the female, which will then build the nest. Building materials for the nestinclude pine needles, grass blades and twigs. The nests are built in trees, shrubs, guttering on houses and occasionally onthe ground when a better location is not available.

Mated pairs are monogamous during the mating season and many will stay together during the winter and pair back up thefollowing spring. Both parents care for their young. They will lay two eggs, and both parents will incubate them for 14 days.While the adults live almost exclusively on seeds, their young are fed crop milk, which is a high energy substance that bothparents will provide the first three to four days. Young mourning doves will leave the nest around 15 days after hatching,but will stay in the nesting area and beg for food from the male until they have become more proficient at flying, whichhappens when they reach around 30 days of age.

If a predator is near their nest, the adults will lure them away by using a broken wing display and staying on the ground as ifit is injured until the predator approaches, at which time they will fly away. In warmer climates, they can be prolific breeders,with the potential to raise up to six broods in a single year. That is more than any other native bird species. Sexual maturityis reached around 85 days of age. The average lifespan of mourning doves in the wild is 1.5 years.

Mourning doves will migrate two times each year, once in the spring and another during the fall. During the fall migration,the young or immature birds will go first, followed by the females, then the males. Some individuals will skip migration dueto the abundant food supply found at bird feeders. When migrating, they will travel in large flocks and fly at low altitudes.

Mourning doves are the most widespread and abundant game bird in North America. Each year hunters harvest more than20 million birds, but it remains one of our most abundant bird species in the U.S. In Oklahoma dove season is often viewedas the "kick-off" to the fall hunting season each year.

Next time you are out driving around or watching your bird feeder keep an eye open for this beautiful bird.


































Species Spotlight: Mourning Dove

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Species Spotlight: Neotropical Migrant Songbirds

http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/wildlifemgmt/species/neotropical.htm[2/27/2012 4:37:06 PM]

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Neotropical Migrant Songbirds

What is a Neotropical Migrant?Flight gives birds tremendous mobility and allows them to make dramatic seasonal movements in response to changingseasons and food availability. Many birds do not remain in Oklahoma throughout the year. Instead, they migrate south tospend winter months in Central and South America or the Caribbean islands. These birds that breed in North America butmigrate to the new-world (neo) tropics are known as Neotropical migrants.

Nationwide, approximately 160 species of birds are considered Neotropical migrants. Over 60 of Oklahoma's 180 breedingbird species are migrants. They occur in every habitat from short-grass prairies to moist forests and represent 14 differentfamilies and subfamilies as diverse as hummingbirds, flycatchers, thrushes and warblers. Neotropical migrants have oneattribute in common: they all feed on insects to some extent and depend upon them to feed their young.

Threats to Neotropical Migrants

Surveys conducted of breeding bird populations have shown significant population declines of 23 (34 percent) ofOklahoma's migrants. No one is certain why these Neotropical migrants have declined, but habitat loss and degradationare considered to be primary factors. With additional perils from habitat loss, predation, cowbird parasitism and pesticides, itappears the migrants' future will become more precarious.

Habitat fragmentation breaks large pieces of habitat into smaller ones, and probably is the migrants' greatest threat. Sincesettlement days, large tracts of prairie and oak scrub and deciduous forest have been fragmented by crop fields, roads andhousing developments. Most migrants are adapted to life in the center of the prairie or woods and are now decliningbecause their habitat is less suitable.

The open, cup-shaped nests built by most migrants leave eggs and young more vulnerable to predators such as raccoons,snakes, blue jays and crows. Unfortunately for most songbirds, these nest predators do well along forest and prairie edgesand their impact on migrant nesting success may be increasing.

Brown-headed cowbirds do not build their own nests, but instead lay eggs in unattended nests of other songbirds. Manyforest birds are not adapted to cowbird parasitism and as a result, raise the cowbird young as their own, lowering thenumber of their young raised. In most cases, the growing cowbird chick outcompetes the host bird's chicks.

Pesticides rarely kill birds or other wildlife directly, but their indirect effects are not well understood. They may reduce birds'abilities to withstand the physiological stresses of migration and certainly reduce insect populations, which in turn mayreduce the bird's ability to successfully raise young.

Common Nighthawk (Chordeiles minor) The common nighthawk, is one of the few nocturnal Neotropical migrants. Maleand female plumages are identical; both sexes are mottled brown and in flight, a distinctive white bar can be seen on theunderside of each wing. Although not related to hawks, they derive their name from their feeding behavior in which they"hawk" (catch in mid-air) night-flying insects such as moths and beetles. These birds are more closely related towhippoorwills and Chuck-will's widows. Nighthawks do not build a conventional nest; they scrape a shallow depression inthe ground for two speckled brown eggs that both adults incubate. If the birds leave the nest, the eggs also arecamouflaged. Nighthawks nest throughout the state in pastures, open woodlands, gravel parking lots and flat-roofedhouses. In winter, they migrate to Brazil and Argentina.

Prairie Warbler (Dendroica discolor) The prairie warbler is an uncommon bird of scrubby woods and thickets in the easternhalf of the state. Prairie warblers prefer young forests, thickets and willow scrub along streams. The male has a brightyellow head and breast with bold black streaks, and an olive green back and wings. The female's plumage is a more subtlegreenish-yellow. Shrub-dwelling insects, especially caterpillars, comprise most of their diet. Prairie warblers raise one ortwo broods of three to four young each summer in a small cupped nest of grass and stems constructed in a shrub or




































sapling. In winter, prairie warblers migrate southeast to the Gulf Coast, Florida and the Caribbean.

Blue Grosbeak (Guiraca caerulea) Blue grosbeaks are small songbirds -approximately 6- 7 inches long -with a conical billadapted for eating seeds. Males are blue with rusty wing bars, while females are brown with faint rusty wing bars. Theymost frequently are found in thickets, fencerows and riparian scrub along creeks throughout the state but are less commonin the northwest and panhandle. They feed upon seeds year- round, but add insects to their summer diet. They normallyraise two broods of three to five young each summer in a small cup of grass and weed stems placed 5-15 feet above theground in a dense shrub or sapling. They form flocks on their Mexico and Central America wintering grounds.

Dickcissel (Spiza americana) The dickcissel is a common but often overlooked bird of grasslands and agricultural fieldsstatewide but is uncommon in the panhandle and the southeast. They resemble small meadowlarks but have short conicalbills. Both males and females have a chestnut patch on the wing, while only males have a yellow breast with a black "V'marking. The adult's diet consists of grass and wildflower seeds, as well as grasshoppers and other insects. One or twobroods of young are raised each year and primarily fed insects. The nest is a grass cup that usually is built within 10 feet ofthe ground in a shrub or clump of tall grass. Dickcissels winter from Mexico to Venezuela

Scarlet Tanager (Piranga olivacea) Scarlet tanagers are found in large tracts of mature oak and hickory forests in theeastern fifth of Oklahoma. Males are a brilliant scarlet -red with black wings and tail feathers, and females are a softyellowish-green with slightly darker wings and tail. Tanagers spend most of their time in tree canopies searching forinsects, but will eat small fruits when available, especially on their wintering grounds in forests of Venezuela and northernBrazil. Tanagers raise one brood of three or four young each year. Prior to fall migration, the male molts his red feathersand takes on the female's yellowish color.

Black-capped Vireo (Vireo atricapillus) The black-capped vireo is one example of a Neotropical migrant that has declinedto the point where it now is classified as an endangered species. This small bird once was common in western and centralOklahoma, but only a few hundred remain today, mostly in the scrub oak-covered hillsides of the Wichita Mountains. Maleshave a black cap and neck. The female's cap is gray but both sexes have white spectacles and yellowish sides. Theymostly eat caterpillars and other insects. The vireo's nest is a small hanging cup of grass, lichen and spider webs,suspended from a shrub's branch two to five feet above the ground. They may raise one or two broods of three or fourchicks before migrating to western Mexico for the winter.

Cliff Swallow (Hirundo pyrrhonota) Cliff swallows nest in colonies throughout Oklahoma, where each pair constructs anoven-shaped nest of mud on the side of a cliff or under abridge or building eaves. They are most common in Oklahoma'swestern and central counties. Their diet is made up of small flying insects. This species can be distinguished by its longpointed wings, square tail, orange rump patch and buff-colored forehead. Cliff swallows have one of the longest migrationroutes, traveling to southern Brazil and Argentina for the winter.

Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula) The Baltimore oriole perhaps is best known for its hanging, basket-like nest. The femaleconstructs the intricately woven nest on the end of a tall tree branch. Orioles inhabit deciduous woodlands of elm andcotton- wood along streams and around towns and farms statewide but are uncommon in the southeast and far west.Caterpillars, beetles arid other tree- dwelling insects comprise most of the oriole's diet, but they also eat small fruits andnectar of some flowers. The oriole is well known for the male's fiery orange and black plumage. Females have an orange-yellow breast and olive-brown back and wings. They spend the winter from southern Mexico to northern South America.

Painted Bunting (Passerina ciris) The male painted bunting is one of Oklahoma's most colorful songbirds, with his metallicblue head, brilliant red breast and belly and bright green back. Females are a soft yellow-green that blends in well with theoak thickets they frequent. Painted buntings are most common in scrubby, blackjack/post oak woods in the central half ofthe state. They mostly eat seeds, but insects also are important, especially to their growing young. The nest is a cup-shaped bowl of grass built a few feet off the ground in a shrub or sapling. Unlike many Neotropical migrants, male paintedbuntings retain their colorful plumage while on Mexico and Central America wintering grounds.

Why Do Some Songbirds Migrate?

Birds migrate primarily to find food. The shortage of insects, rather than cold weather, is the main factor that forcesNeotropical migrants to move. Biologists once believed that these migrants originated in the Northern hemisphere and wereforced south with the advent of winter. How- ever, most now believe that these birds originated in the tropics and began tomove northward each summer to take advantage of the abundant insect population of our northern summer. The longerday length of the temperate summer allows for rapid plant growth and as a consequence, insects become abundant. Thisabundance draws the tropical birds north.

Searching for Summer’s Winged Jewels

For the most part, Neotropical migrants are not common backyard birds. Some colorful species, such as the Northernoriole, dickcissel, barn swallow and scissor-tailed flycatcher, are common along roadsides and around pastures and farms.However, most Neotropical migrants are found in forests, thickets and prairies away from human development. Exceptduring migration, many of these species are rarely seen by most people.




The spring return of migrants to Oklahoma begins with the purple martin's arrival during the first weeks of March, andbuilds slowly to a peak in early May. In almost any wooded park on a spring morning, you may see small flocks of brightlycolored birds foraging voraciously in the trees, often ignoring the birdwatchers eager to see these winged jewels. This briefwindow of time provides unparalleled opportunities to see otherwise hard-to-see species, yet we are only experiencing atiny portion of a massive continental wave. By late May, migration is complete and the birds have set up their summerterritories. Within three months they'll complete their nesting cycle and begin their long journey south.

Most Neotropical migrants winter in Central America and the larger islands of the Caribbean. Geography dictates thatmillions of birds are packed into a small area each winter. While the potential . breeding grounds in the U.S. and Canadaencompass nearly 25 million square miles, the entire land mass from Mexico to Panama is less than 4 million square miles.More than half of all Neotropical migrants funnel into this small area.

Always on the Move

Migration often is a long ordeal and one that requires a great deal of energy. Migrant songbirds primarily fly at night andspend the day finding food to build fat reserves for the next leg of their journey. Most migrants embark on a 20-hournonstop flight over as much as 650 miles from coastal Louisiana and Mississippi across the Gulf of Mexico and to theYucatan peninsula. Some migrants, including Oklahoma's, follow a route along the west coast of the Gulf of Mexico throughMexico and into Central America. While birds can stop to rest and feed along the way, this route may be up to three timeslonger.

You Can Help Migratory Birds

Some of the problems facing migratory songbirds start in our own backyards and communities. Habitat loss andfragmentation from real estate development, agriculture and other activities are the single greatest causes of decliningsongbird populations in the United States. Development slowly chips away at Oklahoma' s last large tracts of forest andgrasslands and is a tremendous threat to migratory birds. Many areas now lack the minimum habitat birds use forstopovers along their migration routes.

Protecting these areas requires local action and provides many opportunities for citizen activists to preserve habitat atcommunity and state levels. Identification of high-priority songbird species and habitats, development of conservationstrategies, and protection and management of lands through purchase, easement and zoning all can be carried out bycitizens working through county and state jurisdictions. Each of us also can do the following:

Create habitat and provide food sources by planting native trees, shrubs and flowering plants; leave snag trees aspotential nesting sites.

Educate others about the threats migratory songbirds face in two continents.

Volunteer to participate in monitoring projects such as Breeding Bird Surveys and Migration Counts, which censussongbird populations.

Donate money to groups that purchase habitat in North and South America, including the Oklahoma Department ofWildlife Conservation's Habitat Donor Program.

"Search for the Scissortail" on the state tax form and donate part of your tax refund to the Nongame Wildlife Programto assist other groups through "Partners in Flight."

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BOBWHITE QUAIL Colinus virginianus

Average length 10 inches. Average weight 6 ounces. General body covering above, reddishbrown and gray. Whitish below with narrow V-shaped barring. The eye stripe and throat inthe male are white, in the female, yellowish-buff. Tail feathers are slate-gray. Preferred habi-tat is edge cover, where open fields meet woods or thickets. Diet of insects, various weedseeds and some domestic grains. Breeds mid-May to early August. Usually 14 to 16 whiteeggs are laid in a well-hollowed nest of dry grasses, straw, weed stalks and bark strips ifavailable. Nest usually located along overgrown fence row or in neglected corner of field.Incubation period approximately 23 days. Young are precocious, able to leave nest and seekfood with parent birds as soon as down dries. Birds remain in group called "covey" exceptduring breeding season. When bedding down for the night, all the birds in a covey form atight circle with all heads falling outward. Range. Statewide.

WILD TURKEY Meleagris gallopavo

The Rio Grande subspecies (M. gallopavo intermedia) occurs in the central and western two-thirds of the state, whereas the Eastern subspecies (M. gallopavo silvestris) inhabits the east-ern one-third of the state. The Eastern is larger (15 to 27 pounds) than the Rio Grande (12to20 pounds). Color generally an irridescent copper with sheens of reddish brown and green.The head and upper neck are bare of feathers, covered instead by powder-blue skin fromwhich reddish or purplish wattles hang downward. Tail feathers are brown, barred with blackand are buffy at the tips. In addition, the adult male is marked by a pendant tuft of hairlikefeathers called the "beard" in the center of the breast. Diet consists of acorns, berries, insectsand some domestic crops such as peanuts and corn. Breeds late March to early June. Nestconsists of a hollow lined with grass and leaves, usually under shelter of a dense bush or log.Hen lays 8-15 cream colored eggs spotted with reddish brown and lilac. Incubation period 4weeks.

RING-NECKED PHEASANT Phasianus colchicus

Average length, including tail, 33 inches for males, 21 inches for females. Weight 1 1/2-3pounds. The male has a green head with bare red eye patch and a white ring around the neck.The russet breast is spotted with black, the back is variously hued with green, fawn and lightgold, and the bright gold tail is regularly barred with black. The hen is a drab bird compared toher mate, her color being an overall light brown spotted with dark brown. Preferred habitatagricultural areas typified by extensive fields of grain crops. Diet of wild and domestic grains,insects and berries. Mating season June-August. Eight to 13 olive brown, occasionally paleblue eggs are laid in a natural hollow in grass or a grain field. Incubation period 23-25 days.Young are precocious and leave nest soon after hatching. Range: Panhandle counties and thenorth-western and north central counties of Kay, Grant, Alfalfa, Woods, Woodward andHarper.

OKLAHOMA GAME BIRDS

GREATER PRAIRIE CHICKEN Tympanuchus cupido

Average length 18 inches. Average weight 2 pounds. Body coloration pale yellowish brownabove to whitish below. Entire body strongly barred with dark brown to black markings. Tail ofmale is black, that of female is barred. Yellow-orange air sacs, present on males only, arelocated on each side of the neck and are inflated and deflated to produce the peculiar "boom-ing" mating call. Preferred habitat prairie grasslands. Diet of grasshoppers, other insects,leaves, buds and various seeds, some cultivated. Height of mating season in May, althoughbooming may begin as early as March. Mates April-June. The nest, a slight depression in opencountry, is thinly lined with grass and a few feathers. It is usually sheltered by grass tufts orbushes. The 7-17 olive buff eggs are spotted with brown in varying degrees. Incubation peri-od approximately 24 days. Range: Ten northeastern counties in state.

LESSER PRAIRIE CHICKEN Tympanuchus pallidicinctus

Average length 16 inches Average weight 1 1/2 pounds. Entire body light buff shading to whitebeneath. Heavily barred overall with light and dark brown markings. The lesser prairie chick-en's overall coloration is paler than that of the greater prairie chicken. The inflatable air sacson either side of the neck in the male birds are pink. Preferred habitat sand sage and shinneryoak regions of the plains. Diet of grasshoppers, various weed and domestic seeds and somegreen leaves and buds. Mating season April-June. The nest usually consists of a slight depres-sion thinly lined with grass and a few feathers, usually located in fairly open country, and shel-tered by grass tufts or bushes. Seven to 17 olive buff eggs are less spotted than that of thegreater species. Incubation period approximately 24 days. Range: Roger Mills, Ellis,Woodward and Beaver Counties.

SCALED QUAIL Callipepla squamata

Average length 11 inches. Average weight 6 1/2 ounces. Color above an even bluish-ash.Below. light gray to whitish with scale-like markings on the breast and hindneck. Head crest-ed with grayish brown. Tip of crest cottony white, hence the name "cottontop." Often called"blue quail." Preferred habitat rocky barren plains or semi-desert country. Diet consists ofinsects, weed seeds, some succulent green grasses and cultivated grains. Breeds mid-May toearly August. Eggs vary in color from white to buff and are spotted with brown. Incubation peri-od approximately 23 days. Nest consists of a slight hollow scooped out of the sand beneath aclump of weeds or grass or under a bush. Usually lined with a few leaves or coarse grasses.Young leave nest when down dries. Range: Few in Harmon and Greer Counties: main popu-lation in Cimarron County in far west panhandle of state.

MOURNING DOVEZenaidura macroura

Average length 12 inches, including long pointed tail. Average weight 4 ounces. A streamlinedbird with plump body, small head and long, pointed tail having a brownish back flecked withblack spots and the breast is tan to light rose. The white edged tail feathers are plainly visiblewhen the bird spreads its tail, such as when it first takes flight. The feet and legs are light redto light purple. Preferred habitat varies. Diet includes a variety of weed seeds, sunflower seedsand various domestic grains such as sorghum and corn. Breeds late March-September. Oneto three, usually two white eggs are laid in a flimsy, shallow nest of loosely woven twigs placedin the fork or on a horizontal branch in the lower limbs of a tree or in a large bush. Incubationperiod approximately 15 days. The blind and helpless young are fed "pigeon milk" from the billof the parents. Young leave the nest at 12-15 days. Range. Statewide.

