CHORDATA

AMPHIBIA, REPTILIA, AVES, ICHTHYES, & MAMMALIA

Photo collage by Froggydarb Dr. Günter Bechly Alun Williams333 Minette Layne, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Male Blue Jay

The latin name for Blue Jay is Cyanocitta cristata.
The Blue jay size is 10-12 IN
Blue Jays are known for their intelligence and complex social systems with close family ties.
LIFE SPAN: They are about 7 years old. The oldest blue jay studied by researchers in the wild lived to be 17 years and 6 months old, most blue jays live to about 7 years old. One captive female lived for 26 years and 3 months.

Female Blue Jay

There colors are Blue, White, Gray, and Black.
The Blue Jay bird can be very attached to other birds; Sometimes they raid nests and cut off the heads of other birds.
The blue jay is native to oak and pine forests, suburban gardens, orchards, and cities.
Breeds in deciduous or mixed woods, avoid purely coniferous forests. It may be in fairly low forest or woodland in the southern part of the range. Prefer habitat with numerous oak or beech trees.

Fun facts for Blue Jay

One of Blue Jays' favorite foods is acorns.
Blue Jays aren't actually blue.
Blue Jays are omnivores.
Female and male Blue Jays look the same.
Blue Jays live a long time.
The Blue Jay is not a state bird.
Blue Jays act as a natural alarm system for other birds.

Contributed by Elshaimaa Shedid, PVHS Zoology 2022

Eastern Gray Squirrel

Sciurus Carolinensis

SIZE IN CM

Eastern Gray Squirrels have a height of 4.3”-5.5” (11-14 cm), body length between 8”-11” (20-28 cm), and overall weight in the range of 9-1.3 lb (400-600 g). The tail length of an Eastern Gray Squirrel is 7.5”-9.8” (19-25 cm).

COLORING

The eastern gray squirrel is predominantly gray with a white underbelly, although some brownish-colored fur may occur as well. The tail is large and bushy. There are white and black color variations of the eastern gray squirrel.

OUTER COVERING

Squirrels, like most mammals, have a pelage, or coat made up of two types of hair: guard hairs, the long outer hairs which in the gray squirrel are white-tipped, and fur, which is short, fine, often curly, and close to the body. Guard hairs protect the fur, while the fur insulates the mammal.

SPECIAL FEATURES

In winter, gray squirrels have white fur behind their ears; in summer, the gray fur is tawnier and the tail is whiter.

SPECIAL ABILITIES

To communicate with each other they use both vocalizations and posturing. They have a quite varied repertoire of vocalizations, including a squeak similar to that of a mouse, a low-pitched noise, a chatter, and a raspy "mehr mehr mehr". Other methods of communication include tail-flicking and other gestures, including facial expressions. Squirrels also make an affectionate coo-purring sound that biologists call the "muk-muk" sound. This is used as a contact sound between a mother and her kits and in adulthood, by the male when he courts the female during mating season.

Habitat

Hardwood forests with nut trees, glades, parks, and lawns. Nests in holes in trees or build leaf nests in tree branches.

Diet

Eastern gray squirrels eat mostly the nuts, buds, and flowers of at least 24 types of oak trees, 10 species of hickory, beech, walnut tree species, pecans, and truffles. Corn, wheat, and other crops are eaten, particularly in the winter. In the summer insects are eaten and are probably particularly important for young squirrels.

Activity

Gray squirrels are active year-round and arboreal; they cannot live in a treeless environment. Gray squirrels mate in January - February and July in the north, December, and June in the south. They make a variety of calls, including the familiar clucking and fussing calls. They have an effect on the other animals in their ecosystem which they prey upon and are themselves preyed upon. They can cause damage in their native range and are sometimes considered a pest, in that they sometimes build nests in buildings, damaging electrical wiring and woodwork. The squirrels carry the disease parapox virus, which affects native squirrels.

Life Span

Male - 9 years; Female - 12 1/2 years.

Fun Facts

* Gray squirrels can swim up to two miles in calm water; they swim with their heads and rumps out of the water, and their tails held high in the air. Most squirrels are sedentary, however, spending their entire lives within a single acre of land.

* Research has shown that gray squirrels are creatures of habit; they appear to run through tree branches on identical routes.

