Animal Signs

Squirrels and Chipmunks

Squirrels and chipmunks leave behind evidence of their meal in the form of acorn and seed hulls. The pile of food left behind is called a midden and can often be found on logs or tree stumps.

Challenge:

Look for signs of squirrels and chipmunks the next time you are exploring in nature.

Galls

This photo of a gall shows evidence of two animals! In the fall a gall wasp laid an egg in the stem of this prairie plant which produced the round lump on the stem. Later in the winter, a bird (probably a woodpecker) dug out the larvae for a tasty treat. Galls can be found on prairie grasses and on the tops of some tree branches.

Challenge:

See if you can spot a gall on your next nature walk.

Animal Scat

Animal scat is another animal sign. The size, shape, and color of the animal scat can help us determine which animal left it’s droppings behind. Look where you step- animal scat is often found on hiking trails as animals use these “forest highways” at night.

Animal Tracks

Winter and Spring are a great time to look for animal tracks either in the snow or mud. Animals have unique paw prints and studying tracks we find can help us figure out who was walking in the park. Look for patches of mud or open dirt areas for animal tracks.

Challenge:

Look closely at the picture. What kind of animals do you think made the tracks?

Observing Tips:

Watch the video to learn observational tips from Naturalist Meagan from Dakota County Parks

Eyes: Take a second to truly appreciate how large your field of vision is. Use that entire field to look around.

Ears: Fine tune your ears, sometimes closing your eyes can help you focus your hearing better.

Walking: Try to slow down your walk. Stop often and look and listen all around you.