WOODCOCK Philohela minor

Average length 11 inches. Average weight 6 1/2 ounces. Plump-bodied birds, woodcock arecinnamon-brown with black bars on the back. The knob-like head, long, pointed bill and largeeyes are distinctive. Preferred habitat thickets of alder and switch cane along creek and riverbottoms. Diet consists mainly of earthworms, but they also eat insect larvae, beetles, seedsand berries. Nocturnal in feeding habits, woodcock prefer to spend daylight hours in seclusionin shaded thickets. When flushed, the short, rounded wings make a whistling sound. Mates inearly spring. Eggs number 3-4 and are buffy to grayish-white. They are irregularly and thicklyspotted with pale reddish brown. Range: Eastern 1/2 of state; most heavily concentrated inextreme southeast.

Species Spotlight: Osprey

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Osprey

If you ever have the opportunity to sit beside a large lake, like Texoma or Eufaula, and watch theosprey (Pandion haliaetus) dive into the cold water for a fish meal, you will be amazed at theshow.

The osprey is a large, eagle-sized bird of prey whose diet consists mainly of fish, but has beenknown to eat rodents, reptiles and other birds. They hover over the water in search of anunsuspecting fish swimming close to the surface. Once located they dive into the water withwings back and talons ready to capture their prey and fly back to the nest or perch. Ospreyshave been known to hit the water with such force that they break their wings. An adult can carrya fish up to four pounds, but have been drowned by large fish, like salmon and sturgeon, too bigfor the osprey to carry off.

Adults range in length from 21-24 1/2 inches with a wingspan of 54-72 inches wide. Females are usually larger than males,but sexes look alike otherwise. Adults have a dark brown back with a white underbelly. The breast can be somewhatspotted or streaked with brown. The top of the head is white similar to the bald eagle, although ospreys also have adistinguishing dark band that runs across the side of their head. The undersides of the narrow wings have dark spots onthe sharp bend of the wing. Nesting takes place either singly or in colonies, in large, dead or dying trees in nests made of limbs, twigs, bones,seaweed, grass and most any other form of support. Both parents help build the nest and will use the same nest year afteryear. Nests have been known to weigh up to half a ton. Man has tried to help the osprey with nesting by building nestingplatforms for them to use as well. This practice has helped to increase nesting efforts in certain areas. Ospreys have beenknown to nest in some other out of the ordinary places like chimneys of houses, telephone poles, tops of duck blinds, rockledges and on school buildings.

Nesting takes place from January to April in temperate parts of the U.S. Gestation is 32-33 days. Incubation begins with thefirst egg laid and usually consists of three eggs total. Eggs range in color from white to light brown with dark blotches. Thefemale will not catch her own prey during incubation, but will rely on the male to feed her. Young will make their first flightafter about seven and half to eight weeks.

Young will return back to their natal area after approximately two to three years. Just like their cousin the bald eagle, adultospreys will not breed until their third year.

The best time to watch for this magnificent bird is throughout the fall and winter. Whether you’re a veteran bird watcher or aweary traveler, the osprey is a beautiful and graceful bird of prey you won’t want to miss seeing in your travels throughoutOklahoma.


































Species Spotlight: Osprey

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Species Spotlight: Purple Martin

http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/wildlifemgmt/species/purple_martin.htm[2/27/2012 4:37:13 PM]

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Purple Martin

February is upon us, which means neighbors will soon be arriving from the south.These “neighbors” are Neotropical migrant birds who typically winter in Central andSouth America before returning in mid-February to Oklahoma for the summermonths. One of the loveliest Neotropical migrants is the purple martin. With a littleplanning and effort, Okie residents can make sure these colorful neighbors enjoythe area enough to stay long-term—by building a purple martin house.

Martins are members of the swallow family that nest in colonies often near humanbuildings. Since martins like people, it is safe to place houses close to humanactivity. Martins feed on insects, so they need a clear view of open space in whichto feed. Keep houses at least 40 feet away from buildings, trees and otherobstructions. Houses should be placed between 12 to 14 feet off the ground.

American Indians used to attract purple martins to their villages by hanging gourds.All these years later, gourds are still a great way to provide shelter for martins.

Well-maintained gourds can last up to 30 years. To prepare gourds, soak them for 15 minutes in a copper sulfate solution(one pound copper sulfate dissolved in five gallons of water). After they are dried, paint them with white oil-based paint tominimize heat. The entrance hole should be 2-1/4 inches in diameter, and three to six quarter-inch drainage holes shouldbe drilled into the bottom.

Houses made from PVC pipe material and masonite also are available. PVC structures are inexpensive to construct andvery durable but can be difficult to clean. Wood houses should be 1/2-inch to 3/4-inch thick to insulate against heat andcold.

Several boxes may be set up in the same yard. When "fully" occupied, a house will have a percentage of compartmentsvacant. The occupancy rate can be increased by using porch dividers between "apartments."

Martin houses should maintain a relatively cool temperature. Since martins prefer to nest in open areas where they areexposed to direct sunlight, painting houses white to reflect heat and providing proper ventilation will help prevent excessiveheat build-up. Ventilation is also important, so make sure the structure has small holes drilled in each compartment.

It sometimes takes several years to attract martins to a new site. If the house is not used in the spring, just leave it up untilafter fall migration. Young birds may discover it as they head south. And once they discover it, more martins will follow. Withjust a little work, your own home will soon be part of a thriving community of lovely purple martins.

Purple Martin in Oklahoma Brochure


























http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/wildlifemgmt/species/purplemartin.PDF









Species Spotlight: Purple Martin

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Species Spotlight: Red-headed Woodpecker

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Red-headed Woodpecker

It's called the Melanerpes erythrocephalus, but for everyday purposes, it's known as the red-headedwoodpecker. Fanciers of this interesting Oklahoma bird can see them all winter in parts of the stateand during the summer statewide.

As the name implies, adults have bright red heads, necks and upper breasts, but immature birdshave buff-brown heads and necks. Its back is entirely black with contrasting white plumage on thechest, belly and rump. The wings are also black with a bold contrasting white patch.

Red-headed woodpeckers typically forage alone or in small groups. In the winter they are oftenfound in nut-bearing trees suck as oaks and hickories across southern Canada and the eastern-

central United States, including Oklahoma. The number of red-headed woodpeckers that winter in Oklahoma varies greatlydepending upon acorn production and weather. In late summer month, this species can be found statewide.This attractive woodpecker feed on seeds, nuts, fruits and insects, such as grasshoppers and others. Acorns are importantpart of their diet and can affect the abundance of red-headed woodpeckers in years of poor mast crops. On the otherhand, years with good mast production tens to show better numbers of birds. Acorns and other foods are often stashed or"cached" in tree cavities. May to July encompasses the nesting season for red-headed woodpeckers, when they inhabitopen areas broken up by mature trees. They also can be seen along creek and river bottoms.

Females often nest in dead trees about two feet deep on beds of wood chips. They lay about five eggs which the malehelps incubate. It is believed that eggs are incubated for about two weeks and the young stay within the nest for about amonth.

Red-headed woodpeckers are one of 11 woodpecker species found in Oklahoma and one of 25 found in North America.Though woodpeckers are one of the easiest families of birds to identify and though woodpeckers are quire common inOklahoma some species can be difficult to distinguish from others. IN the case of the red-headed woodpecker, it may beconfused with red-bellied woodpeckers, also found in Oklahoma. However, the red-bellied woodpeckers lack the bold whitebreast, wing and rump plumage of the red headed woodpecker.

Birds like the red-headed woodpecker and other woodpeckers are count annually in the Oklahoma Department of WildlifeConservation's Winter Bird Feeder Survey. In 2007, nearly 1,700 woodpeckers were counted in the survey, 104 of whichwere red-headed woodpeckers.


































Species Spotlight: Red-headed Woodpecker

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Species Spotlight: Ring-necked Pheasant

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Ring-necked Pheasant

The Ring-necked Pheasant (Phasianus colhicus) is a familiar sight in rural north central andnorthwest Oklahoma. Although not indigenous to the United States, this Asian native wassuccessfully introduced in 1857. Now pheasants are found from New England to California, and arewell established as a popular game species in many states, including the Sooner State.

Both sexes have stout, yellowish beaks and short, rounded wings – but few other similarities. Theshowy males, called cocks or roosters, may be quickly distinguished by their handsome, glossyplumage and long, pointed tails that may be more than 20 inches in length. The head and neck areiridescent blue-green or purple, separated from the rest of the body by the conspicuous white collar

from which the species gets its name. Males, which may weigh more than 2-1/2 pounds, are further characterized by brightred patches of bare skin on the cheeks, which form wattles below the eyes. Feathers along the sides of head are long andform an erectile double crest that resembles ears or horns. Finally, males are noted for the multiple hues and patterns ontheir body and wing feathers, and the spurs on the backs of their bare legs.

Females called hens, while still beautiful by other standard, and are drab compared to their mates. Their coloration is asimple combination of light and dark browns, with a shorter tail and no head crest. Hens weigh approximately two pounds.

Pheasants prefer cultivated farmland habitat mixed with weedy fencerows, ditches and corners. Although they are swiftrunners and prefer to travel overland, when flushed these birds generally fly toward timber of thick brush for escape cover.However, pheasants are commonly seen out in wide-open fields where they feed on waste grains and weed seeds. Insects,especially grasshoppers, beetles and caterpillars, compose the remainder of their diet.

Beginning in early spring, cocks begin courtship by strutting for females. The ear tufts are raised and the bare skin on theheads becomes engorged and brilliant red. Males establish crowing territories with a bantam-like “knock-ack”! followed bya loud clapping of wings. Males often fight each other – with fights lasting until one runs away or is completely exhaustedand beaten. The dominant male will have earned the right to breed with the on looking female, and during the breedingseason may mate with two, three, four or more hens.

Hens usually establish nest sites within the male’s crowing territory, which may cover a few acres. Nests are located incover, on ground in a shallow depression lined with bits of grass and weeds. Ten to 12 dark green-buff or rich brown-oliveeggs are laid and incubated by the female (cocks occasionally incubate eggs too). Sometimes larger clutches may beseen, which are usually the result of two hens using the same nest. Pheasants also will lay in the nests of ducks, quail,turkeys, domestic chickens and other birds.

After 23-25 days of incubation chicks are hatched and are able to walk and run almost immediately. The young developquickly and are able to fly short distances at only seven days of age. They remain with the female, and occasionally withthe adult pair, for several weeks. Hens use the “cripple bird” act to lure predators away from the young. When danger haspassed, one or both parents gather the brood and resume helping them find food and sheltering them from the cold or wetweather.

The average life span for ring necks is remarkably short. Many young do not live beyond October 1, and the average adultmale live only 10 months. Females live about 20 months. The maximum age, estimated from a single bird kept in a zoo, isabout six years.

Several myths surround the ring-necked pheasant. An old belief that these birds feed heavily on quail chicks is completelyunfounded.

And there are many explanations of why pheasant introductions have never taken in eastern central and southernOklahoma. Chiggers, mites, weather patterns, agricultural practices and soil chemistry have all been suspected but as yetthere is no biological evidence to support any of these claims.


































Species Spotlight: Ring-necked Pheasant

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Species Spotlight: Ring-necked Duck

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Ring-necked Duck

Against steel-gray skies a squadron of birds screams across the outside edge of the decoys,seemingly daring the hiding hunters to attempt a shot. But the hunters wait, and soon their patienceis rewarded. A pair of handsome drake ring-necks dressed in their formal winter finest are brought tohand; a true prize for both the game strap and the skillet.

The ring-necked duck (Aythya collaris) is found across North America with the exception of the Arcticregion. Adults are approximately seven to eight inches long and weigh about two pounds, andfemales are typically smaller than males. Males are mostly black with a white belly and rings of grayaround the base of the bill. The female has tan sides, a brown back and a white belly, with a lesspronounced bill ring. The female’s eyes are also often a darker color than the male’s eyes.

"Ringbill" is the name hunters have given this diving duck of forested ponds and bogs, because the two white rings on itsbill are much more visible than its brownish collar. A powerful swimmer, the ring-necked duck can forage to depths of 40feet in search of plant and animal fare.

Ring-necked ducks are mainly vegetarian, typically about 80 percent of their diet consists of seeds, pondweeds and tubers.The ducks do, however, supplement their diets with insect larvae, mollusks, worms, and crustaceans. Their intake ofinvertebrates (especially aquatic insect and snails) increases after arrival on breeding grounds in Canada. Young ring-necks eat mostly invertebrates, particularly during their first two to three weeks after hatching.

In March, while on the way back from their wintering grounds in the southern U.S., ring-necks begin pairing up with theirmates in preparation for courtship. The males are known to throw their head back as it swims away in an effort to enticethe female to follow him. Ring-necked duck nests are built on floating islands or in open marshes. The female selects thenest location and builds the nest from surrounding vegetation. The female starts laying her eggs from late April to earlyJune. Clutches of eight eggs are considered typical, but can range from six to 14 eggs. The eggs are a milky white color.The female incubates her clutch for a period of about 27 days.

Next time you are out and you spot a ring-necked duck, or even a pair of them, take a minute to watch their behavior.Because they have such a deep diving ability, they make for interesting entertainment.


































Species Spotlight: Ring-necked Duck

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Species Spotlight: Ruby-throated Hummingbird

http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/wildlifemgmt/species/hummingbird2.htm[2/27/2012 4:37:26 PM]

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Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Close your eyes and imagine a creature with proportionally the largest brain and wing muscles in theworld; one that can fly backwards and upside down, and has a tongue as long its body. Now openyour eyes. What did you imagination conjure up – a pterodactyl or some exotic tropical species yet tobe discovered? How about a hummingbird!?

Rudy-throated hummingbirds (Archilochus colubris) are one of four species of hummers known tovisit Oklahoma (the other three species include the black-chinned, rufous and broad-tailed). There are at least 319 speciesin the eastern half of the United States.

Measuring 3-3/4 inches and weighing only 2.5 to 3.5 grams, the ruby-throated is Oklahoma’s smallest bird. What it lacks insize, it makes up for in character. Its flying agility is matched by no other in the animal kingdom and its chief competitor forfood is not other birds, but nectar-loving insects.The ruby-throated hummingbird’s metabolic rate (the rate at which it uses energy) is the highest of any warm-bloodedvertebrate except the shrew. They must consume over half their weight in sugars each day to fuel this high metabolism,creating an apparent, often-humorous sugar high not unlike that of a six-year-old after Halloween trick-or-treating. In fact, ahyper hummer’s wings beat 70 times a second while hovering and up to 200 times a second during the diving, erratic flightsof courtship.

Depending on angle and amount of light, ruby-throats can appear different colors. Basically, the back and crown feathersare green on both sexes. Males display fiery red throat feathers, or gorgets, while females sport clear or faintly dottedgorgets and an additional white band on the tips of tail feathers. Immature ruby-throats resemble females until the youngmales begin to acquire a few red feathers on their gorgets. Identification sometimes can be extra-challenging becausefemale black-chinned hummingbirds are practically indistinguishable from female and juvenile ruby-throats. However,especially in full sunlight, a mature ruby-throated male is unmistakable.

Ruby-throats are considered neotropical migrants, meaning they nest in North America and winter in Central and SouthAmerica. Their summer range extends north as far as southern Canada. By fall, ruby-throats have gained enough weightand strength to fly back across the gulf of Mexico to return to their wintering areas. One popular myth suggests thathummers hitchhike on the backs of migrating geese, but these little birds annually prove they need no help to complete thejourney.

Ruby-throated hummers start showing up in Oklahoma in mid-march and early April. Males arrive and depart first, withmost leaving Oklahoma by September. Females and their young may stick around until mid-October while some stragglersoccasionally stay and over winter in Oklahoma.

After arriving here in the spring, the first order of business is mating and quickly constructing a nest. Nests are not muchlarger than walnut shells and are made of plant down, spider webs and lichens. they're usually located 10-20 feet abovethe ground in the fork of a branch.

The female lays two eggs about the size of navy beans, usually one day apart. The young hatch in 14-16 days and areready to venture out on their own after about three weeks. It is not uncommon for mating pairs to produce two or threebroods in a season.

Hummingbirds have been a backyard favorite for many Oklahomans. Sugar-water feeders specifically designed forhummers can bring them close to your home for viewing. Use a formula of one part sugar to four parts boiled water, whichsimulates natural flower nectar. Never use honey, sugar substitutes or red food coloring in the mixture. Commercial feedersare usually red enough to attract hummers. Biologists suggest placing feeders in the shade outside a favorite window inearl April and leaving them up at least until November 1.

The ruby-throated hummingbird's iridescent beauty, amazing antics at feeders and adaptability to human existence clearlymake it one ok Oklahoma's favorite "Watchable Wildlife" species.


































Species Spotlight: Ruby-throated Hummingbird

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Species Spotlight: Ruddy Duck

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Ruddy Duck

If the ruddy duck were school bus yellow its posture in water would remind you of a rubber bathtubtoy. With its stiff fan shaped tail held high and proud, and with its neck back and thick beak the ruddyduck looks like no other. Named for their. rusty red summer plumage the ruddy duck is a wintervisitor to Oklahoma and is the second smallest duck in America.

Ruddy ducks (Oxyura jamaicensis) are stocky swimmers generally only reaching 14 to 16 incheslong and they weigh little more than a pound. In winter both male and female are a gray brown colorwith black crown and nape. Ruddy ducks have a dark of chestnut breast and a dusky tail. They have

grey feet and a large concave bill. In the summer the males put on a rusty red color and their bills change to a bright babyblue. They also have a white cheek patch similar to a Canada goose only much brighter.

Like most waterfowl they are strong fliers and make the long migration from their northern range in Alaska and Canada totheir over wintering grounds a along the U.S. gulf coasts south to mid Mexico. Ruddy ducks are somewhat unique in thatthey often make their migration at night. Even though they are strong enough to make the long migrations, with their short,pointed wings they are very poor at taking off from the water and usually will dive or swim away from predators. Ruddyducks are a type of diving duck in the family Anatidae and can swim down to 10 feet under water.

Waterfowl tend to exhibit interesting behaviors during rewarded breeding seasons and ruddy ducks are no different. Duringthe spring season the male’s bill changes to a light blue and he starts to set up territories. To show his control of an areathe drake will inflate his neck, raise two tufts of hair on his head that look like horns, and drum his beak against his chestproducing bubbles and a low hollow tapping. The rest of the time he is completely silent. After breeding, the female willmake a floating nest of grasses and marsh vegetation. The female ruddy ducks will then lay eight to 10 white eggs (whichare the largest eggs in relation to female body size) of any waterfowl species. She alone incubates the eggs forapproximately 23 days and within two days hatching the ducklings can leave the nest and swim on their own. It will takethem another six weeks before they are strong enough to take their first flight. In the mean time they are taught to eat pondweeds, sedges and other types of aquatic vegetation as well as dive for seeds and aquatic insects on the murky bottom.

Ever heard the term like duck out of water? Whoever coined the term probably saw a ruddy duck. Their legs are set backfurther than most ducks and they walk awkwardly with an upright stance on land.