Contributed by Emily Fiss, PVHS Zoology 2022

North American Raccoon

procyon lotor

Physical - 40-70 cm, long soft grey/brown/white fur, striped tail and black mask on its face
Habitat - logs, tree trunks, or abandoned human possessions
Diet - Raccoons like to eat fruits, plants, nuts, berries, insects, rodents, frogs, eggs, crayfish, and anything they can scavenge from humans(they are omnivores)
Predators - Large cats, dogs, and birds prey on mostly young raccoons.

Contributed by Luke Ryan, PVHS Zoology 2022

Behavior - Mostly nocturnal, but sometimes active during the day, and they are aggressive if they feel threatened
Reproduction - They give birth about once a year, with 3-5 babies per litter
Lifespan - 2-3 years on average
Fun facts - can make up to 50 different noises, they have great dexterity and can climb well, and their masks act as anti-glare devices

Male Northern Cardinal

Chordate, Aves
Cardinalis cardinalis
SIZE IN CM 21-23 cm
COLORING Male- Red Female- Gray
OUTER COVERING feathers
SPECIAL FEATURES defend their territories
SPECIAL ABILITIES they like the cold weather.
Higher nests, live trees, shrubs, or vine tangles.

Female Northern Cardinal

Weeds, sunflower seeds, grains, fruit and some insects
Diurnal means they’re active during the day. They protect their nest and babies. They’re monogamous. Male and female work together to build their nests.
They can live to three years in the wild.
They lose their feathers during the summer, like other songbirds, cardinals are shedding their old, worn feathers to make room for a fresh set.

Contributed by Nicholas Busfield, PVHS Zoology 2022

American Robin

Scientific Name: Turdus migratorius
Size: 23 cm to 28 cm
Life Span: About two years
Activity: Diurnal (Meaning they are active during the day)
Diet: Caterpillars, Grasshoppers, other various insects, Earthworms, Fruit.
Predators: Snakes, Hawks, Cats, Squirrels, Blue Jays, Crows, and Ravens.
Habitat: Live and nest in trees. Primarily Conifer trees such as Pine and Spruce. Their secondary trees consist of leafy trees.
Physical Description: Male American Robin’s have a gray brown coloring along their wings with an orange underpart/stomach. As well as having dark black heads. Females on the other hand possess the same color pattern except for the heads which are generally paler than the dark black on the males.
Special Features/Outer Covering: American Robins possess an outer covering of feathers which are waterproof and adjustable to help with flight. As well as having wings to help with flight, beaks to use as a tool to eat, and claws to help grab their prey.
Special Abilities: Their primary abilities include sharp, keen eyesight and strong hearing.

Contributed by Christopher Gorla, PVHS Zoology 2022

-Breeding season: from April to August

-Aggression: very territorial so they can be aggressive if they feel like their territory is being threatened. They make aggressive calls and growls when threatened.

-Life span: 6 years or less

-Fun facts: Male green frogs make mating calls that sound like banjo strings being plucked. Females can produce over 1,000 offspring each year.

Green Frog

-Scientific Name: Rana clamitans

-Size: 5.7-10 cm

-Coloring: olive green or brown with dark brown spots

-Outer Covering: moist bumpy skin

-Special Features: their legs have dark colored bands around them. Males normally have yellow throats.

-Special Abilities: they can reach top speeds of up to 10 mph

-Habitat: creek with lots of trees and plants

-Diet: insects, small fish, crayfish, spiders, snails, small snakes, and anything else available. They catch their food with their long sticky tongue.

-Predators: larger frogs, turtles, snakes, raccoons, and minks

-Activity: nocturnal but sometimes they are also active during the day

Contributed by Madison Gorman, PVHS Zoology 2022

Cooper's Hawk

Accipiter cooperii

Size: 14-20 inches
Life span: Up to 12 years
Activity: Early morning and very territorial
Habitat: Breed in south of Canada and prefer woodlands or any area with high population of trees
Diet: Smaller birds, squirrels, chipmunks, lizards, and rarely insects
Predators: Humans, other hawks
Social: Mostly solo until breeding season

Male

Smaller in size and look like a crow
Have short powerful wings to help fly between trees
Able to dive bomb at 150 mph

Female

Bigger size-30% bigger
Known to attack other birds and known to fly to farms to take chickens
Called "evil" for the way they attack other birds
Very territorial around nest
Will attack humans if too close to nest

Contributed by Aidan Dillon, PVHS Zoology 2022

Red Fox

Size (cm)

Red foxes are 90-105 cm long with an additional 35-40 cm because of their tail. They are about 40 cm tall and weigh around 5-30 lbs.

