Nannopterum auritum – the double-crested cormorant – is an aquatic bird native to nearly all parts of North America and can be found year-round in Rhode Island. Although rarely seen on the Kingston Campus (but certainly not unheard of), they remain an ever-present fixture at the Narragansett Bay Campus; home to the Graduate School of…
Tenodora sinensis – the Chinese mantis – is an invasive mantis species found in Rhode Island and up and down the East Coast of the United States. These ambush predators eat just about anything they can get their hands on, including other mantises during copulation – a quirk of ecology that has captured the fascination…
Larus delawarensis – the ringed gull – is a medium-sized shorebird common in most parts of North America. In modern times, ringed gulls are just as common in large parking lots as they are on the coast. This, however, was not always the case. Most people in the lower 48 and the more temperate parts…
Odocoileus virginianus – the whitetail deer – is the largest native animal seen on campus and likely the largest terrestrial animal most people see in Rhode Island, barring a chance encounter with a truly bewildering bear. Whitetails are extremely common in nearly all parts of North America and have a significant population in South America….
Tamis striatus — the eastern chipmunk – is a tiny rodent found in the eastern half of the North American continent and in magical corners all around campus at the University of Rhode Island. These resourceful omnivores are known for their intricate underground burrow systems, where they hide and store food. Chipmunks live in their…
Cottontails — sylvilagus — are a common genus of charismatic and herbivorous rabbits found on campus. The University of Rhode Island and the state as a whole overlap the range of two different species of cottontail. You may see the more common eastern cottontail, sylvilagus floridanus, or its more elusive and vulnerable cousin, the New…
Marmota monax – the groundhog – a humble, mostly herbivorous rodent, is found in ecosystems in much of North America, largely on the eastern half of the Mississippi River. They are known for their burrows and for their hibernation period, which has been canonized in our culture in the celebration of Groundhog Day. For a…
Spizella passerina – the Chipping Sparrow – is a tiny bird found regularly on campus and in the adjacent North Woods. Chipping Sparrows can be found in most parts of North America and are one of the most common bird species in Rhode Island. Although they are primarily granivores (seed-eaters), they’ll nab the occasional insect…
Sciurus carolinensis – the Eastern Gray Squirrel is a rambunctious rodent known all around North American university campuses for their charisma and coexistence with students. These resourceful omnivores can be seen prancing around campus and jumping tree to tree. Unlike some other woodland creatures, squirrels can thrive in suburbia. If you ask one, I’m sure…