Some years, ruddy ducks breed it as far south as the Oklahoma panhandle during the spring and summer, but generallythey are mostly seen in the winter on our Oklahoma lakes and ponds. So when you are outdoors this fall, look for thatcharacteristic rubber ducky shape and you may be with a ruddy. They are one of the many species that demonstrate ourrich wildlife heritage here in Oklahoma.


































Species Spotlight: Ruddy Duck

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Species Spotlight: Sandhill Crane

http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/wildlifemgmt/species/sandhillcrane.htm[2/27/2012 4:37:33 PM]

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Sandhill Crane

The sandhill crane (Grus canadensis) is one of the two crane species native to North America. It is alarge, wading bird with long black legs, long neck, and black, chisel-shaped beak. Adults are usuallyfour feet tall, with a wingspan of about six feet.

There are six recognized subspecies of the sandhill crane, with three being migratory and theremaining being non-migratory. The lesser sandhill crane subspecies is migratory and can be foundduring the winters in the southcentral United States and Mexico. There are about 550,000 sandhillcranes in the mid-continental population, which accounts for at least 80 percent of all sandhillcranes. They migrate through a zone called the Central Flyway, each spring to breed in the north-central U.S., Canada, Alaska and Siberia.

Sandhill cranes mature at three to five years of age and mate for life. Cranes prefer to nest in remote, inaccessible wetlandareas. They construct simple nests by scraping vegetation into a mound. In late April or early May, they typically lay twooval-shaped eggs. The eggs are greenish or brownish with dark spots.

Both males and females take turns incubating the eggs for one month. The chicks are tawny-colored and develop rapidly.Since incubation begins as soon as the first egg is laid, the eggs hatch a day or two apart. The older chick is more likely tosurvive, and within 10 weeks the young, called colts, are ready to take their first flight.

Adult plumage is attained by about two years of age. Mature birds are gray with white cheeks and a bare reddish forehead.Some of the mature birds’ plumage takes on a rusty color, which is caused by the iron stain picked up in the peat bogs andmuskegs of their breeding ground.

Cranes are omnivorous ground feeders and will eat frogs, rodents, insects, bulbs, seeds, and berries, as well as aquaticinvertebrates and animals. They also have adapted to agriculture by feeding on waste grain and small animals in farmfields.

Sandhill cranes have a variety of vocalizations, but have loud, unmistakable voices. Their trachea is long and forms a loopwithin the breastbone, making their voices quite powerful. Their calls can be described as a loud, rolling, musical rattle, or arepeated series of trumpeting “garoo-a-a-a” calls that can be heard at a distance of more than a mile.

What the cranes may be more famous for is their lively dancing displays. Their display is usually associated with acourtship ritual, but it can also be used in aggression, facilitating pair formation, and sexual synchronization. The danceincludes bowing, skipping and jumping, and cranes will also pick up sticks and repeatedly throw them up in the air. When itoccurs in a flock, the dance will start slowly with one bird, then as other birds join in, the tempo speeds up. It is certainly aremarkable sight.

The sandhill crane is sometimes confused with the great blue heron (Ardea herodias). Though they have similarappearances, there are a few key differences. Sandhill cranes fly with outstretched necks, while herons fly with their headand neck tucked back into an “S” shape. Sandhill cranes have a rapid upstroke when flying, and herons have a slow,steady flap. Cranes nest separately on the ground, while herons nest in rookeries, which are large colonies in the trees.Cranes also have a loud, trumpet-like call, whereas herons emit hoarse croaks.

Coyotes, bobcats, and eagles are some of the sandhill crane’s predators, but human influence also puts them at danger.Destruction of marshland for development and some agricultural practices continue to be a threat, especially in the CentralPlatte River Valley of Nebraska. Their shrinking available roosting space is threatening their populations, as wellpopulations of other animals, including endangered whooping cranes and least terns.

Sandhill crane fossils dating back six million years have been found in Nebraska, making it the oldest bird species still livingtoday. They were hunted by native peoples, early pioneers and through regulated management can still be hunted today inOklahoma.


































Species Spotlight: Sandhill Crane

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Species Spotlight: Scaled Quail

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Scaled Quail

One of six quail species native to the United States, the scaled quail (Callipepla squamata) is one ofthe most distinguished.

They're dressed in bluish-gray and buff tones with black tipped feathers on the breast, neck andback, giving them a scaled appearance and a unique name. These birds are 11 inches long onaverage and weigh between five and seven ounces. They have a wingspan of 14 inches. Both themale and female are topped with a white, cotton-like crest on their head. There are a few differencesbetween the two, one being that a female will have light stripes on her chin. The crest and coloringof scaled quail have also earned them the nicknames cottontop and blue quail. There are severalcalls made by the various quail species, the “scalie's” being a two-syllable “pe-cos” sound.

Scaled quail are found mainly in the Southwest in parts of Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Texas, Kansas, and of course,the Oklahoma panhandle. Small populations also exist in southwest Oklahoma.They prefer open grasslands strewn with shrubbery and mesquite, though in some areas they thrive with almost no groundcover at all. The scaled quail is a runner, able to reach speeds above 15 miles per hour. Grasslands offer little cover, sothis quail, the fastest of them all, is able to see and outrun predators from some distance off. Scaled quail are very nervousbirds, and even if flushed, will return to running once back on the ground.

Scaled quail can be seen in the early mornings and late afternoons feeding on sunflowers, cactus, green vegetation, and avariety of other plants and seasonal seeds. These quail also feed on insects such as beetles and grasshoppers. They arenot totally dependent on water sources, as much of the moisture they receive is obtained from what they eat. Still, they willuse water sources when available.

Scaled quail live in groups, called coveys, throughout the winter months. Any given covey consists of 20 to more than 50birds. They roost together in circles, tail to tail, which helps reduce their vulnerability to predators.

Coveys break up in the spring to form breeding pairs. This begins as early as April. Like turkeys, the male will strut forfemales, but rarely will they become physically aggressive with competing males. The female will lay 12 to 14 eggs in aground-based nest, often built under brush, shrubs or a cactus to avoid harsh weather and predators. After 22 days, theeggs hatch, after which the chicks waste little time developing. They are running and keeping up with their parents within aday's time, and by 12 weeks old, they are about as big as the adults. Coveys are formed again in the fall when the chicksbranch out from their parents and brood mates. The chicks are ready to reproduce during their first year. This fast growthand reproduction rate helps sustain scaled quail populations.

Scaled quail may attempt nesting a second time if their first nest is destroyed by the weather. Predation by skunks, hawksor foxes may also trigger renesting attempts. Along with harsh weather and predators, overgrazing of livestock also posesa threat to scaled quail habitat. Regulated hunting, however, has little impact on the overall population.

Be alert, and you may find note of the scaled quail's presence. Your ears will perk if you hear its “pe-cos” call on a calmOklahoma evening, and with its notable cottontop crest and scaly appearance, you just might recognize a covey of these“blue quail” crossing an old country road.


































Species Spotlight: Scaled Quail

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Species Spotlight: scissortail

http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/wildlifemgmt/species/scissortail.htm[2/27/2012 4:37:40 PM]

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Scissortail Flycatcher

From its long tail to its famous sky dance, no other Oklahoma bird is more striking and identifiablethan the scissortail flycatcher, One of only seven states where it nests, the Scissortail users inspringtime in Oklahoma, In the warmer months they can be seen in the open prairies and onroadside fences. With a diet largely composed of agriculturally harmful insects, they are economicallybeneficial. So it is no wonder that the State Legislature adopted the scissortail as the state bird in1951.

The males scissortail begins his famous sky dance soon after arriving in early May. This elaboratecourtship display is performed to attract the attention of potential mates. Having witnessed thisbehavior on a half-dozen occasions, I was determined to photograph the ritual this spring. (I spent

no less than six days in the field during the spring of 1999 and failed to get images of the display.) This year, scouting anarea near Stanley Draper Lake, south of Oklahoma City. I noticed several scissortail's along the roadside. The birds wereperched in large isolated trees, where they prefer to nest. I set up my Nikon F5/600f4 on a Gitzo 1548 tripod about 30 feetfrom one of the largest trees and waited. AS the sun peeked over the horizon, the birds began catching insects. The paircontinued feeding for most of the day but showed no interest in courtship. After a six-hour wait, I gave up. Hoping my luckwould change, I returned to the same spot the next morning. I waited only 15 minutes when, as if by the queue of a motionpicture director, the male commences his courtship display.Climbing to heights of 100 feet, the male scissortail made a series of V-shaped flights, plunging down in an erratic, zipzagcourse, while uttering a rolling, cackling call. AS a finale, he hovered about three feet above the ground for 15-20 seconds,exposing his magnificent forked tail, salmon colored flanks and crimson-tipped shoulders. From her balcony perch in thetree, the female beheld this aerial ballet of unparalleled grace. She cheered him on calling out "cah-key...cah-key....CAH-KEY." While the male was too far away to photograph during most of the spectacle, I was able to shoot the finale, and thefemale as she observed his display. The female scissortail was impressed, as soon after she began constructing a nest.When I stopped by again a week later, she was sitting on it, with the male nearby. I was fulfilled at last! I had captured oneof nature's most beautiful courtship rituals; one that is rarely photographed and seldom witnessed.

To think that at the turn of the 20th century this wonder of nature was almost annihilated is disheartening. Throughout thedust bowl and Great Depression years. the scissortail was poached to dangerously low levels. Driven by the European hatmarket, poachers killed the birds by the thousands solely for their tails which sold for two cents apiece. Strict laws and astaunch conservation effort saved the scissortail from possible extinction. Observing the nesting pair, I wished themGodspeed to proliferate their species, thus ensuring future generations could long enjoy the spectacle of the sky dance.

Oklahoma's Tropical Ambassador - The Scissor-trailed Flycatcher Brochure

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Species Spotlight: Swainson's Warbler

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Swainson's Warbler

The Swainson’s warbler is one of many Neotropical bird species whose numbers havedeclined in North America. These birds live in bottomland forests and prefer to nest indamp areas with mature hardwood trees and a dense understory of shrubs or cane.

The Swainson’s warbler is a plain olive-brown colored bird with a pale yellow-white belly.They have a whitish eyebrow stripe that runs above their eye, and the top of their headis a rusty brown. Unlike many species of warblers, there is no difference in appearancebetween a male and female Swainson’s warbler. While they may not be particularlyinteresting in appearance, their secretive nature makes them a mysterious subject to

study.

Dr. Mia Revels, an associate professor of biology at Northeastern State University, has risen to the challenge of assessingthe status of this species in Oklahoma. She had this to say about her efforts, “Swainson's Warblers are incrediblychallenging to study, which is one of the attractions to me. They frequent thick, dark vine tangles and dense thickets. Irarely see them unless I find a nest or net one to band. You are much more likely to hear their loud, ringing, beautiful songthan to actually see the bird itself. But, if you work hard, you can capture a glimpse of a Swainson's Warbler perched in atree singing away, or half-buried under the leaf litter, small body vibrating as they search for invertebrate prey.”

Dr. Revels focused her efforts around the Little River watershed and other areas in eastern Oklahoma with appropriatehabitat. She located new populations within five of her study sites, including Wister, Hugo, and Cherokee WildlifeManagement Areas. This new information on the distribution and abundance of the species will help natural resourceagencies to better manage the habitats and populations of this bird.


































Species Spotlight: Swainson's Warbler

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Species Spotlight: Trupeter Swan

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Trumpeter Swan

Trumpeter swans historically nested on freshwater lakes and marshes in a wide bandacross the northern United States, Canada and Alaska, and may have occurred in numbersas high as 100,000 birds. However, nearly all of the population east of the Rocky Mountainswas extirpated in the late 1800s as a result of unregulated market hunting and habitat loss.Beginning in the early 1960s, state wildlife agencies and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Servicemounted a series of restoration efforts to return the trumpeter swan to the Midwest throughthe release of birds into Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Michigan and Ohio. During the past 40years, this Midwestern population has grown from a few hundred released birds to a thriving

and reproducing population of over 4,500 birds in six states and the province of Ontario.

Oklahoma lies substantially south of the trumpeter swan’s historic nesting range, but at one time our state was thewintering home for many hundreds, if not thousands of trumpeter swans. History is now repeating itself with growingnumbers of trumpeter swans once again wintering in Oklahoma as the Midwestern population recovers. Many of thetrumpeter swans that visit Oklahoma originate from the re-established nesting populations in Iowa, Minnesota andWisconsin. In Oklahoma, these birds occupy large ponds and wetlands and are found primarily in the northeastern andnorthcentral portions of the state. A few additional wintering swans migrate down from a High Plains population that wasrecently established in South Dakota, Nebraska and Wyoming.

These swans winter primarily on ponds and flood control lakes in western Oklahoma. Trumpeter swans typically occur inOklahoma during the mid-winter – roughly between late November and late February.

The trumpeter swan is the largest species of waterfowl in North American and the larger of the two native swan species.These birds often live 20 to 25 years and pairs may remain together for ten or more nesting seasons. Each summer, thepair jointly raises a brood of one to six young known as cygnets. The young swans typically remain with their parent duringtheir first summer and winter in order to learn how to find food and avoid predators and other hazards. Because of theirstrong family bonds, most trumpeter swan sightings in Oklahoma are of family groups. These groups are commonlycomprised of one or two adult pairs and two to eight juvenile birds. Adult trumpeter swans have completely white plumage,and a relatively long, sloping bill that is solid black and somewhat wedge-shaped. Young trumpeter swans have plumagethat is sooty gray in color, and have a patch of pinkish-orange color on their predominantly black bills.

Many of the nesting swans in Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota are marked with colored neck bands - long collars that areplaced around the lower portion of the swan’s neck. These bands or collars are red or green in color and are printed with aunique combination of letters and numbers. Using the collars, biologists can track specific birds and identify their traditionalnesting and wintering areas. In recent years, many of the trumpeter swans sighted in Oklahoma have originated from birdsreleased onto wetlands in central Iowa. The Oklahoma Wildlife Diversity Program assists the Trumpeter Swan Societywhich is a non-profit organization based in Minnesota that helps to track and monitor the Midwestern swan population. Allwinter-time swan sightings are noteworthy, but we are especially interested in any observations of collared swans.Recording the locations of collared swans can help us document migration routes between their northern nesting areas andthe suitable wintering areas that occur in Oklahoma. If you observe a swan with a neck collar, please contact the WildlifeDiversity Program or the Trumpeter Swan Society through their Trumpeter Watch program.


































Species Spotlight: Trupeter Swan

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Species Spotlight: Turkey Vulture

http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/wildlifemgmt/species/turkeyvulture.htm[2/27/2012 4:37:49 PM]

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Turkey Vulture

The turkey vulture may not be the most glamorous wildlife species in Oklahoma, but it is none theless an important part of our ecosystem. In short, they take out the trash by feeding on carcasses.

Turkey vultures (Cathartes aura) are classified in the same order as storks and flamingos becauseof their genetic similarities. The Cherokee Nation calls the bird the “peace eagle” because unlikebirds of prey, turkey vultures do not kill.

Unlike most birds, vultures have a keen sense of smell and they use this sense in traveling far andwide to find carcasses. These unique birds have the ability to eat anything without coming down withdiseases. Their digestion system has the ability to kill any virus and bacteria in the food that the bird

eats. Their eating habits are omnivorous, meaning they eat both plant and animal matter. Turkey vultures are not pickyabout what they eat. They will consume dead mice, muskrats, birds, raccoons, deer, skunks and coyotes.

They mate for life and have a fascinating courtship dance in which they woo the potential mate. Vultures nest in a variety oflocations including tree cavities or rocky ledges. Nests are loosely and crudely built and eggs are laid in late April to earlyJune. The eggs are white with brown markings and incubation takes just about one month. The young vultures fledgequickly and begin to leave the nest at around 10 to 11 weeks of age.

Vultures are most often spotted while they are soaring on rising columns of warm air called thermals to save energy asthey cover miles of territory. In fact, they can stay aflight for hours, with just a few wing flaps. With a wingspan of nearly sixfeet, turkey vultures can travel up to 140 miles a day. When in group flight, they are called “kettles.” Vultures are sociablebirds - 75 to 100 have been found together in their nesting areas or feasting together at one time. Their communal roostsare continually used for years by successive generations. Turkey vultures are long lived birds, living up to 20 years in thewild.

Turkey vultures, found across North and Central America, get their name from the bald, red head, which resembles that ofa tom turkey. Immature, turkey vultures are gray all over, however, as adults, the head is not only bright red, but it is alsoequipped with a hooked, yellow bill. Because of their large size, many people mistake vultures for eagles. However, unlikeeagles and other birds of prey, turkey vultures do not kill their own prey. The turkey vulture also often gets the blame for theblack vultures behavior. The black vulture, which can be found throughout the Southeast United States, is aggressive andis known to kill small animals.

Turkey vultures use thermoregulation by spreading their wings and use them as heat exchangers dissipating heat whenthey are hot or absorbing the morning sun.

The next time you see a turkey vulture soaring high over your head, take a moment to appreciate these fascinating birds.


































Species Spotlight: Turkey Vulture

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Species Spotlight: Wood Duck

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Wood Duck

For visitors to Oklahoma's streams, rivers and wetlands, the squeal of the wood duck (Aix sponsa) isas distinctive as its brilliant plumage.

Common throughout the eastern part of the state, the woodie, as it is affectionately known by huntersand non-hunters alike, is considered by many to be the unofficial symbol of Oklahoma's wildernessheritage.

With plumage that spans the color spectrum, the drake (male) bears the signature marks of the species. Its crested headexhibits a dazzling array of iridescent hues ranging from green, purple and blue. Highlighting the effect are its red eyes andorbital ring. It is also distinguishable by its orange and white bill, as well as its intricate white throat and facial patterns.Equally brilliant, but in a more understated fashion, are its chestnut breast, purplish-blue speculum and golden sidesaccented with outlines of white and black. The female is fawn-colored on top and cream-white underneath. Her crest is shorter but well pronounced. Her mostobvious marks include a colorful speculum and white teardrop-shaped markings around the eyes.

The wood duck floats higher than other ducks, and a pair will proudly tilt their heads and tails up while swimming quietlyalong the water's edge searching for insects, seeds, acorns and pecans.

In flight, the wood duck is identifiable by its square tail and the downward tilt of its bill. Its defining feature, however, is itshaunting cry.

Woodies are uncommon in the western part of the state, but they reside year-round near the wooded ponds, streams andrivers of eastern Oklahoma. Weighing about two pounds, wood ducks commonly occur in pairs and begin seeking nestsites in April and May. Unlike other ducks, woodies never nest on the ground, preferring instead the elevated comfort of tree cavities. They mayfind suitable cavities anywhere from five- to 60-feet above ground, and sometimes well away from water. After selecting asite, the hen lays a creamy-white egg every day until she achieves a clutch of six to 15 eggs. She covers the eggs withdown from her breast, but she does not begin incubating until she completes her clutch.

To imprint her voice on her ducklings, the hen actually begins communicating before they hatch. Within 30 days ofincubation, the shells crack and yield chocolate-colored ducklings with cream-colored breasts. The very next day, the henflies to the water or ground and calls for her young to follow.

