Posts Tagged ‘wildlife wednesday’
Wildlife Wednesday 12/31/2025
Happy #WildlifeWednesday, party animals! On New Year’s Eve, a date known for elaborate gatherings and celebrations, let’s learn about one of the most social and playful animals in Ohio, the North American river otter. Widely appreciated for their adorableness thanks to their fluffy fur and cute facial features, otters are also renowned for their lively…
Read MoreWildlife Wednesday 12/24/2025
Happy #WildlifeWednesday! Mrooowwwr. Purr. Hiss. Growl. These are the sounds one could hear from Ohio’s resident wildcat, the bobcat. These small native cats are part of the “purring cat” family (which also includes lynxes, ocelots, and house cats) and cannot roar. Quiet, secretive, and avoidant of humans, bobcats are crepuscular and active mainly at dusk…
Read MoreWildlife Wednesday 12/17/2025
Happy #WildlifeWednesday! ‘Tis the season for the longest running citizen science project in the world, the Christmas Bird Count (CBC). Up through the 19th century, many people in North America participated in a tradition of competitive hunting on Christmas Day, seeing who could kill the most birds. But in December 1900, ornithologist Frank Chapman proposed…
Read MoreWildlife Wednesday 12/10/2025
Happy #WildlifeWednesday! As harsh winter weather approaches, we are featuring an animal that uses hibernation as a survival strategy, the thirteen-lined ground squirrel. Also known as the striped gopher and leopard ground squirrel, this rodent is related to prairie dogs and is found in grasslands and open areas in Ohio. They may also use man-made…
Read MoreWildlife Wednesday 12/03/2025
Happy #WildlifeWednesday. Visitors to The Wilderness Center often ask if bears live in our woods and the answer is… not right now. But they have in the past, and could again in the future. Historically, American black bears were abundant throughout Ohio, prior to major human settlement. But by the 1850s bears were considered officially…
Read MoreWildlife Wednesday 11/26/2025
Gobble gobble! It’s #WildlifeWednesday and we are celebrating the Wild Turkey! Preferring woodland habitat interspersed with open spaces such as fields, pastures, and orchards, these large heavy-bodied game birds with long necks and small heads feed on the ground, strutting and striding through forests and grasslands. Adult males, or toms, weigh in at 12-25 pounds…
Read MoreWildlife Wednesday 11/19/2025
Whooooo’s ready for our upcoming owl prowl? It’s #WildlifeWednesday and we will highlight the 3 owl species we are most likely to encounter on our grounds this time of year. The Eastern Screech-owl is Ohio’s smallest and most common owl, occurring in all 88 counties. This little owl is about the size of an American…
Read MoreWildlife Wednesday 11/12/2025
Happy #WildlifeWednesday! Today we will learn about a nocturnal animal that wants to be seen, smelled, recognized, and remembered…the striped skunk! While many animals use camouflage, burrows, and fleeing to hide from predators, the skunk does not rely on any of these. Instead its strategy is to stand out, showing off the bright white stripes…
Read MoreWildlife Wednesday 11/05/2025
Happy #WildlifeWednesday! It’s that time of the year! That time of year when Ohio gets a chill in the air and enjoys the arrival of large flocks of the “snowbird,” also known as the Dark-eyed Junco. These cute sparrows with pink bills and long tails with flashy white outer-tail feathers are an abundant winter visitor…
Read MoreWildlife Wednesday 10/29/2025
Happy WildlifeWednesday! The Wood Duck is a colorful and ornate species of waterfowl found in North America, considered by many to be among the most beautiful birds. The male is particularly spectacular, with a glossy emerald head, chestnut breast, striking red eyes and bill, and other bold markings. Its stunning plumage includes intricate patterns and…
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