Coloring

The red fox has a bright orange coat with black paws. A patch of white spreads across their stomach, chin, and the tip of their tails. Red foxes can also be found with coloring such as gray, black, or white (albino).

Outer Covering

Foxes have long guard fur to protect the undercoat. This guard helps prevent the undercoat from getting damaged and it helps protect the coat from moisture. During the colder months, foxes grow winter fur. This helps them stay warm during Autumn and Winter.

Special Features

Red foxes have retractable claws which help them hunt and climb. They also have amazing eyesight along with night vision. While they cannot see as if it were daylight, they have high-definition vision which allows them to make out shapes and figures.

Special Abilities

Skills of the red fox include stealth, amazing sense of smell, hearing, and sight. Red foxes have the ability to hear at a low frequency which helps them listen for prey that are digging. They also use the earth's magnetic field to make a more accurate pounce.

Vulpes vulpes

Habitat

In the wild, foxes live in forests, grasslands, mountains, and deserts. They have even adapted to living in large communities, suburban areas, and farms. Foxes usually take a den that was previously owned by other animals, and modify it for themselves. They will only use the den if they are expecting a litter or already have pups.

Prey

Foxes will feed on numerous things including mice, voles, gophers, and rabbits. They also eat birds, rabbits, frogs, eggs, and fruit.

Predators

Mammals such as coyotes, wolves, bears, bobcats, and humans are all predators to foxes. Reptiles like boas and pythons will eat foxes. Other snakes would not be able to consume a fox due to its size.

Activity

Most red fox activity takes place at night, but some come out during the day. They breed from late December until the end of March. The most active mating months are January and February. By April, the females have their litters which range from 1-11 pups and average at 6.

Aggression

Foxes are not considered to be aggressive or dangerous towards humans unless they are rabid or captured. It is rare for foxes to become rabid and they will only become aggressive if they feel threatened or scared.

Life Span

Red foxes will live 2-6 years in the wild and 10-14 years in captivity. The environment that the foxes live in will be the best way of determining the life span. Areas that contain more predators or less food will dramatically decrease their lifespan.

Fun Facts

Some fun facts about red foxes is that their fore paws have five toes while the back paws only have four, female foxes are called vixens, they have supersonic hearing, and when a fox is scared it will grin. Foxes will also scream at night to claim their territory from other foxes.

Contributed by Abigail Sangmeister, PVHS Zoology 2022

White Tailed Deer or

Physical Characteristics

Size

From shoulder height down the height can range from 2.8 - 3 feet.

Color

Adults have brown colored fur all along their back and face with a white underside. Fawns have brown along their back and face with a white underbelly and white spots on their back.

Outer Covering

They have fur with a course like texture. They also have special oil glands in their fur to help keep it water repellent.

Special Features

Male deer grow antlers when they are about one and they shed them every year.

Special Abilities

All deer have great eyesight and hearing.

Odocoileus virginianus

Habitat - White tailed deer do best in forest like environments because of the amount of food and safety it offers.

Prey - Normally they tend to eat leaves, twigs, grass, and vegetables.

Predators - White tailed deer have natural predators in all climates. The animals that tend to hunt deer the most are wolves, coyotes, wild cats, and bears.

Reproduction - When it is time to mate the male deer will get more aggressive and will travel at great distances to meet a female. This happens from fall until winter.

Aggression - Deer are known for their gentle and docile behavior. They are often described as playful, graceful, and friendly.

Activity - White tailed deer are most active during dawn and dusk, but they are also active at night. They are mainly active at night to avoid predators in their search for food.

Life Span - A wild Buck's average life span is about three years, where a Doe's average life span is about 6.9 years.

Fun Facts

White tailed deer grazing can influence the ecosystem
Disney's Bambi was based off of a white-tailed deer.
They live three times longer in captivity than in the wild.
They can run up to 30 mph and jump about 8 feet.
White Tailed Deer can weigh up to 300 pounds.
If a fawn is by itself in a field or hiding, there is no need to worry because the mother is either out getting food or is waiting for it to be safe until it retrieves its young.

Contributed by Shawn Sherzer, PVHS Zoology 2022

Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens)

The downy woodpecker is the most common of the eastern woodpeckers and the smallest of North American woodpeckers. The male and female differ in color, with the male having a red patch on the back of their head.

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)

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