With the help of their sharp claws, the ducklings climb one at a time to the cavity opening, pausing momentarily beforeleaping as far as 60 feet to the waiting hen. For a man, such a leap would be comparable to a 400-foot fall! With shortwings and feet extended for resistance, their light weight and thick down allow them to bounce softly or splash down besidethe hen. Having permanently left the tree cavity, they follow the hen to water where they quickly learn to feed and escapepredators. They mature quickly and generally leave the hen by September.

One of America's great conservation stories, the wood duck was almost driven to extinction by the turn of the century.Given full protection in 1918, populations rebounded slowly until waterfowl biologists created artificial nesting boxes tooffset the shortage of natural cavities. Sportsmen's dollars allowed conservation agencies and concerned individuals toinstall nest boxes throughout the United States.

This management tool has been tremendously successful, allowing woodies to expand into areas that were formallyunsuitable.

Wood Duck Nest Box Instructions


























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Species Spotlight: Wood Duck

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Species Spotlight: Yellow-crowned Night Heron

http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/wildlifemgmt/species/yellowcrowned.htm[2/27/2012 4:37:56 PM]

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Yellow-crowned Night Heron

Its name may imply nocturnal (active only at dark), but the Yellow-crowned night heron is active bothday and night. Even with its daytime activities, the handsome bird’s slow movement, along with itsshy behavior makes it a difficult bird to spot.

Found throughout the eastern two-thirds of Oklahoma, and southeastern part of the United States,the yellow-crowned night heron is generally found in shallow backwaters and wetland areas.

The yellow-crowned night heron is a short stocky bird about 24 inches in length with a wingspan of alittle under four feet. It has long yellow to orange legs, red eyes, a black bill and a short neck. Theadults are a soft blue-gray, blackish on wings and tail, with a creamy white crown accented by ablack face and white cheek patch. During breeding season, adults have a yellow plume of feathers

on their head. The young, appearing in mid-June, are uniformly brown streaked.

The yellow-crowned night heron is a migratory bird that resides here in Oklahoma during the summer months. During thewinter, it can be found as far south as South America, but can be found almost anywhere along the Gulf and Atlantic Coastyear round.

Unlike other night heron species, the yellow-crowned forages day and night. It forages much like other herons by wadingthrough water waiting for its prey to come within striking distance. Also, unlike the great heron which many have seenstanding motionless like a statue in many Oklahoma waters, the yellow-crowned will stir up its quarry by wading briskly atthe waters edge. With a quick motion, the sword like bill stabs its prey.

The prey of a yellow-crowned night heron normally consists of fish, frogs, grasshoppers, and occasionally snakes, but itsprimary diet is crustaceans (crayfish). It is also not uncommon to see one prey upon a small turtle since it has a uniquestomach acid to help digest the shell.

During breeding season, the yellow-crowned night heron will build a nest of sticks and twigs measuring two or three feetacross. This nest is generally a substantial platform that can be found on the ground, or low in a tree, by a body of water.The female will lay three to five eggs that are a pale bluish green in color. Both the male and female will take turnsincubating the eggs. The eggs hatch in about three weeks, and both parents care for the chicks feeding them regurgitatedfood. The chicks fledge when they are about 25 days old.

The yellow-crowned night heron is a common wetland bird in Oklahoma, but is listed as threatened in many of the stateswithin its northeastern range. Loss of wetland habitat has had the greatest impact on this species. With continuedconservation of our wetland areas and development of new areas we can help preserve the viewing of this species formany generations to come.


































Species Spotlight: Yellow-crowned Night Heron

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Species Spotlight: American Alligator

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American Alligator

Dinosaurs still walk the earth in Oklahoma. Southeast Oklahoma to be exact and they swim moreoften than they walk. Remaining unchanged for 65 million years, the American alligator isOklahoma’s representative from the Triassic period. They are actually more closely related to birds,which are direct descendants of dinosaurs, than they are to modern reptiles like lizards.

Fully grown male alligators typically reach 13 to 15 feet and females reach lengths of just under 10feet. Adults tend to be a grayish-black in color with lighter colored bellies. The young can be morecolorful with yellow or white highlights. The whole body is armored with large, bony plates. Eyes,ears and nostrils are near the top of the head, with valves to close the ears and nostrils when thealligator is submerged. A transparent eyelid allows them to see underwater. While they move with

serpentine grace in water, they are less graceful on land. They either lumber along, or raise themselves off the ground andmove at speeds up to 20 miles per hour for a short distance.

Their large, strong mouths have 80 teeth, and are used to capture, crush and dismember their prey. Alligators cannotchew, so they swallow their food whole or in chunks. They often lose teeth in encounters with prey but they are quicklyreplaced. Each tooth contains a small replacement tooth within its pulp cavity and examination sometimes reveals a furthertiny tooth ready to erupt within that.

The American alligator’s breeding season usually begins around May and lasts for six to eight weeks. They mateunderwater during the last several days of their courtship season. Females construct the nests in June and July on moundsof high banks. The construction of the nest provides a constant temperature for the 20-30 eggs so that the female doesn’thave to sit on the nest like her avian cousins.

Sex of the hatchlings is determined by the temperature of the eggs during incubation. Temperatures greater than 91degrees produce males, temperatures less than 85 degrees produce females and temperatures in between produce bothsexes. Hatching occurs in mid-August after about 65 days of incubation. When the hatchlings break out of their eggs, theymake a distinctive call and the female digs up the eggs. Female alligators are very protective of their offspring, which maystay near her for more than two years. They are very vulnerable to predation by raccoons, otters, herons, snakes, fish,bullfrogs and other alligators.

Juveniles eat a wide variety of small invertebrates, particularly insects, and small fish and frogs. As they grow larger, theirdiet increases to include larger prey. Eventually, large adults can tackle nearly all aquatic and terrestrial prey that comeswithin range, although their diet mostly includes fish, turtles, small mammals, and birds.

Alligators can often be found basking with just their eyes, nostrils and snouts above the water primarily in freshwaterswamps and marshes, but also in rivers, lakes and smaller bodies of water. In Oklahoma they are found in Red SloughWildlife Management Areas and the Little River National Wildlife Refuge. Though they have been found in other counties,Choctaw County and McCurtain County claim the highest number of the scaly predators. It is unlikely that they couldsurvive the winter any further north.

Alligators hibernate in burrows, also known as “alligator holes,” when the average temperature falls below 75 degrees.Even outside their burrows, however, they can tolerate limited periods of freezing conditions. Known as the “icingresponse,” they submerge their body but keep their nostrils projecting above the water surface, so that when the surfacefreezes they can still breathe. Essentially their upper body becomes trapped in the ice.

Anyone who wants a chance to see walking, or swimming, history can make a trip to the southeast corner of Oklahoma ona warm summer day. Though rarely glimpsed, you just might see Oklahoma’s resident dinosaurs basking lazily in the sun.


































Species Spotlight: American Alligator

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Species Spotlight: Snapping Turtle

http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/wildlifemgmt/species/snappingturtle.htm[2/27/2012 4:38:03 PM]

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Common Snapping Turtle

The common snapping turtle (Cheldrya serpentina) brings a pre-historic look to Oklahoma wildlife.The turtle is easily recognizable with its hefty size, long saw-tooth tail, and large head. If yourecognize one while on land, though, take caution. They can live up to their name and notoriousreputation by lunging forward and snapping their large, powerful jaws. When found in the water,however, they remain quite docile and will usually shy away from danger.

The common snapping turtle can be found throughout the eastern two-thirds of the United States,extending from the Atlantic Coast to the Rocky Mountains, and from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico. Itprefers shallow bodies of water with plenty of vegetation, and rarely leaves the water except to bask.During the summer, however, some turtles can be found traveling long distances on land, apparently

moving after their water source has dried up.Adult snappers average between eight to 14 inches long and weigh 10 to 35 pounds. The carapace, or the top of the shell,is often brown, olive or tan, and has three raised ridges that become more obscured with age. The plastron, or underside ofthe turtle, is unusually small, has a yellow or cream color, and may have dark markings.

The turtle’s skin color can vary from brown to gray or tan. Its powerful legs are heavily scaled, and it has webbed feet withlong claws. It has a large head with two barbels on the chin.

Males are usually sexually mature by age five, and females typically take two years longer. Courtship and mating generallytake place between April and June. Courtship involves the female and male facing each other with their noses almosttouching, then slowly swinging their necks and heads from side to side many times.

Females select an open site of sand, loam, or decaying vegetation, or sometimes a muskrat or beaver lodge to lay theireggs. Females have been found traveling long distances to find a nesting location, but sometimes use the same site fromprevious years. The nest is dug three to seven inches deep, with a narrow entrance leading to a bowl-shaped chamberbelow. Twenty to 40 eggs are typically deposited, with larger females laying more eggs than smaller females. The eggshatch after an incubation period of roughly 100 days (though it can range from 55-125 days depending on temperature andhumidity). Hatchlings are about one inch long, and are born with a small yolk sac attached to the center of their plastron,which they absorb over several days.

The most vulnerable time for a snapping turtle is while it is a hatchling. They can fall prey to hawks, herons, crows, largefish, alligators, raccoons, snakes, and larger turtles. Hatchlings spend most of their time in the water, hiding in vegetation.

Snapping turtles, which can live at least 30 years in the wild, are generally nocturnal. During the day, they bury themselvesinto the bottom mud or sand, and wait for prey to swim by. Young turtles feed mainly on small invertebrates such asinsects, leeches, worms and aquatic plants. Adult snappers eat aquatic plants, fish, insects, crayfish, amphibians, andoccasionally small mammals and ducklings.

With their intriguing appearance and secretive nature, the common snapping turtle proves to be a fascinating aspect ofOklahoma wildlife.


































Species Spotlight: Snapping Turtle

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Species Spotlight: Cooperhead

http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/wildlifemgmt/species/copperhd.htm[2/27/2012 4:38:07 PM]

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Copperhead

Dinosaurs still walk the earth in Oklahoma. Southeast Oklahoma to be exact and theyswim more often than they walk. Remaining unchanged for 65 million years, theAmerican alligator is Oklahoma’s representative from the Triassic period. They areactually more closely related to birds, which are direct descendants of dinosaurs, thanthey are to modern reptiles like lizards.

Fully grown male alligators typically reach 13 to 15 feet and females reach lengths ofjust under 10 feet. Adults tend to be a grayish-black in color with lighter coloredbellies. The young can be more colorful with yellow or white highlights. The wholebody is armored with large, bony plates. Eyes, ears and nostrils are near the top of

the head, with valves to close the ears and nostrils when the alligator is submerged. A transparent eyelid allows them tosee underwater. While they move with serpentine grace in water, they are less graceful on land. They either lumber along,or raise themselves off the ground and move at speeds up to 20 miles per hour for a short distance.

Their large, strong mouths have 80 teeth, and are used to capture, crush and dismember their prey. Alligators cannotchew, so they swallow their food whole or in chunks. They often lose teeth in encounters with prey but they are quicklyreplaced. Each tooth contains a small replacement tooth within its pulp cavity and examination sometimes reveals a furthertiny tooth ready to erupt within that.

The American alligator’s breeding season usually begins around May and lasts for six to eight weeks. They mateunderwater during the last several days of their courtship season. Females construct the nests in June and July on moundsof high banks. The construction of the nest provides a constant temperature for the 20-30 eggs so that the female doesn’thave to sit on the nest like her avian cousins.

Sex of the hatchlings is determined by the temperature of the eggs during incubation. Temperatures greater than 91degrees produce males, temperatures less than 85 degrees produce females and temperatures in between produce bothsexes. Hatching occurs in mid-August after about 65 days of incubation. When the hatchlings break out of their eggs, theymake a distinctive call and the female digs up the eggs. Female alligators are very protective of their offspring, which maystay near her for more than two years. They are very vulnerable to predation by raccoons, otters, herons, snakes, fish,bullfrogs and other alligators.

Juveniles eat a wide variety of small invertebrates, particularly insects, and small fish and frogs. As they grow larger, theirdiet increases to include larger prey. Eventually, large adults can tackle nearly all aquatic and terrestrial prey that comeswithin range, although their diet mostly includes fish, turtles, small mammals, and birds.

Alligators can often be found basking with just their eyes, nostrils and snouts above the water primarily in freshwaterswamps and marshes, but also in rivers, lakes and smaller bodies of water. In Oklahoma they are found in Red SloughWildlife Management Areas and the Little River National Wildlife Refuge. Though they have been found in other counties,Choctaw County and McCurtain County claim the highest number of the scaly predators. It is unlikely that they couldsurvive the winter any further north.

Alligators hibernate in burrows, also known as “alligator holes,” when the average temperature falls below 75 degrees.Even outside their burrows, however, they can tolerate limited periods of freezing conditions. Known as the “icingresponse,” they submerge their body but keep their nostrils projecting above the water surface, so that when the surfacefreezes they can still breathe. Essentially their upper body becomes trapped in the ice.

Anyone who wants a chance to see walking, or swimming, history can make a trip to the southeast corner of Oklahoma ona warm summer day. Though rarely glimpsed, you just might see Oklahoma’s resident dinosaurs basking lazily in the sun.


































Species Spotlight: Cooperhead

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Species Spotlight: Lizard

http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/wildlifemgmt/species/lizard.htm[2/27/2012 4:38:10 PM]

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Eastern Collared Lizard

So named because of the dark lines around its neck, the Eastern Collared Lizard (Crotaphytuscollaris collaris) is probably better known by Oklahomans as the “mountain boomer.”

A brightly colored specimen, the Eastern Collared Lizard may be identified by its tan, yellow or greenshades, and the small light spots scattered over its upper body. Females are yellowish-tan with onlyfaint spots covering the body. Both possess the dark brown, irregularly shaped “collar,” and adults ofboth sexes typically measure 8 - 14 inches in length.

A diurnal species, the Eastern Collared Lizard is especially active in warm, sunny weather. Theselizards prefer an air temperature of 73° - 93° F, and as such, are active from April through

September, though young lizards may remain active through October.

Mountain boomers are often observed sunning on rocks and boulders, yet quickly retreat to the security of a crevice ifapproached. If threatened in an open area, it is capable of running very fast to escape. In such a situation, the lizard mayrun on its hind legs with the forward part of the body held upright. Each lizard defends a home territory by chasing awayother collard lizards when that territory is violated.

As they are cold-blooded reptiles, the Eastern Collared Lizard must find a burrow to spend the winter months in. Suchburrows are usually found under large rocks, 8 - 12 inches deep. During their active months, mountain boomers live amonglimestone, sandstone or granite glades, and prefer those facing south or southwest for maximum exposure to sunlight.

A brief courtship and mating season extends from mid-May to early June. The males court by displaying their brightlycolored throat and body, while prancing around the female. Twenty days after breeding, the female will lay from 2 - 21creamy-white leathery eggs in a burrow beneath a large rock. Hatching 2 - 3 months later, the young will have dark bandswith yellowish crossbars, and average 3 - 4 inches in length.

Eastern Collard Lizards eat a variety of insects including grasshoppers and beetles, but also eat spiders, small snakes andlizards. While their diet renders them beneficial to humans, they are subsequently preyed upon by large snakes, hawks androadrunners.

Common throughout the southwestern United States, the mountain boomer probably received its nickname from settlerswho saw the lizards sunning on rocks, while hearing the barking of a frog. In reality, the Eastern Collared Lizard isvoiceless.

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Species Spotlight: Lizard

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Species Spotlight: Red-eared Pond Slider

http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/wildlifemgmt/species/pondslider.htm[2/27/2012 4:38:14 PM]

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Red-eared Pond Slider

If you have ever seen a turtle lazily basking on a log or poking its nose out of the water to breathe,you were probably looking at a red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta elegans). The most commonturtle in Oklahoma, the red-eared slider also is one of the most common turtles in North America.They can be found in warm, sluggish waters from Oklahoma to Texas, east to Indiana and Georgia,and down to the Gulf of Mexico. Sliders have even been found in brackish (semi-saltwater) habitats,although they prefer ponds with muddy bottoms and lots of vegetation.

The red-eared slider is perhaps the best known and most recognizable turtle. The top of the shell,called the carapace, is smooth and gently curved and is olive to black in color with yellow stripes. Amedium -sized turtle, it is best identified by a red or sometimes yellow patch that is found just behindthe eye.

Young turtles are the most brightly colored. As they age, their shells generally turn to a drab olive green. Adults can reach afoot in length and have been known to live up to 65 years in captivity.

During the breeding season, which typically runs from March through June, the males work hard to put on a show to wooprospective females. The males display by swimming backward in front of the female with their forelegs stretched out, palmside up. They also tap the female’s carapace with their long front toenails.

Red-eared sliders may produce up to three clutches of four to 23 eggs in a single year. One of the few times a slider goeson land is to dig a nest three to 10 inches wide and about four inches deep. She deposits her eggs in these excavationsand carefully covers them up with soil to seal in the eggs for protection from predators and the elements. The young turtleshatch 60 to 75 days later.

As is the case with many other turtles, the hatchlings’ gender depends on the temperature within the nest; if thetemperature in the nest is relatively warm, mostly males will be hatched; if it is relatively cool, mostly females will behatched. Once the young turtles hatch, they face a gauntlet of predators including raccoons, herons, snakes and even fishthat would make the hatchlings their next meal.

Young turtles are mostly carnivorous, eating snails, insects and small fish. As turtles mature they gradually switch over tovegetarian diet, dining on filamentous algae and aquatic vegetation. It is a common myth that turtles will wipe out a fishpopulation when, in fact, they are an important part of aquatic ecosystems in Oklahoma in addition to being important an“natural” control of aquatic vegetation.

The Red-eared pond slider is almost exclusively aquatic. It rarely ventures out of the water except to lay its eggs or tomigrate to a new body of water during droughts.

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The Texas horned lizard(Phrynosoma cornutum) belongs to aunique group of North Americanlizards known as horned lizards. All 13species of horned lizards are small,earth-toned and have rounded, flatbodies. The scientific name for thegroup, Phrynosoma, literally means"toad-body." Because of their resem-blance to toads in body shape andcoloration, many people know theselizards as "horned toads" or "hornytoads." But despite their appearance,horned lizards are in no way related totoads; their closest relatives inOklahoma are the fence lizards com-monly seen in wooded habitats.

Horned lizards are named for theunusual hornlike spines on the back oftheir heads and the smaller spinesscattered over their backs and sides.These "horns" do not contain bone butare actually specialized body scalesthat serve to protect the lizards frompredators. They help camouflage thelizard by breaking up the outline of itsbody and make the lizards more diffi-cult to swallow, thus discouragingsome predators.

From the tip of the snout to thebase of the tail, adult Texas hornedlizards reach a length of 4 to 6 inches.Females often grow slightly largerthan males, but the difference is notgreat enough to determine the sex ofa lizard by sight. Males and femaleshave few external differences exceptthat males have visible pores alongthe lower hind surface of each thighand a slight swelling at the base of thetail. Little information is available ontheir normal lifespan, but hornedlizards can live at least five years. Asecond horned lizard species, theround-tailed horned lizard(Phrynosoma modestum), occurs inthe north-west corner of theOklahoma panhandle. This species'coloration is more pale and has lessdistinct "horns."

