Nevada Nature

Mountain Bluebird

2009-05-06T14:42:00.000-07:00

Latin name; Sialia Currucoide.
Common name; Mountain Bluebird.

Description
• Length 6 ½- 8in.
• Wing span 12 in.
• Color; males are a turquoise blue with a ‘lighter breast and a white belly. Females are a grayish/brown with a trace of blue on the wings, rump and tail. She stands more erect than female Eastern or Western Bluebirds. The young are brown with spots or streaks below; they have a pale blue wash on their wings and tails.

• Habitat; from southern Alaska to northern Mexico, from California to the mid-west. They live where forest meadows and pastures meet; open grassy areas with a few scattered conifer trees.

• The nests are placed in cliffs, or nest boxes but usually in a cavity in a trunk of a tree; these are usually old woodpecker dens. The nests are made of grass and are lined with feathers or wood chips.

• The Mountain Bluebird lays4-6 green/blue eggs in a nest. In the north it nests in lower elevation woods. In the south it nests in sub line forests, alpine meadows, aspen groves or mountain woodlands.

Food
The Mountain Bluebird eats more insects than the Eastern or Western Bluebirds. It hunts by hovering over the ground and then darts at it’s pray. Or it darts from branch to branch catching bugs in flight. It also eats some seeds and berries.

NotesIt sings in the morning in a sort of warbling song. It makes a sort of chur or tew call also. It is Nevada’s, and Idaho’s, state bird. It is in the thrush family.

The Red Fox

2009-04-10T10:33:00.000-07:00

Latin name; vulpes vulpes.
Common name; Red Fox, European fox.

Males-fox. Females-vixen. Young-kits.

Description
· Length 24-44in.
· Weight 4.4-15.4 pounds.
· Color; the Red Fox comes in 4 different colors; red, silver, black and cross. Red -the most common- is a red color with black ears, legs and a white throat. Blacks are black. Silver is black with white hairs mixed in. The Cross is a Red with a dark cross pattern down the back and over the shoulders. All colors have a white tipped tail.
· Habitat; North America, Canada, India, and Europe. They have been introduced to Australia. The Red Fox can be found in rolling hills, swamps, semi- wooded areas, meadows, suburbs, wilderness areas and the cities.

· The vixen’s gestation period is 52-53 days; the kits are usually born in mid march. She has 1-10 kits at a time. The female chooses an abandoned badger or woodchuck den or digs her own that has a view in all directions; the den is used only for raising kits. If a female is disturbed she will move to another den.

· The kits are born blind; they open their eyes in about 8-9 days. For the first 4 weeks the female tends the young as the male hunts, after 4 weeks the female starts hunting too. After 8 weeks the kits start playing outside. The female will take a few kits at a time to teach them to hunt. After the kits are older the family may choose a meeting place instead of a den. The young are weaned at 1 month. The family brakes up in the fall.

Food
Eats almost anything. It eats small rodents, ground birds, small domestic animals, eggs, human garbage, fleshy fruit, insects, rabbits, frogs, and berries. The red fox has a unique 4-footed pounce; it jumps straight up in the air and comes down on all fours.

NOTES

The red fox’s hunting habits are closer to a cat than a dog. The fox is active day and night. There were originally two red foxes, one American one European. The early European settlers did not know about the American red fox so thy imported the European for hunting. Both “species” have now interbred so much they are considered the same species. Their winter territory can reach up to 100sq miles. The Red Fox may mate for life. At first the parents will bring dead food to the young, then only crippled, then live; this helps the young’s hunting skills. Foxes will hide food for later. The fox will usually (though not always) eat enough mice to pay for the occasional chicken.

Black Tailed Jack Rabbit

2009-03-03T12:22:00.000-08:00

Latin name; Lepus Californicus.
Common name; Black Tailed Jack Rabbit.

Males-bucks. Females-does. Young-kits.

Description
· Length 17-24in.
· Weight 5-10pounds.
· Color; body is grey or grey/brown, ears are black tipped and there is a black strip on the tail.
· Habitat; grass lands and deserts of North America.
· Ears are very large and help the jack rabbit keep cool. They also have very large feet.
· The doe’s gestation period is 41-47 days; she usually has 2-4 kits at a time. The doe places each kit in its own nest; the nests are over 300ft apart. The kits are weaned after 6-7 weeks. Some does have up to 4 litters a year.

Food
Eats woody and herbaceous plants.

Notes
Jack Rabbits are really hares. The jack rabbit relies on its speed and ability to take sharp turns to escape predators. It can leap a distance of 20ft. It can run 30-35mph.They can leap 6 ft high. It was named after the male donkey, which is called a Jack. It eats 1/15 as much as a sheep. There are also Antelope and White Tailed Jack rabbits.

Hare vs. rabbit

Hares are slender and prefer open lands. Hares are solitaire. They live and raise young on “nests” above the ground. The young are born seeing, hearing and fully furred.

Rabbits are smaller and prefer closed spaces. Rabbits live together in colonies. There young are born underground, blind, deaf and hairless. Gestation is longer.

Pronghorn

2009-01-28T16:39:00.000-08:00

Latin name; Antilocapra Americana, Antilo means antelope and Capra means goat.

Common name; pronghorn, American antelope (incorrect).

Males-bucks. Females-does. Young-fawns.

Description
· Height; 3-31/2ft.
· Weight 70-150 pounds.
· Color; body is a red/tan with white rump and belly, has 2 white bars on throat. Muzzle has black on top and white underneath; bucks have more black than does. Very short black tipped mane on nape of neck.

· Habitat; The open west (both brush desert and prairie) from northern Mexico to Canada.

· Horns are black. Bucks have forward pronged horns. Doe’s horns are smaller than her ears, some does do not have horns. Pronghorn are the only known animal that sheds there outer horns every year.

· When does give birth to there first fawns, 60%of them have twins, every year fallowing they have twins if not triplets. Does leave the heard to give birth and stay away until the fawns can keep up with the heard (about 2 weeks of age). Gestation 7 1/2-8 months.

Food
67%brush and shrubs, 17%flowering plants, 15% alfalfa and crops, 1%grass.

Notes
Fastest North American mammal 40-55mph. They can clear 20 feet in one jump. A 4-5 day old fawn can outrun a man. Can raise white hairs on rump to cause a flash for a warning single, can be seen up to 2 ½ miles away. They live in herds. During rut 1 buck chases all other bucks away. They are extremely poor jumper, they can’t even jump 3 feet in the air. Outstanding sight can see small movement up to 4 miles away. They are very curios. Roams and naps day and night. A pronghorn’s leg is stronger than a cow’s.

Big Horn Sheep

2009-01-08T10:14:00.000-08:00

Latin name;
Ovis Candensis
Common name;
American bighorn,
Mountain sheep.

Description
· Height; 2 ½-3 ½ ft.
· Weight 220-340pounds.
· Color; body is a gray/brown with white rump, belly, and muzzle.
· Habitat; mountain pastures. Found in the mountain west from Utah to Canada.
· Male’s horns can measure 18inches at base 43 inches long and 30pounds. Female’s are much shorter and don’t curl. Every winter a ridge is added to the horns.

· The young are born may-june, 1-2 lambs are born at a time.

Food
Mainly grass plus leaves and tender greens. Loves salt.

Notes
When males fight for dominance they charge head down and clash. They can reach 20mph before they collide, and the clash can be herd a mile away ,this clash often results in chipped horns and some times broken ribs. The big horn is Nevada’s state mammal.