Procyon lotor—the raccoon—is a mid-size mammal native to North America. The raccoon has expanded its range due to human activity in several ways. As a result of intentional introductions gone awry, the raccoon has become quite the nuisance and invasive species in parts of Europe. In a similar situation, the successful and culturally impactful 1997…
Pandion haliaetus–the osprey–is a large bird of prey with a worldwide distribution. These notorious piscivores are experts at catching fish, hovering up to 40 meters above the water before locking eyes and locking in, plunging into the brine. It is estimated that about 99% of an osprey’s diet is fish, which puts even the most…
Gallus gallus domesticus–the chicken–is the domesticated subspecies of the wild red jungle fowl native to Southeast Asia. Some estimate that humans first domesticated the red jungle fowl over 8,000 years ago. Once people noticed that, when there’s an excess of food, chickens turn their reproductive cycle upside down and start producing a ton of eggs….
Lithobates palustris–the pickerel frog– is a medium-sized frog and the only native poisonous frog in North America. These amphibians secrete toxic bradykinin compounds through their skin. As you can imagine, this defense is capable of deterring many predators. Given the choice between a poison sandwich and a poisonless sandwich, I’m siding with the latter every…
Branta canadensis–Canada goose–is the largest species of goose and is a ubiquitous migratory species in North America. These herbivorous, freshwater-preferring waterfowl have done quite well in the modern age, conservatively numbering 5 million strong. While the picture above is a goose, some people long ago decided to refer to a grouping of these critters as…
Buteo jamaicensis–the red-tailed hawk–is one of the most common birds of prey that is seen on campus. With a range that spans from Alaska to Panama and a little beyond, these birds are both common and conspicuous. These hawks feed on many other critters on campus, such as small mammals and birds, but will actively…
Bos taurus–cows–are domesticated ungulates used as livestock across the world. Cows are some of the most prolific grazers to ever covet grass. It is said that there are over 1.5 billion cows in the world currently. Cattle as a whole make up around 35% of the total mammalian biomass in the world, eking out the…
Domesticated sheep–Ovis aries–are a domesticated ruminant species numbering in the billions worldwide. Sheep have lived with humans for thousands of years and often hold symbolic meanings in various Eurasian cultures. These grazing herbivores are quite prolific and are an essential farm animal and have their place along with horses, cows, and chickens in the farm-cannon….
Trachemys scripta–the red-eared slider–is a terrapin native to the southeast United States. Prevalence in the pet trade has made the subspecies invasive in many parts of the world, including Rhode Island. These sliders are one of the most invasive species in the world and are now common in many ponds and lakes across many continents. …
Junco hyemalis–the dark-eyed junco–is a small snowbird common in most of North America and is quite abundant on campus during this time of year. Dark-eyed juncos feast primarily on seeds but will also target insects when the opportunity presents itself. The dark-eyed junco’s ecology is a “what you see is what you get” situation. They…