Adaptations for Survival

Avoiding predators influencesmany of the Texas horned lizard'sbehavioral and physical adaptations.Though capable of running quickly forshort distances, they rely more oncamouflage than speed for protection.Their first line of defense is their mot-tled brown body coloration that helpshide them against bare soil and dead

leaves. For further camouflage, localpopulations tend to resemble the colorof their area's soil. Populations inareas of sandy soil may have a yel-lowish tint while populations in otherareas may have a reddish or darkbrown tint. The body shape is also anadaptation to avoid the attention ofwould-be predators. When lyingagainst the soil, the flattened bodycasts only a slight shadow, and thespines on the back and sides helpbreak up the body's outline. A motion-less horned lizard is difficult to seeagainst bare soil.

Life of the Horned Lizard

Texas horned lizards feed on avariety of ground-dwelling arthropodssuch as beetles and spiders, but har-vester ants (red ants) are their primaryprey, comprising 90 percent or moreof their diet. These relatively largeants are seedeaters and live inprairies, woodland margins andshrublands with abundant grassesand forbs. Texas horned lizards liemotionless along harvester ant trailsand capture ants as they pass to andfrom their colony. When an antapproaches, the lizard takes a fewquick steps forward, flicks out itstongue, captures its prey and swal-lows it whole. Behavioral observationshave shown that horned lizards mayeat as many as 70 harvester ants aday! Horned lizards usually attacksolitary ants several yards away fromthe harvester ant colony, and avoidthe colony's center where they wouldbe mobbed by droves of biting ants.

Horned lizards obtain most of thewater they need from the ants they eator by licking dew off vegetation.During light rains, horned lizards maydrink the water that collects on theirbodies by arching their backs andcausing the rainwater to flow forwardtoward the mouth. Like most reptiles,horned lizards are adapted to con-serve body water. Their kidneysexcrete wastes and excess salts in theform of uric acid, a semi-solid sub-stance containing very little water, andtheir bodies' scales protect the under-lying skin from drying and losing mois-ture.

Texas horned lizards emerge fromhibernation between late March andmid-April. They seem to be mostactive at temperatures between 80-

90° F, and during the morning hoursthey spend much of their time, lyingin exposed, sunny locations to raisetheir body temperature. Most of theirhunting is done between late morn-ing and dusk, but on the hottestdays of summer they may be activeonly during the morning and spendthe afternoon buried just beneaththe soil or under the shelter of vege-tation. In October they burrowunderground to begin their winterhibernation.

Courtship and mating take placein late May and June. Courtshipconsists of a rapid head bobbingdisplay by the male, which is fol-lowed by head nodding from thefemale. One to two weeks after mat-ing, the female digs a slanted tunnelapproximately 6 to 8 inches into theground. She then lays a clutch of 8to 30 eggs--each about the size andshape of a small jelly bean. Afterlaying her eggs, the female placesdirt back into the tunnel andscratches the ground around theentrance to hide its presence. Thefemale provides no further care forher eggs or young and is not likelyto lay more eggs that year. Theeggs incubate for approximately twomonths, then hatch in August orSeptember. When the youngemerge, they look like miniature ver-sions of the adults, about 1 1/8 to 11/4 inches long.

Finding Horned Lizards

The Texas horned lizard was his-torically found in scattered locationsacross Oklahoma (except theextreme southeast) as well as adja-cent portions of Texas, Kansas andMissouri. Many people associatethis species with an arid environ-ment, sandy soils and sparse vege-tation. While horned lizards canthrive in this environment, they areadaptable to a wide range of condi-tions, the abundance of harvesterants appearing to be one of themost important factors determiningtheir distribution. As a general trend,horned lizards seem to be mostcommon in habitats with healthyharvester ant populations, sandy orloamy soils, and moderate grass orshrub cover. As long as harvesterants and some ground vegetationare present for food and cover, they

may be found on short and mid-grass prairies, along woodlandedges and around low thickets ofscrubby oaks and sand plums.Horned lizards appear to avoidareas of tall, dense grass and deepwoods.

WANTED:Horned Lizard Researchers

The Texas horned lizard is famil-iar to most Oklahomans, yet rarelyhas it been studied in detail, leavingmany unanswered questions aboutits biology. We hope you will help usin the study of the Texas hornedlizard. If you see one, please take afew minutes to record your observa-tions on this form and return it to:Oklahoma Wildlife DiversityProgram, PO BOX 53465,Oklahoma City, OK 73152. Yourassistance can help us all to betterunderstand this fascinating animal.

Where have all the HornedLizards Gone?

The Texas horned lizard remainscommon in parts of westernOklahoma, but has shown a dramat-ic decline in both range and popula-tion size in the eastern and centralparts of the state since the 1960s.Several possible reasons havebeen proposed for the decline, butlittle evidence exists to determine

the true causes. The horned lizard'sdecline is most likely the result of acombination of factors with theimportance of each factor varyingfrom one part of the state to thenext.

Increased use of pesticides mayhave reduced the harvester ant pop-ulation in some areas, thus reducingthe horned lizard's main food sup-ply. In agricultural areas, ants arerarely considered pest species butmay be killed by insecticides usedagainst other insects. Also, herbi-cides used to eliminate weeds mayaffect harvester ant populations byreducing the abundance or qualityof seeds on which the ants feed. Inresidential areas, ants often are poi-soned by people fearing ant bites orwanting to keep them away fromstored food. Because harvester antcolonies are easily visible, theseharmless ants often are destroyed.

Prolonged periods of hot, dryweather associated with extremedrought may cause harvester antsto go dormant and temporarily elim-inate the lizard' s most importantfood source. A severe drought hitOklahoma in the early 1980s andmay have caused some of thedecline.

Because horned lizards may lieon roads to bask on the warm pave-ment or gravel, they are vulnerableto vehicle kills. As the number ofroads and vehicles increase, theprobability that horned lizards will behit and killed increases.

In some areas, the number ofpotential predators on hornedlizards may be higher now than inthe past. Though little evidence hasmeasured the effect of predation onhorned lizard populations,increased populations of possiblepredators such as feral cats, cattleegrets and great-tailed grackleshave been suggested in recentyears, especially around towns andpastures.

The collection of horned lizardsas pets or to sell commercially in thepet trade may have affected somepopulations, especially near townsand cities. Anecdotal accounts statethat thousands of horned lizardswere shipped out of Oklahoma andTexas and sold for pets in the east-ern U .S. and Europe from the early1900s until the 1980s. Because of

their special diet, most of theselizards died from improper carewithin a few weeks, and no self-sus-taining captive-bred populationswere ever developed. Hornedlizards now are protected inOklahoma and Texas and this activ-ity is illegal; however, where collect-ing was common, some populationsmay not have recovered yet.

As native habitats are modifiedby human development, some ofthis land may no longer be suitablefor horned lizards or their harvesterant prey. With less suitable habitat,fewer lizards can be supported.Also, as the amount of habitatdeclines, the remaining patches ofgood habitat become more isolatedfrom each other. Because of theirsmall size and limited ability to trav-el long distances, horned lizardshave difficulty moving betweenwidely spaced habitat patches.Populations in isolated habitats aremore susceptible to local extinctionfrom catastrophic events, and oncean isolated population is gone, it isdifficult for other horned lizards toresettle the area.

Crying “Bloody” Tears

Horned lizards are known tosquirt a thin stream of blood fromthe comers of their eyes when theyare handled or disturbed. This doesnot appear to be a defense mecha-nism, but an uncontrollable reactionwhen frightened. During hot weath-er, horned lizards cool their bodiesby increasing the flow of blood justbelow the skin to help disperse bodyheat. If a warm lizard is disturbed orexcited, its blood pressure mayincrease and blood lying in thesinuses behind each eye is uncon-trollably forced out to relieve pres-sure.

Oklahoma's Reptile Regulations

The Texas horned lizard is classi-fied as a "Species of SpecialConcern." In 1992, Oklahoma regu-lations established a year-roundclosed season on these lizards and20 other rare reptile and amphibianspecies. It is unlawful to kill, capture,keep as pets or sell Texas homedlizards without specific written per-mission. While the Texas horned

lizard is not an endangered orthreatened species, its widespreaddecline has caused concern for itsfuture status. The closed season isdesigned to protect it from unneces-sary collection.

Additional Information Sourceson Horned Lizards

Collins, J.T. 1994. Amphibians andReptiles of Kansas. University ofKansas Publications.

Sievert, G. and L. Sievert. 1993. AField Guide to the Reptiles ofOklahoma. Oklahoma Departmentof Wildlife Conservation. Availablefrom the Wildlife Diversity programfor $5 ($4 + $1 p&h).

Sherbrooke, W.C.1981.HornedLizards, Unique Reptiles of WesternNorth America. Southwest Parksand Monuments Association.

Species Spotlight: Three-toed box Turtle

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Three-toed box Turtle

If you have ever seen a turtle lazily basking on a log or pokingits nose out of the water to breathe, you were probably lookingat a red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta elegans). The mostcommon turtle in Oklahoma, the red-eared slider also is one ofthe most common turtles in North America. They can be foundin warm, sluggish waters from Oklahoma to Texas, east toIndiana and Georgia, and down to the Gulf of Mexico. Slidershave even been found in brackish (semi-saltwater) habitats,although they prefer ponds with muddy bottoms and lots ofvegetation.

The red-eared slider is perhaps the best known and mostrecognizable turtle. The top of the shell, called the carapace, issmooth and gently curved and is olive to black in color with

yellow stripes. A medium -sized turtle, it is best identified by a red or sometimes yellow patch that is found just behind theeye. Young turtles are the most brightly colored. As they age, their shells generally turn to a drab olive green. Adults can reach afoot in length and have been known to live up to 65 years in captivity.







































Species Spotlight: Three-toed box Turtle

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Turtles in Oklahoma

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Oklahoma Turtle's Oklahoma is home to a diverse community of turtles. Seventeen species of turtles are found in our state including twospecies of land-dwelling turtles (box turtles) and fifteen species of aquatic turtles. A brief description of each of thesespecies is provided below. Altogether, these 15 species represent four families, or groups, of turtles. The familyChelydridae is comprised of two species of large, carnivorous turtles – the Common Snapping Turtle (Chelydra serpentina)and the Alligator Snapping Turtle (Macrochelys temminckii). The family Kinosternidae is represented by four species ofrelatively small aquatic turtles known as musk or mud turtles – the Yellow Mud Turtle (Kinosternon flavescens), MississippiMud Turtle (Kinosternon subrubrum hippocrepis), Razor-backed Musk Turtle (Sternotherus carinatus) and the CommonMusk Turtle or Stinkpot (Sternotherus odoratus). The family Emydidae is the largest and most diverse group of turtles andincludes the map turtles, the box turtles and the familiar aquatic basking turtles. Three species of map turtles can be foundin streams and rivers in eastern Oklahoma – the Common Map Turtle (Graptemys geographica), the Ouachita Map Turtle(Graptemys ouachitensis) and the Mississippi Map Turtle (Graptemys pseudogeographica kohnii). Two species of boxturtles live in Oklahoma – the Three-toed Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina triunguis) and the Ornate Box Turtle (Terrapeneornata). Four other aquatic turtles belong to this group and these are often referred to as basking turtles because of theirbehavioral tendency to bask or sun themselves on logs and rocks – the Eastern River Cooter (Pseudemys concinnaconcinna), the Red-eared Slider (Trachemys scripta elegans), the Western Chicken Turtle (Deirochelys reticularia miaria)and Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta). The fourth and final family of Oklahoma turtles is the Trionychidae or softshellturtles, which is comprised of two species – the Smooth Softshell Turtle (Apalone mutica) and the Spiny Softshell Turtle(Apalone spinifera).

The conservation status of Oklahoma’s turtles is just as diverse as the range of species. The capture and possession of allturtles is regulated by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation under specific reptile regulations that can befound in OAC Title 800:25-7 Part 3, or OAC Title 800:15 Subchapter 9. A hunting or fishing license is required to trap orcollect turtles for personal use; a commercial turtle harvester license is required to trap aquatic turtles commercially. Threespecies of turtles are sufficiently rare that closed seasons have been established to prohibit the trapping, possession orkilling of these species. These closed-season species are the Alligator Snapping Turtle, the Western Chicken Turtle andthe Common Map Turtle. The two species of box turtles, Three-toed Box Turtle and Ornate Box Turtle, can be collected forpersonal use but all commercial trade is prohibited in large part because their low reproductive rate makes their populationsvulnerable to local depletion in the event of over collection. The remaining species, all of which are aquatic, may becollected for personal use or may be trapped commercially from private waters with an approved commercial turtle harvestlicense.

Common Snapping Turtle (Chelydra serpentina)

Credit: Suzanne L. Collins, CNAH

This is a relatively large turtle with the adults reaching lengths of 8 to 18 inches and weights of 10 to35 pounds (though a few males have been recorded at over 50lbs). On average, the males arelarger than the females. Common Snapping Turtles occur in a wide range of aquatic habitats

including streams, rivers, sloughs, reservoirs and farm ponds, and they have been recorded in all 77 counties inOklahoma. They have a broad diet that includes aquatic plants, insects, snails, fish and occasionally frogs, snakes andbirds. The Common Snapping Turtle has a greenish-gray to black skin color and a dark gray to light brown shell that isoften covered with algae. Young turtles have ridges running the length of their shells, but as they age the shell becomesmoother. The neck is relatively long and the head is large. The tail is long and usually has a ridge of jagged scalesrunning along the upper surface. These turtles are primarily nocturnal and spend much of the day in shallow water orhiding in vegetation and woody debris within the water.

Alligator Snapping Turtle (Macrochelys temminckii)

This is a very large turtle and adults commonly reach lengths of 15 to 25 inches or more. Males aremuch larger than females and frequently exceed 80 to 100 pounds. Unlike the Common Snapping





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Turtles in Oklahoma


Turtle, Alligator Snapping Turtles have difficulty traveling over land and rarely leave the waterexcept for females that travel short distances (usually less than 300 feet) from water to lay theireggs. As a result of their poor ability to travel out of water, Alligator Snapping Turtles are almostnever found in ponds or isolated bodies of water. Most Alligator Snapping Turtles are found in the

eastern third of Oklahoma in streams, rivers and reservoirs, especially where there is tree cover over the water. AlligatorSnapping Turtles have very large heads and long necks that cannot be completely withdrawn into their shells. Their skincolor and shell color are usually a dark brown. Their tails are long and relatively smooth. The upper shell (carapace) hasthree prominent ridges, or keels, running the length of the shell from front to back and these remain throughout the life ofthe turtle. There is a small, pink projection near the tip of the Alligator Snapping Turtle’s tongue that the turtle can wiggleand used as a lure to attract fish. Alligator Snapping Turtles are primarily carnivorous and feed on aquatic insects, fish,frogs and even other turtles. Because of its rarity and low reproductive rate, the Alligator Snapping Turtle is classified as aspecies of special concern and a year-round closed season prohibits the trapping, possession or killing of these turtles.

Yellow Mud Turtle (Kinosternon flavescens)

This is a small turtle that grows to about five inches in length. Yellow Mud Turtles are common and are found in soft-bottomed streams, farm ponds, temporary pools and shallow wetlands across the western half of Oklahoma. Theyfrequently travel across land and readily colonize ponds and other isolated bodies of water. Their diet is broad andincludes insects, crayfish, tadpoles, and aquatic plants. The shell is smooth, rounded and generally a yellowish-browncolor. The skin color is grayish with a yellow tint to the head and neck. Like all mud and musk turtles, it can emit a foulodor when threatened.

Mississippi Mud Turtle (Kinosternon subrubrum hippocrepis)


The Mississippi Mud Turtle is a small, dark turtle usually less than five inches in length. It isrelatively common and found across most of the eastern third of Oklahoma in soft-bottomedstreams, ponds, swamps and shallow wetlands. They feed on a wide variety of foods including

aquatic plants, insects, crayfish, snails and tadpoles. The skin color is dark gray, and there are usually two yellowish tocream-colored lines running along each side of the head and neck. The shell is smooth and ranges from a dark olive-greento a dark gray-brown color. Like all mud and musk turtles, it can emit a foul odor when threatened, and spend most of theirtime on or near the bottom in shallow water.

Razor-backed Musk Turtle (Sternotherus carinatus)


This is an uncommon, small turtle that rarely exceeds five inches in length. They are found primarilyin gravel-bottom or rocky streams in southcentral and southeastern Oklahoma (Arbuckle andOuachita Mountains). They feed on aquatic plants, aquatic insects, snails and other invertebrates.

Their skin color is yellowish-brown to tan, and their shell is light colored and is unusual in having a prominent ridge downthe center from which it receives its name “razor-backed.” Like all musk and mud turtles, it can emit a foul odor whendisturbed or threatened, and it has several small barbels (soft projections) extending from under the chin.

Common Musk Turtle or Skinkpot Turtle (Sternotherus odoratus)


This is a common, small turtle usually four inches or less in length. It is found in muddy or soft-bottomed wetlands, small ponds, sloughs, swamps and slow-moving streams across much of the

eastern 2/5 of Oklahoma. Its skin color is gray to dark gray and there are two prominent, yellowish-colored lines that runacross the face, and along each side of the head and neck. There are several soft barbels (projections) on the chin andneck. The shell is dark brown, smooth and rounded. Because Skinkpots rarely leave the water, their shells are oftencovered in algae. Although this is a common turtle, it is rarely seen because it spends much of its time foraging along thebottom of shallow wetlands and streams. They feed on aquatic plants and small aquatic insects and crustaceans. Like allmusk and mud turtles, they can emit a foul odor when disturbed or threatened.

Common Map Turtle (Graptemys geographica)


This is a rare aquatic turtle found only in a few watersheds in the northeastern corner of the state(Delaware and Mayes counties). The Common Map Turtle is a medium sized turtle with the adultsranging in length from five to ten inches; adult females are normally larger than males. They occur

in gravel-bottom streams and small rivers where their diet is comprised of snails, aquatic insects, crustaceans and fish. The shell is generally broad and low in profile with a jagged ridge along the midline of the upper shell’s surface and ajagged hind edge. The shell is usually a green-brown color with fine yellowish or orangish markings. The skin color isgreenish with many yellow lines and markings on the head, neck, legs and tail. The term “map turtle” comes from the linesand markings on the shell that resemble the markings on a map. This species commonly basks or suns on rocks and logsin the water. Because of its limited geographic range and rarity in Oklahoma, a closed season has been established for thisspecies that prohibits the trapping, possession or killing of this turtle.

