Last year, biologists discovered that the more "dees" there were in a Black-capped Chickadee's warning call, the more dangerous the predator. One very threatening predator is the Pygmy Owl. Its prey is often small birds, and they are able to maneuver swiftly enough to catch a chickadee.

When scientists tethered these birds close to chickadees in a test environment, they caused the chickadees to add as many as 23 "dees" to their warning calls! Larger predators... Read On

Travis Quirk would be a perfect guest. Panelists would never guess that Quirk spends most of his time studying skunks. Then again, one whiff and they might figure it out.

The University of Saskatchewan doctoral candidate has spent the last four summers live-trapping between 400 and 500 wild skunks in a 30 square-mile study area in Manitoba.

Using a long “jab pole,” he injects each animal with a muscle-relaxing... Read On

As land values have increased from $300 to $2,000 per acre in just a few years, ranchers feel pressured between holding onto their family land and scrambling to pay skyrocketing property taxes.

Few can hold out against the high prices paid by developers, but once rolling hills turn into concrete-paved subdivisions, habitat for Mountain Lion, deer, Bobcat, coyote, Wild Turkey, quail and the endangered Black-capped Vireo (See photo) and Golden-cheeked Warbler disappears forever.

The lure of catching wildlife... Read On

Peanut Butter for Woodpeckers

ALTHOUGH most folks only think about feeding birds during the colder months of the year, Marlene Condon says June is a good time to feed peanut butter to your local woodpeckers. All of the species of woodpeckers love peanut butter, and if it is offered now, parent woodpeckers may bring their young to your yard where you can watch them being fed. Juvenile woodpeckers are otherwise not very visible because these insect-eating birds tend to forage high up in trees. It is especially interesting to see young male Hairy and Downy Woodpeckers because they do not... Read On