Ouachita Map Turtle (Graptemys ouachitensis ouachitensis)

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Turtles in Oklahoma



This is a medium sized, aquatic turtle that attains an adult length of five to ten inches. Like all mapturtles, the female Ouachita Map Turtle is generally larger than the male. This species is uncommonbut widespread across the eastern half of Oklahoma in streams, rivers and reservoirs. Aquatic

plants comprise the bulk of the diet, but aquatic insects and snails are eaten as well. The shell is olive-green to brown incolor with faint yellow markings and dark blotches. The top of the shell is relatively low, but there is a jagged ridge runningalong its midline. The skin color is greenish brown with several fine, yellow lines extending down the legs and along theneck. The most prominent markings are yellow backward “L”-shaped markings on the top of the head behind each eye,and several long yellow lines that run the length of the neck and reach the eye. The term “map turtle” comes from the linesand markings on the shell that resemble the markings on a map. This species commonly basks or suns on rocks and logsin the water.

Mississippi Map Turtle (Graptemys pseudogeographica kohnii)


This is a medium sized, aquatic turtle that reaches an adult length of five to ten inches. Like all mapturtles, the female Mississippi Map Turtle is normally larger than the male. This species is found ina wide variety of streams, rivers and reservoirs in roughly the eastern quarter of Oklahoma but is

generally uncommon. Its diet is comprised primarily of snails, aquatic insects, crustaceans and small mussels, but it alsofeeds upon aquatic plants. The profile of the upper shell is relatively low, but there is a distinct jagged ridge running alongthe shell’s midline. The shell is dark olive to brown in color with numerous yellowish, circular markings. Fine yellow linesrun the length of the tail, legs and neck, but none of the yellow lines on the neck reach the eye. There is an obvious yellow“V”-shaped marking behind and below each eye. Like all map turtles, the Mississippi Map Turtle is active during thedaylight hours and frequently basks or suns on logs in the water and along the banks.

Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta belli and Chrysemys picta dorsalis)


The Painted Turtle is a small, aquatic turtle that reaches an adult length offive to seven inches with females being larger than males on average and having shorter tails. Painted Turtles are found instreams, sloughs and ponds with abundant vegetation and cover. Aquatic plants make up most of their diet, but they alsoeat aquatic insects and crustaceans. They are frequently found basking or sunning on logs and banks. There are twopopulations of Painted Turtles in Oklahoma and some herpetologists consider these to be separate species. The WesternPainted Turtle (Chrysemys picta belli) is found in a few counties in north central Oklahoma along the Kansas border(Alfalfa, Grant and Kay counties). The Southern Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta dorsalis) is found in extremesoutheastern Oklahoma in the southern half of McCurtain County. Turtles in both populations have dark green skin withyellow or reddish-orange stripes on the neck, legs and tail. The shell of the Western Painted Turtle is green with yellowlines and markings; the shell of the Southern Painted Turtle is dark and has a red, orange or yellow stripe extending downthe center ridge.

Western Chicken Turtle (Deirochelys reticularia miaria)

This is a medium-sized aquatic turtle that reaches an adult length of five to nine inches, and the females are normally muchlarger than the males. The Chicken Turtle is a rare species in Oklahoma with scattered populations in south centralOklahoma and along the Red River in eastern Oklahoma (Cleveland, Pottawatomie, Seminole, Coal, Atoka, Marshall,Bryan, Choctaw and McCurtain counties). This species is found primarily in streams, marshes, sloughs and ponds withabundant aquatic vegetation. The diet is comprised mainly of aquatic plants but aquatic insects make up a small portion ofthe diet. The Chicken Turtle is sufficiently rare that a year-round closed season was established to prohibit the collection,killing and possession of this species. Chicken Turtles have a gray-green skin color with yellow stripes on the legs, neckand head. The shell is oval or pear-shaped, and dark green or tan in color with numerous faint yellowish markings.

Eastern River Cooter (Pseudemys concinna concinna)

Eastern River Cooter Adult


Eastern River Cooter JuvCredit: Suzanne L. Collins, CNAH

This is a relatively large aquatic turtle that reaches an adult length of nine to thirteen inches (females are typically largerthan males). The River Cooter is common and found in rivers, large streams and reservoirs across the entire eastern halfof Oklahoma. Within its habitat, it is usually found in areas with shallow water and abundant vegetation or cover. Its diet iscomprised primarily of aquatic plants, but aquatic insects and crustaceans are eaten also. The River Cooter’s skin andshell colors are green when they are young but both darken to a dark green as they mature. Young cooters and adultcooters both have fine yellow stripes on their legs, tails, necks and heads. Their shells are low in profile and are marked

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Turtles in Oklahoma


with many yellow circular and “C”- shaped markings. Like the related map turtles and sliders, the Eastern River Cooter is aturtle that frequently basks or suns itself on logs and rocks jutting out of the water.

Red-eared Slider (Trachemys scripta elegans)

This is a medium-sized aquatic turtle that grows to an adult length of five to eight inches (femalesare larger than males). This is possibly the most abundant turtle in Oklahoma and is found nearlystatewide in streams, rivers, ponds, reservoirs, marshes and sloughs. The Red-eared Slider isfrequently found moving away from water and between ponds. As a result of their mobility, theyreadily colonize ponds and isolated bodies of water. They live in a variety of aquatic habitats, butare most common in ponds and slow-moving waters with an abundance of aquatic vegetation.

Young Red-eared Sliders feed on aquatic insects, snails, crustaceans and small fish, but adult sliders are primarilyvegetarian and eat aquatic plants. The most obvious physical trait of the Red-eared Slider is the presence of a bold redpatch of skin behind each eye from which its name is taken. The skin color of the slider is variable. Young sliders havegreen skin but the color darkens as they age and very old turtles may be dark olive or nearly black skin. The shell coloralso is variable. Young sliders have a green shell with yellow lines and markings. The shell darkens as it matures andbecomes an olive green with yellowish markings. In very old turtles, the shell is brown or nearly black and has no markingson it. The Red-eared Slider is a basking turtle and often seen lying in the sun on rocks or logs, or floating at the water’ssurface.

Three-toed Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina triunguis)


This is one of only two land-dwelling turtles in Oklahoma. The adults are relatively small and growto a length of five or six inches. Three-toed Box Turtles are typically found in forested areas,woodlands, forest edges and thickets, and they are found across the eastern half of the state. They

are active during the day and hunt or search for insects, earthworms, snails, fungi and fallen fruits at ground level. Theirskin color is primarily brown, but some adults, especially the males, may have white, yellow, orange or red spots andblotches on their front legs, necks and heads. The sex of many adults can be determined by examining the eye color. Adult males normally have red to orange eyes, while the females’ eyes are normally brown to yellow. Box turtles havehigh, dome-shaped shells that are usually a medium brown color. The shells may be plain, or they may have some blackor yellow markings. The feet of the box turtle are stout and used for digging and walking on land. The hind feet of mostindividuals have only three toes (instead of four) and this is the origin of their common name. A box turtle has the ability topull its head, neck and legs completely into its shell when threatened or disturbed. Box turtles are long-lived but have a lowreproductive rate and a poor ability to move long distances. Because of this, box turtle populations can become locallydepleted if heavily harvested or captured. In Oklahoma, it is lawful to keep box turtles as pets, however, it is unlawful tosell or trade box turtles commercially. Box turtles have a specialized diet and are relatively difficult to keep in captivity;therefore we do not recommend that they be kept as pets.

Ornate Box Turtle (Terrapene ornata)


This is one of only two land-dwelling turtles in Oklahoma. The adults are relatively small and reacha length of only four to five inches. Ornate Box Turtles are found in a wide range of habitatsincluding prairies, woodlands, stabilized dunes and shrublands. Usually they are found in habitats

with abundant grasses and forbs at ground level, and often in areas with sandy or loamy soils where the turtles can digeasily. Ornate Box Turtles are found statewide but are most common in the western half of the state. They are activeduring the day and search for insects, earthworms and fallen fruits at ground level. Their skin color is variable but isprimarily dark with yellow blotches and spots on their necks, heads and legs. Some individuals may have entirely yellowheads, while some males may have red or orange spots on their front legs. The sex of many adults can be determined byexamining the eye color. Adult males normally have red eyes, while the females’ eyes are brown to yellow. Ornate BoxTurtles have high, dome-shaped shells that are dark brown or black with many yellow lines and markings. The undersideof the shell is very distinctive and is black with yellow markings like the upper surface (by contrast, the Three-toed BoxTurtle has a plain brown or beige underside to its shell). The feet of the box turtle are stout and used for digging andwalking on land. The hind feet of most individuals have four toes. The Ornate Box Turtle has the ability to pull its head,neck and legs completely into its shell when threatened or disturbed. Ornate Box Turtles are shorter-lived than other boxturtles and more difficult to keep healthy in captivity. In Oklahoma, box turtles may be kept as pets legally, however, it isunlawful to sell or trade box turtles commercially. Because of their specialized diet of insects, Ornate Box Turtles arerelatively difficult to keep in captivity and do not make good pets.

Smooth Softshell (Apalone mutica mutica)


This is a large turtle that reaches an adult length of six to 15 inches. Adult female softshell turtlesare much larger than males. They live in streams and rivers with sandy or soft substrates, and canbe found in these habitats across most of the main body of Oklahoma. Softshell turtles are usually

found in or adjacent to the water and do not move easily on land. As a result, they rarely move overland into ponds orisolated wetlands. Most of their diet is comprised of insects, crustaceans, snails and small fish. They are often found inshallow water where they will sit on the bottom, or partially buried in the substrate, with the neck out-stretched and theirnostrils extending just above the surface of the water for air. The Smooth Softshell’s skin color is a light greenish-brown

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and there is a black-edged, yellowish stripe on each side of the head and neck that extends through the eye. The shell isflat and covered with a leathery olive to brown skin. The male’s shell may have a few dark dashes and spots, while thefemale’s shell may have several larger dark spots or a mottled pattern. The neck is very long, but is often retracted into theshell. The feet are broad and webbed to aid in swimming and digging. Softshell turtles may be locally common in riversand streams and may be harvested commercially with a specific license.

Credit: Suzanne L. Collins, CNAHSmooth Softshell (L) and Spiny Softshell (R)

Spiny Softshell (Apalone spinifera)

This is a large aquatic turtle that may reach an adult length of eight to 20 inches (adult females are much larger thanmales). Spiny Softshell turtles live in streams and rivers with sandy or soft substrates, and can be found within thesehabitats statewide. Softshell turtles are usually found in or adjacent to the water and do not move easily on land. As aresult, they rarely move overland into ponds or isolated wetlands. Most of their diet is comprised of insects, snails,crustaceans and small fish. The softshell turtle is often found in shallow water where it may sit on the bottom, or partiallyburied in the substrate, with its neck out-stretched and its nostrils extending just above the surface of the water for air. TheSpiny Softshell has a light greenish-brown skin color with small dark markings on the legs. There is a black-edged,yellowish stripe on each side of the head and neck that runs through each eye. The shell is flat and covered with aleathery olive to brown skin and is marked with large, dark circular spots. The front edge of the shell (behind the neck andhead) has a small row of hard, spike-like projections from which the Spiny Softshell turtle gets its common name. Softshellturtles have broad, webbed feet that aid in swimming and digging. Because of their powerful webbed feet, softshell turtlesswim surprisingly fast. Softshell turtles may be locally common in rivers and streams and may be harvested commerciallywith a specific license; however, it is unlawful to collect softshell turtles greater than 18 inches in length because these arereproductively important mature females. Two subspecies of Spiny Softshell are found in Oklahoma. The Western SpinySoftshell (Apalone spinifera hartwegi) is found in the Arkansas River watershed; the Pallid Spiny Softshell (Apalonespinifera pallida) is found in the Red River watershed.

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Species Spotlight: Western Rattlesnake

http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/wildlifemgmt/species/westernrattlesnake.htm[2/27/2012 4:38:25 PM]

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Western Diamondback Rattlesnake

If you have ever seen a turtle lazily basking on a log or poking its nose out of the water tobreathe, you were probably looking at a red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta elegans).The most common turtle in Oklahoma, the red-eared slider also is one of the mostcommon turtles in North America. They can be found in warm, sluggish waters fromOklahoma to Texas, east to Indiana and Georgia, and down to the Gulf of Mexico.Sliders have even been found in brackish (semi-saltwater) habitats, although they preferponds with muddy bottoms and lots of vegetation.

The red-eared slider is perhaps the best known and most recognizable turtle. The top ofthe shell, called the carapace, is smooth and gently curved and is olive to black in colorwith yellow stripes. A medium -sized turtle, it is best identified by a red or sometimesyellow patch that is found just behind the eye. Young turtles are the most brightly colored. As they age, their shells generally turn to adrab olive green. Adults can reach a foot in length and have been known to live up to 65years in captivity.










































Species Spotlight: Western Rattlesnake

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Species Spotlight: Bluegill Sunfish

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Bluegill Sunfish

Lepomis macrochirus, also known as the bluegill sunfish, is found throughout the state in alltypes of water. Bluegill sunfish are members of the sunfish family, which you can read allabout inside this issue of Outdoor Oklahoma, and are known by several names. You mightbe more familiar with some of them, such as: bream, blue bream, sun perch, blue sunfish,copperhead, copperbelly, and roach.

Bluegills have small mouths and oval-shaped bodies. They get their name and manynicknames from an iridescent blue color on the lower portion of both the jaw and gill. A goodway to identify a bluegill from other sunfish is to look for a prominent black spot on the rearedge of the gill-cover and a black spot at the base of the posterior portion of the dorsal fin.Body coloration is highly variable with size, sex, spawning, water color, bottom type, andamount of cover.

Darker water tends to yield darker bluegills with olive to black backs that get lighter toward ayellowish belly. Clearer water will produce bluegills with blue-green backs with white bellies. Males typically have brightercolors than females, especially during breeding, when they may have orange to rusty-red breasts. Bluegills have five tonine dark, vertical bands running down their sides. The bands get lighter as they go down the side, disappearing near thebelly.

Bluegills prefer quiet, warm waters with abundant vegetation, where they can hide and feed. They inhabit lakes and ponds,slow-flowing rivers and streams with sand, mud, or gravel bottoms. Young bluegill will frequent areas that are shallow andweedy near the shore; while adults prefer deeper water during the day and shallower waters during the night. Bluegill willavoid direct sun, instead choosing the cover of aquatic vegetation and submerged brush.

Bluegill will primarily feed on a variety of aquatic and terrestrial insects, insect larvae and crustaceans. They will also eatvegetation, small fish, mollusk, and snails during the year. But anglers seem to be able to catch them on just aboutanything.

Bluegills are well-known for “bedding” in large groups. They create circular beds by touching one another. This occurs inwater that is typically two to six feet deep over sand or gravel bottom, often among plant roots. Spawning typically occursfrom April through October, with the peak in May and June, when the water temperature rises to around 70-85 degrees. Afemale may lay 2,000 to 63,000 eggs that hatch 30 to 35 hours after fertilization. After the eggs are deposited andfertilized, the females are then driven away by the males who stay and guard the nest. The males tend to the eggs, fanningthem with their fins to keep them aerated and free of debris. The protective father will generally stay with the fry, guardingthem for several days before leaving them to fend for themselves. Bluegills can grow rapidly in Oklahoma. For example, afive-inch bluegill in Oklahoma is typically two to four years old, and they have been known to live up to 11 years.

The bluegill’s willingness to take a variety of natural baits — crickets, grass shrimp and worms and artificial lures such assmall spinners and popping bugs — during the entire year, combined with its gameness when hooked and its excellenttaste make it an important sport fish in Oklahoma. The current record bluegill for Oklahoma was caught in 1987 andweighed is 2 lbs. 6 oz.

Next time you are out fishing, don’t forget about the bluegill. It may be a smaller fish, but it’s qualities make it a trophy inevery sense.


































Species Spotlight: Bluegill Sunfish

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Species Spotlight: Crappie

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Crappie

Crappie sport almost as many nicknames as they do stripes and spots. Common monikers includeslabs, papermouths, thin mouths, speckled bass, specks and bachelors. Whatever they’re called asthey’re collected on a stringer, the most important thing to anglers is that these fish are called“delicious” at the dinner table. In fact, primarily because of its popularity in the frying pan, thisspecies is the second-most sought-after sport fish in Oklahoma.

Crappie are members of the sunfish family. Oklahoma is home to two species, the white (Pomoxisannularis) and black (Pomoxis nigromatulatis) crappie. White crappie tolerate muddy and flowingwater better than their cousins, although neither species is common in swift currents. Both speciesthrive in lakes and waterways throughout Oklahoma, with whites being the most prevalent.These two species easily distinguishable. The black crappie is deeper-bodies with darker coloring

and markings. They have seven or eight dorsal spines. White crappie are more streamlines and are lighter in color, oftendisplaying vertical stripes or bands, and have only six dorsal spines. Because of their stockier bodies, black crappiegenerally weigh more than white crappie of the same length. In other words, a 10-inch black crappie often will weigh morethan a 10-inch white crappie

Spawning occurs when water temperatures reach 55 to 65 degrees. Both black and white crappie take on darker colorationduring the breeding season, when the fish move into the shallows. Spawning generally takes place in water only 18 to 36inches deep, with black crappie usually found a bit deeper than white crappie. Females may deposit between 25,000 and75,000 eggs each before returning to the depths, leaving the males at the spawning site to guard the eggs. Once the eggshatch, males linger for a few additional days to continue guarding the fry. Soon thereafter, though, the young crappie are ontheir own.

Adult crappie eat small fish such as minnows and shad. Crayfish may also be taken, along with mollusks and insects.Mayflies are an important seasonal food.

Crappie are native only to North America, but the white and black species have proven their adaptability through the years.At the time of the American Revolution they were popular with Southern fisherman, but found only in an area extendingsouth from southern Manitoba through the eastern and central United States to Florida and Texas. There were no crappiewest of the Rockies. However, modern fisheries management introduced crappie into every state except Alaska, and todayboth species are found coast to coast from southern Canada to northern Mexico.

Their adaptability and amazing capacity reproduction can allow crappie to easily overpopulate small lakes and ponds,which results in poor, stunted populations of fish. However, in bigger reservoirs, they grow to a fairly large size. Theaverage crappie caught in Oklahoma ranges between a half- pound to 1 ½ pounds.

Crappie are schooling fish and often congregate near submerged structure. These fish inhabit shallow water during spawn,but later in the year they often reside in water 15 feet deep or deeper. Standing timber and brush are good places foranglers to look for crappie. Minnows and jigs are top bait choices.

While crappie will always remain popular with anglers, all outdoors enthusiasts who appreciate well-rounded wildlifeecosystems can be thankful for them, too. After all, no matter what they’re called, the black and white crappie areimportant members of Oklahoma’s native aquatic community.


































Species Spotlight: Crappie

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Species Spotlight: Longear Sunfish

http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/wildlifemgmt/species/longearsunfish.htm[2/27/2012 4:38:35 PM]

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Longear Sunfish

Longear sunfish (Lepomis megalotis), like all sunfish, are well known to most young anglers as beingthe first “perch” ever caught on a cane pole with a dangling worm for bait. Also dubbed “panfish,”“goggle eye” and “bream,” the name “perch” is inaptly applied to sunfishes, probably because of ourEuropean ancestors. Upon arrival to America, our immigrant forbearers found many unfamiliar butsimilar looking fish to those occurring back in their homeland. These new found fish needed a name;therefore, “perch” was applied to these small, lively and energetic little fish which now belong to thefamily Centrarchidae. Centrarchids are exclusive to North America and widely distributed statewidealong the shallows of Oklahoma rivers, lakes, and ponds.

Longear sunfish are brilliantly painted in various hues of red, orange, yellow, blue and green. Namedfor their elongated gill cover that is typically bordered by white, longear sunfish get their scientific name, Lepomismegalotis, from the Greek word Lepomis, meaning “scaled gill cover,” and megalotis, meaning “great ear.” Adult longearsunfish average five to eight inches in length and normally weigh less than six ounces.

Longear sunfish spawn in spring and early summer. They prefer to construct their nests in shallow substrates of pebbles,gravel and sand. The male constructs the nest using its fins to clear a circular depression and fan silt away. It then locatesa mate who lays sticky eggs in the nest and leaves. The male aggressively guards these eggs as the embryos develop.Newly hatched larvae dine on plankton and microscopic animals. Within two weeks, the larvae are herded into denseschools and into shallow water regions where they search for food and mature. As they continue to grow and approachadulthood, larger insects and even small fish become part of their diet.

Longear sunfish are known to everyone for their relatively small stature and abundant numbers, but they more than makeup for their lack of size with their ferocity and willingness to bite a variety of small jigs, lures, spinnerbaits, spoons, plasticsand artificial flies using light tackle and fly rods. This tasty fish also eagerly strikes many natural types of bait includingworms, crickets, grasshoppers, and minnows suspended from bobbers.

If you’re looking for a new and exciting challenge, get out your ultra-light tackle, small baits and skillet and head to yournearest stream, lake or pond, where you will find fast paced action and fun for young and old alike in the form of longearsunfish!

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Species Spotlight: Longear Sunfish

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Species Spotlight: Longnose_darter

http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/wildlifemgmt/species/longnosedarter.htm[2/27/2012 4:38:38 PM]


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Longnose Darter

If you were poking around in a clear stream in the Ozark region and saw a tiny fish with an elongated snout and orange-yellow sides, this could be the find of a lifetime. This two-and-a-half inch long fish called the longnose darter, Percinanasuta, is one of Oklahoma's rarest species. It occurs in very few streams such as the Poteau River and Lee Creek ineastern Oklahoma and it prefers upland stream habitats that are free of silt and plentiful in gravel and cobble beds.

The colorful longnose darter has a slender but short body with an orange band and an overall dull yellowish color. In thespring months of April and May, the darters move into the riffle areas of the stream and get ready to spawn. Afterspawning, the fish move out into the deeper pools of the cool water throughout the summer.

Since the longnose darter is the state's only endangered fish species, it faces many challenges. It is thought to be mostlyaffected by the construction of impoundments and the alteration of particular habitats. Impoundments alter the natural flowof the river or stream and can drastically affect downstream habitat. The streams where the darters reside are in poor anddeclining condition therefore making it more difficult for this fish to rebound. There is very little knowledge available on thecurrent status of longnose darters and it is listed in the Oklahoma Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy as a Tier Ispecies of greatest conservation need. Current research efforts are in process to further assess the needs of thisendangered but special species.

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Species Spotlight: Western Mosquitofish

http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/wildlifemgmt/species/mosquitofish.htm[2/27/2012 4:38:42 PM]

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Western Mosquitofish

The Western Mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis) is the only Oklahoma native member of the live-bearing fish family — Poecillidae.

Found throughout Oklahoma, the mosquitofish typically frequents quiet pools in small creeks and isalso found in the shallow backwaters of larger creeks and river systems, where it can easily feed onsmall insects, fish eggs and amphibian larvae and some vegetative material. Like its common namesuggests, this fish is a common predator of mosquitoes, and larger fish can feed on hundreds perday, though consumption rates are usually smaller. This fish’s diet also includes crustaceans andother invertebrates.

Generally olive in color, these small fish only grow to about two inches, with males being smaller than females.Additionally, males have a much longer anal fin that is used for mating. All mosquitofish have a flattened head with thebottom lip extending past the top so the mouth is upturned, allowing the mosquitofish to feed by skimming the surface of thewater. Although this upturned mouth and feeding method are features similar to the topminnow family, Fundulidae, themosquitofish has fewer rays in the dorsal and anal fins and has a much more robust stomach than topminnows.Additionally, mosquitofish have a dark vertical line underneath the eye and another directly above the anal fin. This speciesalso has a diamond-shaped net pattern that is obvious on most individuals, with a large eye and rounded speckled tailserving as secondary field marks.

Unlike other fishes native to Oklahoma, the mosquitofish produces live young. After mating, the females can store spermfor several months, but actual gestation typically lasts less than a month. While the average number of young produced perbrood per female is around 60, some reports show larger females can brood up to 300. Although the ratio of males tofemales is generally one-to-one at birth, it later shifts towards females in the adult populations. Females can produceseveral broods per year and the average lifespan is three years.

In the past 100 years, the mosquitofish has been intentionally released in over 35 states and in several countriesthroughout the world as a way to manage mosquito populations and potential diseases associated with the biting insect.Unfortunately, many areas now report ecological setbacks due to the introduction and haven’t seen as extreme of adecrease in mosquito populations as expected. Because mosquitofish are aggressive and opportunistic feeders —attacking other species of fish and feeding on fish and amphibian eggs — some species, including a chub native to Utahand various species of western frogs, have seen drastic population declines. The Oklahoma population of mosquitofishremains stable.

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Species Spotlight: Western Mosquitofish

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Species Spotlight: Gray Tree Frog

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Gray Tree Frog

The chameleon of the frog world. That's how some people describe the graytree frog – a name that implies this animal is always the same color, andignores its ability to adapt to backgrounds ranging from gray to green.

With a white spot under both eyes, a white belly and yellowish-orangemarkings on the inside of its hind legs, the gray tree frog is a handsome andexotic-looking amphibian. Closer examination reveals large adhesive pads onthe end of its toes, which allow it to cling to vertical surfaces. But, certainly, thisamphibian's most curious feature is its ability to change colors much like themore-famous lizard with the same trait, the chameleon.

Though common throughout much of the southern United States, the gray treefrog (Hyla versicolor) has been found as far north as the Canadian provincesof New Brunswick and Manitoba. In Oklahoma, they live wherever they findsmall ponds, roadside ditches and other pools of standing water. The best

habitat is shallow water located close to mixed stands of willows, oaks and pines. The frogs also prefer lots of overheadvegetation, and fallen branches or extensive vegetation along the water’s edge. They often congregate in areas with anabundance of shrubs and vines.During the day, gray tree frogs hide on or beneath rough tree bark, in hollow trees and on leaves. They tolerate hightemperatures quite well, and they're most active during the summer, when humidity is high.

Their remarkable ability to climb or rest on vertical surfaces is the result of a mucous layer produced by toe pad cells. Thismucous creates a sticky bond with the vertical surface that’s strong enough to support the frog’s weight.

In regard to diet, the gray tree frog is an opportunistic feeder that eats mostly insects, spiders and other invertebrates.

This frog’s breeding season lasts from early April through July. Males begin calling at breeding sites when night airtemperatures reach around 60 degrees. Their calls resemble musical, birdlike or buzzing trills, and the chorus attractsfemales to the site. The frogs then breed in water.

Afterwards, each female may produce between 700 and 3,800 eggs, and biologists have documented individual frogsproducing multiple clutches in a single season. Eggs are light brown, and they measure barely 1/25-inch in diameter.

After they are deposited, the eggs attach to floating vegetation in clumps of 30 to 40 eggs. They hatch in only four or fivedays, and the tadpoles completely metamorphose within two months. Young frogs typically stay near the breeding site forthe remainder of summer.

Fortunately, most land use practices are not detrimental to the gray tree frog’s survival, as long as some shallow ditches orponds are left undisturbed. The gray tree frog is an interesting component of Oklahoma’s natural world, and discoveringone can be the highlight of an outing. So, while you’re out this summer, keep a sharp eye out for the chameleon of the frogworld – the gray tree frog – which may be gray or green or anything in-between.


































Species Spotlight: Gray Tree Frog

http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/wildlifemgmt/species/treefrog.htm[2/27/2012 4:38:45 PM]


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Species Spotlight: Leopard Frog

http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/wildlifemgmt/species/leopardfrog.htm[2/27/2012 4:38:48 PM]

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Leopard FrogFew creatures have the patience and superiorambushing skills of the leopard – the leopard frogthat is.

Leopard frogs are the familiar frogs used inbiological studies and are considered true frogs.Like all true frogs, leopard frogs have smooth,moist skin and a ridge on each side of the bodythat runs from the eye to the hind legs, separatingthe back from the sides. All leopard frogs are eitherbrown or green or a combination of those twocolors. They have a long, pointed head, round,dark spots, and a distinct light spot on thetympanum or eardrum. Leopard frogs are easilymistaken for pickerel frogs, which are similar inappearance but have rectangular or square spots.

Oklahoma has three species of leopard frogs, though only two are native. The southern leopard frog (Rana utricularia) ismost abundant in the eastern half of the state with some individuals venturing into southwest Oklahoma. The plainsleopard frog (Rana blairi) can be seen throughout Oklahoma except in the southeastern counties. The northern leopard frog(Rana pipiens) is native to North America, but has been introduced into Oklahoma in several parts of the state. All threeleopard frogs are similar in general appearance and living habits. Ideal habitat for the leopard frog consists of shallow, freshwater habitats in open or lightly wooded areas. This wetlandhabitat is essential for frog survival, and the loss of wetlands since 1900 has greatly affected leopard frog populations notonly in Oklahoma, but nationwide. Meadow or grass frogs, as they are sometimes called, are regularly seen some distancefrom water. They frequently search for prey in grassy fields and are common lawn and garden visitors during the summer.Leopard frogs spend the day hiding among the tall grass and emerge toward evening to feed. During the winter, theyhibernate at the bottoms of ponds or streams.

After a long hibernation, adult leopard frogs quickly turn their attention to breeding. During early spring and summer, as wellas fall and winter for the southern leopard frog, males fill the air with sweet, deep rattling snores followed by severalclucking grunts to attract females. They breed in both permanent and temporary streams, pools, ponds or ditches andattach the large jelly-like cluster of eggs to vegetation or rocks beneath the water surface. Females lay 3,000 to 6,000 eggsthat hatch in about 10 days.

Like all amphibians, leopard frogs experience a double life. As tadpoles, leopard frogs have gills and a streamlined bodywith a long flattened tail they use for propulsion. After four months, the tadpoles undergo a remarkable change. The gillsbecome lungs, the eyes migrate to the front of the head, the tail disappears, legs arise, and the mouth widens into acharacteristic froggy grin. During this time, their diet and digestive system change as well.

As tadpoles, they are herbivores, grazing on the tips of plants and on algae floating on the water or attached to a rock orwater-plant. Mature frogs are carnivores that eat anything they can catch. Insects, including beetles and grasshoppers, aretheir most common prey, but they’ll take crayfish, small mammals and fish, and even young leopard frogs if theopportunities arise.

The next time you encounter a leopard frog and notice its wide grin, it’s probably still smiling from its last long-awaited meal.


































Species Spotlight: Leopard Frog

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Species Spotlight: Wood Frog

http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/wildlifemgmt/species/wood_frog.htm[2/27/2012 4:38:51 PM]

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Wood Frog

It’s not every day that a freeze-resistant frog is discovered in your own back yard.

Often referred to as the frog with a robber’s mask, the wood frog, Rana sylvatica, is aremarkable species, only recently discovered in Oklahoma. A member of the "true frog"family, this small frog ranges from one-and-a-half to two-and-three-quarters inches long andcomes in a range of colors. Usually brown or rust colored, they can be green or gray, but allhave the distinctive dark patch that runs from the eye to the circular hearing organ, calledthe tympanum. In addition, the wood frog has two ridges running parallel down the back, a

feature common to most frogs in this family.

While the wood frog is typically found in the northeast part of the country, it can be found as far south as northern Alabama,and a western subspecies is even found in the Rocky Mountains. In Oklahoma, the wood frog has a limited range. The firstspecimen was discovered in 2005 in the southern portion of Adair County in a wildlife refuge adjacent to the Ozark PlateauWildlife Management Area. In the following years, additional frogs were found in the same wildlife refuge, but the breedingarea was never located.

Every spring, males travel from their hibernation sites back to favored breeding spots and begin calling to attract females.Although the chuckling, duck-like voice may sound like another northern species — the Northern leopard frog — it is shorterin length, and not as low pitched; generally one of the first to call in early spring. Breeding can begin as early as March,sometimes before the ice has completely melted, and lasts until the beginning of May. Females lay large egg masses inthe deepest part of the pool, with 1,000 to 3,000 eggs laid by a single individual. After breeding, the adults leave the areaand return to drier ground. Development of the egg is dependant upon water temperature. If laid in cold water, it can takeas long as a month for the tadpoles to appear, but if laid in warmer water, development can take only nine to 10 days.Complete metamorphosis from tadpole to a frog generally takes two months, and the froglets reach sexual maturity twoyears later.

Unlike many frogs, the wood frog hibernates in upland sites where they are more vulnerable to harsh winter conditions.Even with obvious drawbacks, this unusual behavior of trading a more secure hibernation site for leaf litter and stumps hasadvantages. Because they are closer to the surface, wood frogs are better able to detect subtle temperature changes thatannounce spring sooner than frogs that hibernate underground or underwater. This early emergence is a way to takeadvantage of a longer growing season for the offspring, and to some extent, escape from predators that are still inhibernation. Even still, the cold winter weather requires a unique adaptation – wood frogs are freeze tolerant. Amazinglyenough, these frogs are able to survive even when up to 50 percent of their total body water is turned into extracellular ice.Forming underneath the layer of absorbent skin, these ice crystals are scattered among the skeletal muscles and only thepresence of specialized proteins and glucose keep the cells from bursting.

Like many other amphibians, the wood frog primarily breeds in seasonally wet depressions called vernal pools.Intermittently filled from either raising water tables or from precipitation or water runoff, these pools are especially importantto breeding frogs and salamanders because they can’t support fish—a major predator. One of the leading threats to thesefrogs and many other amphibians is the loss or damage of these sensitive breeding areas. Even slight changes in thelandscape from small construction and ground moving projects to increased litter can damage this new-found Oklahomaspecies.


































Species Spotlight: Wood Frog

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Species Spotlight: Woodhouse Toad

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Woodhouse Toad

IThe Woodhouse’s toad’s (Bufo woodhousii) name comes from Samuel Washington Woodhouse, asurgeon and naturalist who explored the southwestern U.S mid-19th century. At about three to fourinches long the Woodhouse’s toad is the largest

toad found in Oklahoma and can be found statewide. Woodhouse’s toad has a light tan to dark grayor brown back, often with scattered paired spots. Warts occur in groups of two to four or more withineach dorsal spot. There is usually a white to yellow stripe down the middle of the back and yellow inthe thighs.

Woodhouse’s toad inhibits a wide variety of habitats, ranging from grasslands to agricultural areas toresidential areas. It prefers deep sandy soils. This toad is primarily nocturnal; it is often seen sitting under lights hunting forinsects. It is occasionally active during the day but most often burrows into loose soil or hides vegetation. This toad is a wel-comed guest in lawns and gardens because it eats insects and slugs. A single toad can eat thousands of insects per year.

The Woodhouse’s toad breeds in ponds, lakes, flooded areas and other bodies of water lacking strong current. Breedingtakes place from March to August, usually after a heavy rainfall. The call is a high-pitched, shrill “whrrr” “waaaah.” The eggsare pigmented and laid in two long intertwined strands of up to 25,000 eggs and are attached to submerged vegetation ordebris. The eggs hatch into larvae called tadpoles. The tiny tadpoles are weak swimmers making them easy prey for fish,turtles, birds and other predators. At first, tadpoles lack legs. The hind legs develop first with the front legs developing justbefore tadpoles transform into small toads. Tadpoles eat organic debris, algae suspended matter and plant tissue.

All toads have enlarged glands, called the pararoid gland, on the side of the neck and behind each eye. These glandssecrete a sticky white liquid that gets smeared in the mouth of any would-be predator. This substance inflames the mouthand throat. Humans should take care to wash their hands after handling a toad.

To help attract this toad and other amphibians to your property, here are some tips to improve habitat. Place two or threeinches of mulch on the ground and place two small logs and a board over the mulch. A pond as small as 3x3 foot willprovide breeding habitat for the toads. You can provide for their need year round by creating a place where amphibians canhibernate in the winter. Hibernation habitat is especially important in urbanized areas where natural habitats have beendestroyed severely degraded. To learn how to improve habitat for this toad and other wildlife, check out the “Landscapingfor Wildlife: A Guide to the Southern Plains” online at Outdoor Store

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Species Spotlight: Woodhouse Toad

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Species Spotlight: Black Widow Spider

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Black Widow Spider

Like wolves and snakes, the black widow spider is the victim of bad publicity.While they are one of the two potentially dangerous spiders found in Oklahoma,their bad public image is somewhat undeserved. The truth is that the black widowhas not caused any deaths in the United States for several decades. Also, they area voracious consumer of insects, particularly flies, crickets, and even cockroaches.

Black widow is actually the common name given to several long-legged, smoothbodied spiders found in the tropics, southern United States and southern Canada.The female of the species found in Oklahoma, Latrodectus mactans, can beidentified by its jet black body with an hourglass-shaped red mark on the undersideof the abdomen. When mature, she measures about one and a half inches withher legs extended. Males, which are rarely seen, are only about half as large andusually have four pairs of red dots along the side of the abdomen. Newly hatched black widows are white with black spots on their abdomens and acream colored hourglass. Later, they become cream and brown-striped, beforeentering their mature color phase. The black widow requires about four monthsfrom egg to maturity with the females going through six to nine molts. Over their

one- to two-year life span the females produce several egg sacs, each containing several hundred eggs. Female blackwidows guard the sac, which resembles a silken cocoon, until the eggs hatch. During this time she is most likely to bite.Eggs are most frequently encountered between May to October.

Black widow spiders are commonly found around homes, garages, barns and other man-made structures. They buildtough, irregularly shaped webs with strands running in many directions. The “messy” looking webs are often found in orbehind objects in secluded and protected locations. During the summer they are known to set up house near porch lightsin order to make an easy meal of the insects that gather there. They hide during the day and often hang upside down intheir webs at night.

Black widows are the only spiders in the United States with a neurotoxic poison, which means it affects nerves or nervoustissue. The initial bite may feel like a pin prick, and is followed by pain in the vicinity of the bite, muscle aches, severeabdominal pain, vomiting, muscular cramping, sweating, fever and headache. There is usually no swelling of the bite area,but a small lesion may form. Black widow bites are rarely life threatening but can be dangerous for small children or peoplewith chronic health problems. They also can be dangerous for pets, and are sometimes fatal to small dogs or cats.

Contact with black widows can be avoided or minimized by observing these practices:

Be cautious when picking up or moving objects, particularly in outbuildings such as shed or garages, or in shadyundisturbed areas such as under parked cars or in flower pots.

Although they are not commonly found indoors it is always a good idea to shake out and check clothing before puttingit on (for brown recluse spiders and scorpions as well).

Manage household, yard and garden insects (roaches, crickets etc.). Lack of food will discourage spiders and forcethem to move elsewhere.

Keep outdoor lighting off as much as possible to prevent luring the insects upon which these spiders feed.

Remove collections of paper, boxes, rubbish piles in the house, attic, storage areas, etc.

As a part of the web of life, black widow spiders are as important as any other species including deer and quail. Wherehumankind is concerned it is pointless to try to label them as good or bad - they are simply part of the natural world.Whether they are a nuisance or beneficial involves individual perceptions and reactions.


































Species Spotlight: Black Widow Spider

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Species Spotlight: Brown Recluse

http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/wildlifemgmt/species/brown_recluse.htm[2/27/2012 4:39:01 PM]

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Black Widow Spider

They are found throughout the south central and Midwestern United States,but more specifically, they can probably be found in your garage or even yourliving room in all but the most western reaches of the Panhandle. We’ve allseen them, and they often spook us. We’re talking about none other than thebrown recluse.

The brown recluse spider (Loxosceles reclusa) belongs to the Order Aranea(spiders) and the Family Sicarridae (six eyed spiders), but you may know themas simply “fiddlebacks” because of their most distinctive feature — the darkviolin-shaped mark located on its back, with the neck of the violin pointingtoward the abdomen of the spider.

This characteristic is not a reliable diagnostic feature, however. This marking isconsistently found in adult brown recluses, and is sometimes less apparent inyounger spiders. When the legs are extended, adults are usually about thesize of a quarter although size can be quite variable. Coloration ranges from

tan to dark brown. They lack any stripes, bands or mottling and the legs are long and thin. A more definitive diagnosticfeature is the eye pattern. Most spiders have eight eyes but the brown recluse spider has a semicircular arrangement of sixeyes in three groups of two eyes called a dyad. This is characteristic of all species in the family Sicarridae.

In nature, brown recluse spiders can be found under rocks, logs, woodpiles and debris. As mentioned, they are commonlyfound in houses and are considered synanthropic, meaning their populations benefit when living among humans. Artificiallights around houses attract their main dietary source — insects — which in turn attracts them.

Brown recluses are able to withstand extreme temperatures and have become well adapted to living indoors with humans.During the day, they prefer to be secluded in dark areas away from human activity. They often line their daytime retreatswith irregular webbing, which is used to form their egg sacs. However, like most spiders, these insectivorous spiders do notform webs to capture their prey. Webs strung along walls, ceilings, outdoor vegetation, and in other exposed areas arenearly always associated with other types of spiders. Instead, these spiders are scavengers. At night they come out tosearch for food. Usually they eat dead insects but sometimes they will inject their hemolytic venom into live prey.

The brown recluse will typically only bite a human if it is threatened or touched. Their bite can be mild to serious in humans,and their hemolytic venom is toxic. The cells surrounding the puncture die as a result of the toxin, producing a blackgangrenous spot. If untreated, the skin begins to rot and peel away from the area around the wound, exposing theunderlying tissues.

Before brown recluses mate, there is usually a courtship ritual. Males use chemotactic senses to find a female. Malesmostly rely on the fine sensory hairs that cover the body and appendages to locate a female. But along with the sense oftouch, males also have the ability to distinguish various chemical substances. Through this combined chemotactic sense,males find their mate by a scent that she leaves on the threads of her web. Males must announce their presence as apotential mate or the female may mistake them as potential prey. Once the female submits to the male’s advances, matingtakes place. The female later lays hundreds of fertilized eggs in a silk cocoon that she attaches to a web or plant. She mayeven carry it with her. In two weeks, the eggs hatch and the young stay in the cocoon for a few weeks.

Arachnophobia is a fear of spiders and is one the most common phobias. Brown recluses have an undeserved reputationof being aggressive spiders. They are not always aggressive and their bite is not always deadly. Brown recluse spidershelp control populations of destructive and invasive insects. So next time your tempted to wish the world was free ofspiders, remember to look at this spider as an important part of the environment.


































Species Spotlight: Brown Recluse

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Species Spotlight: Butterflies

http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/wildlifemgmt/species/butterflies.htm[2/27/2012 4:39:05 PM]

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Butterflies

In a kaleidoscope of color, the butterfly lilts from plant to plant with a quiet grace. Butterflies belongto a group of insects called Lepidoptera. With approximately 500 scales per every inch of wing,Lepidoptera, which means “scaly wings,” is appropriate. Like all insects, butterflies have a hard outercovering called an exoskeleton, three distinct body parts: a head, thorax and abdomen, and threepairs of segmented legs.

There are over 550 different species of butterfly in North America, and they come in a breath-takingarray of colors. Butterfly wings are clear, but pigment in and structure of wing scales create colors.Pigment produces familiar colors like brown, black, tan, orange, yellow and red. The way lightreflects off or moves through the structure of a scale creates metallic and iridescent sheens, blues

and greens. Both pigment and scale structure work together to create white, purple and ultraviolet color.

An adult butterfly can see a wider spectrum of color than humans. Males and females of some species, like whites andsulphurs, look identical to the human eye. A butterfly is able to see the ultraviolet color on the males. Many flowers thatbutterflies get nectar from have ultraviolet color, as well. To most animals, the daisy appears as two colors - white petalswith a yellow center. Butterflies see a third color, ultraviolet, outside the yellow center. Green vegetation absorbs ultravioletlight, so ultraviolet-colored flowers boldly appear to a butterfly.

A butterfly’s body temperature must be between 85 degrees and 100 degrees Fahrenheit to fly well. When the sky iscloudy or the air temperature cool, butterflies can be seen basking. They use their wings like solar panels to warm theirbodies.

A few hundred years ago, the developmental stages of the butterfly were not understood. Early naturalists thoughtcaterpillars and butterflies were completely different animals. For centuries it was believed that caterpillars came from themorning dew that formed on tree leaves.

Today biologists know that a butterfly progresses through four life stages. It begins as a tiny egg attached to the leaf of ahost plant. The larva, or caterpillar, emerges and begins to eat the leaves of the host plant. Because the skin of a caterpillardoes not stretch, it forms a second layer of skin and molts the older, outer layer in order to grow. After molting four to sixtimes, the caterpillar has grown to its full size and is ready to become a pupa, or chrysalis.

The final stages of development are called a metamorphosis, which means, “change of form.” To prepare for the pupalstage, the caterpillar spins a patch of silk from itself to a plant or other object. The pupal skin begins to form beneath thecaterpillar skin. When complete, the caterpillar skin splits and exposes the soft pupal skin, which gradually hardens into apupal case.

Growth cells that were not allowed to develop during the caterpillar phase now form into structures and organs that arefound on the adult butterfly such as antennae, wings and tongue-like mouthparts. After two weeks to four months,depending on the time of year and species, the pupal skin splits. The adult butterfly crawls out, its wings folded up andmoist. The butterfly hangs upside-down until its wings harden. The transformation is complete, and it will spend theremainder of its life in winged-form, proving the adage that beauty truly does arrive with age.


































Species Spotlight: Butterflies

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Species Spotlight: The Cicada

http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/wildlifemgmt/species/cicada.htm[2/27/2012 4:39:08 PM]

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CicadaEvery season has its chorus—the thunder of a spring storm, the quiet chirp of songbirds on a stillwinter day,

the rustling of autumn leaves in a breeze, and of course the drone of cicadas during the dog days ofsummer.

Oklahoma is home to at least 12 species of cicadas. Each year they emerge from their undergroundhideouts, shed their skins, fly to the treetops, mate and then die. Different species have different lifecycles. Most cicadas live underground for two to eight years, but Oklahoma is also home to a cicadathat biologists call Brood IV, a species that has an impressive 17-year life cycle. Many researchersbelieve this gap between emergences keeps predators from growing accustomed to the plentiful

food source that cicadas offer. North America is home to approximately 100 species of the 1,500 known in the world.

With the exception of varying life cycles, cicada species share many of the same characteristics, including habitat, feedinghabits and breeding. The deafening call of the cicada is made only by the male and is used to attract females. The soundis created by rapid beating of wings against the cicada’s abdomen. Along the abdomen are organs called tympana, whichact as drums and magnify the sound considerably. In fact, cicadas’ vocalizations have been recorded as loud as 108decibels (dB). After mating, the female cuts a slit in a small, tender branch in which she deposits anywhere from five tothirty eggs. A female may do this as many as twelve times on a single branch. The eggs will hatch in six to eight weeks,and the nymph cicadas will make their way to the opening in the branch. From there, they make their way to the groundand quickly seek out an opening in which to start their underground lives. Most cicadas will dig between two and 20 inchesdeep in their search for the grass and tree roots that will make up their diet for years to come.

The cicada uses a beaklike appendage to literally suck the nutrients it needs directly from a plant’s root system. Theunderground life of the cicada is not well-documented. Most researchers believe that the cicada goes through five cyclesunderground, each one marked by the molting of an out-grown skin.

The mature nymphs will emerge during warm summer nights and seek out something solid to hold on to while they molttheir last skin. This can be anything from a brick wall to a tree trunk. As it emerges from the hardened skin, the cicada ispale and soft. Its wings will take several hours to harden along with the rest of its body. By the time the cicada is ready totake to the air, its body will have the familiar green and black coloring. Look out for the cicada this summer when its musicbegins to play, and take a guess at how many years it spent underground waiting to play its song in Oklahoma.

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Species Spotlight: The Cicada

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Species Spotlight: Crayfish of Oklahoma

http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/wildlifemgmt/species/crayfish.htm[2/27/2012 4:39:11 PM]

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Crayfish of Oklahoma

Crayfish are commonly used as bait and food or as something fun for the kids toplay with, but crayfish also are important components of the food webs in aquaticecosystems such as streams and ponds where they often occur. Among freshwaterspecies, crayfish, along with mussels, are quickly becoming come of the mostimperiled species in the country. Almost 50% of U.S. species of crayfish are alreadylisted or in need of conservation recognition. Like most species, the alterationand/or destruction of habitat is greatly impacting their numbers. Additionally,crayfish are under siege from the introduction of new crayfish species, which areusually distributed into waterways by bait fishermen. Crayfish show a high level ofendemism (being found only on one location) and specific species are often foundonly in one state. Even in the face of the geographic restriction, crayfish have a

relatively low extinction rate and therefore are a species that should respond positively to effective protective management.

Good data on the distribution and population size of Oklahoma crayfish has been sparse. However, a recent survey of thecrayfish fauna has shown that the fauna is not completely known. Since 1989, their have been four new records added thatbring the total number of crayfish species in Oklahoma to 28. Additionally, evaluation of museum species is contributingrecent records for several rare crayfish, including most of the species living outside of caves that are identified asOklahoma Wildlife Species of Greatest Conservation Need in the Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy.Identification of these specimens is very cost effective compared to additional field surveys and has yielded new recordsfor species such as the Menae crayfish, the midget crayfish, the Ouachita mountain crayfish and the southwestern creekcrayfish. There has been a gap in the crayfish data where current information such as this can now be used forconservation planning allowing state rankings to be updated and proper management practices to be put into place.

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Species Spotlight: Mussels

http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/wildlifemgmt/species/mussels.htm[2/27/2012 4:39:14 PM]

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Freshwater Mussels

Freshwater mussels are considered one of the mostthreatened groups of organisms in the world. The small riversof the tallgrass prairie region of Oklahoma were once home toa wide array of freshwater mussels. Studies in the 1920’sshowed that the Verdigris, Caney and Neosho Rivers innortheastern Oklahoma were relatively good mussel habitat.However, since that time there have been significant declinesin mussel populations in these rivers. Loss of native musselshas been attributed to habitat alteration, pollution and invasivespecies.

Dr. Joe Bidwell and Ph.D. student Chad Boeckman atOklahoma State University began a study in the summer of2006 to examine mussel populations in the tallgrass prairieregion. They sampled 31 sites, which had previously beensampled about ten years earlier, from the Oklahoma-Kansas

border to below Oologah Lake. In 2007, they sampled 29 sites in the Caney River that had also been examined ten yearsago.

In the Verdigris River a significant increase in number and amount of species was found in comparison with the 1997 studyin that area. Two species of mussels that were thought to have been lost from the area were also found, the westernfanshell and the rabbitsfoot mussel. The western fanshell has a pattern of green rays on its light brown shell and therabbitsfoot mussel is named so because of its shape.

In the Caney River it was determined that there had not been any significant declines in mussel abundance since the 1997study.

In addition to examining the freshwater mussel populations, these researchers are also examining fish and invertebratepopulations in the area and looking for zebra mussels. Zebra mussels are an invasive species of mussel that reproducerapidly. In zebra mussel infested waters it is not unusual for native mussels to be completely covered by zebra mussels.Competition for food and oxygen weakens and eventually starves native mussels.

This study is ongoing, and will continue to examine the status of invertebrates, fish and freshwater mussels in the tallgrassprairie region of Oklahoma.


































Species Spotlight: Mussels

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Species Spotlight: Butterfly

http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/wildlifemgmt/species/butterfly.htm[2/27/2012 4:39:18 PM]

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Oklahoma Butterflies

Last fall, I watched the skies as tens of thousands of monarch butterflies wafted across Oklahomalandscape on their annual journey to the tropics of Mexico. I’ve always been amazed that thesefrail-looking insects with paper-thin wings could manage such a grueling journey of thousands ofmiles. More recently, however, I discovered that this butterfly migration is not as it seems.

New research shows that each spring as monarch travel north from Mexico, the adults lay theireggs and die. The eggs hatch and pupate into new adults, which continue north in to Canada. Byfall, it is actually fifth- or sixth-generation adult monarchs that complete the cycle back to Mexico.

Monarchs are on species of about 180 butterflies and skippers that have been counted inOklahoma. Interest in attracting and watching butterflies has grown immensely over the past 10

years. In fact many people think butterfly-watching could become as popular as bird watching. Besides serving as pollinators for native and cultivated plants, butterflies are a joy to watch and are relatively easy toattract by providing valuable nectar-producing flowers. Butterflies are also excellent indicators of local environmental health.Healthy ecosystems generally have large numbers of butterflies and other insects, while ecosystems that have beendegraded due to insecticides, herbicides or nearby developments do not have many species.

Butterflies undergo four distinct life-cycles stages, including egg, larvae (caterpillar), pupa (chrysalis) and adult. Soon aftereggs hatch, the emerging larval caterpillars begin voraciously eating specifically selected plants. Once they have grownlarge enough, they enter the pupa stage, where caterpillar’s worm-like appearance seems to magically transform from astrange-looking chrysalis into a winged adult.

After stretching and drying their wings, the new adult butterflies can be attracted to red, orange, pink and purple flowersarranged in clusters in sunny areas of your yard. Butterflies also prefer blossoms with large petals that provide a stablefeeding platform. The best butterfly gardens combine annual and perennial flowers blooming at various intervals to providea continuous nectar supply.

Many native plants serve not only as nectar sources for adult butterflies, but also as host species for their earlier lifestages. A single native plant bed, carefully designed and planted with larval host plants and nectar flowers, can be a centerattraction for both butterflies and butterfly watchers. Butterfly gardens can be as simple as a few nectar plants. Justremember that creating butterfly habitat requires more than one season of planting, so be prepared to add additional plantspecies as time goes on.

The following plants offer the best chance for attracting a wide variety of Oklahoma Butterflies.

Nectar PlantsButterfly bush (Buddleia davidii)Glossy abelia (Abelia grandiflora)Butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa)*False indigo (Amorpha fruticosa)*Lanatana (Lantana spp.)Engelmann daisy (Engelmannia pinnatifida)*Indian blanket (Gaillardia pulchella)*Joe-pye weed (Eupatorium fistulosum)Blazing star (Liatris phycnostachyan)*Mexican sunflower (Tithonia rotundifolia)Pentas (Pentas lanceolata)Purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)*Showy sedum (Sedum spectabile)Snowy bergamot (Monarda didyma)Summer phlox (Phlox paniculata)*Tuber verbena (Verbena rigida)




































* Denotes an Oklahoma native plant species

Long before my butterfly research, I used to assist my mother in picking the yellow “dillworms” off the dill weed that sheused for canning. Needless to say, mom and I both know better now – those worms turned out to be the larval caterpillarsof the beautiful black swallowtail butterfly, Oklahoma's official state butterfly. Unknowingly, Mom was providing theswallowtails’ favorite larval food source, which gave them the energy they needed to change into adults. By providing larvalfood plants in your garden, you can easily observe the caterpillars and see for yourself the lifecycles of various butterflyspecies.

Larval host plants and butterflies attracted to them

Trumpet Honeysuckle*……….. Spring azureMildweed*………….Monarch, queenIndian paintbrush …..Bucheye, fulvia checker spotSweet clover ………Common, alfalfa and orange sulphers, dogface butterfly; Reakirt’s and Eastern tailed blues; fairyyellow; gray hairstreak; spring azureLantana/Thistle#……Painted lady, American painted ladyParsley/Dill/Carrot…..Eastern black swallowtailSweet Alyssum….Checkered and cabbage whites Sunflower (annual)# ……gorgone and silvery crescentspots, paintedlady, American painted ladyLamb’s Quarters*….Painted lady, common and scalloped sootywings, Western pygmy blueViolet*……Variegated and great-spangled fritillariesAmerican Elm*…….Question mark, mourning cloak, painted lady, commaHackberry/Sugarberry*….Snout and hackberry, tawny emperor, mourning cloak, question markAmerican Plum*….Coral and striped hairstreaks, spring azure, tiger swallowtailPassionflower*….Gilf and varigated fritillariesRose of Sharon…Gray hairstreakHollies #..Henry’s elfinApple….Viceroy, red spotted purple, gray hairstreak, spring zure

*Denotes an Oklahoma native plant species

# some varieties are Oklahoma Natives

Most butterflies prefer open, sunny spaces – a full-sun wildflower garden is ideal – and they often perch on flat stones toraise their boy temperature by basking. A wind-sheltered garden with a fence or windbreak of trees and large shrubs alsohelps attract winged visitors. However, some caterpillars may require food plants in shaded areas.

Water is essential. Most butterflies obtain the moisture they need from the flowers they visit, but many species also enjoy adamp area from which to drink. Although butterflies are unable to drink from open water. You can easily provide a smallpuddle or “seep” for their use. Place wet sand in a shallow dish and fill it with rocks or gravel to serve as a butterfly oasis.

If your garden is to be a meadow of flowers, refrain from mowing so that grasses and wildflowers native to your area cangrow. Over time, plant seeds of other butterfly-attracting plants at these natural food patches. Alternate mowing yourmeadow is spring and fall so that the meadow is never completely mowed at one time; this will protect he fragile pupae.Most important of all, do not use insecticides or herbicides. And remember to not destroy all those “dillworms” and othercaterpillars – they may surprise you by turning into something unexpectedly beautiful.

For more information on creating a butterfly garden, see the Landscaping for Wildlife: A Guide to the Southern Great Plainsand Butterflies of Oklahoma, Kansas and North Texas found in the Outdoor store.

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Wildlife and Land Management - Oklahoma Digital Prairie

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