Discover Nature
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You might steal a kiss under its green branches, but in nature, mistletoe is a parasitic plant that attaches to and steals nutrients from trees.
While on the road this holiday season, be on the lookout for these roadside dive-bombers: American kestrels.
Our most common native evergreen is the eastern red cedar, a cone-shaped juniper with a spicy yuletide aroma. It's prickly, scale-like leaves are quite different from those of spruce, fir, or pine. But it's symmetrical shape and fresh scent make cedar a yuletide choice.
Blue jays are relatively large songbirds (about the size of a robin) with blue upperparts and whitish underparts. A blue crest on the head can be raised or lowered depending on the bird’s mood.
As you drive country highways, it sometimes seems that hawks are everywhere -- perched on telephone poles and fence posts or circling overhead.
If you venture out near the woods after dark, you might hear the high-pitched cry of a flying squirrel.
Look around the Mississippi flyway this fall, and you may see the greater or lesser scaup ("SKOPP"). Scaups are diving ducks that can fully submerge and swim underwater for food.
November is prime mating season for white-tailed deer. It's not too hard to see deer today, but around 100 years ago they were hard to spot.
Throughout history, owls have established a solid place in storytelling. Today, we appreciate owls for their role in the environment and for their enjoyable calls.
You might steal a kiss under its green branches, but in nature, mistletoe is a parasitic plant that attaches to and steals nutrients from trees.
While on the road this holiday season, be on the lookout for these roadside dive-bombers: American kestrels.
Our most common native evergreen is the eastern red cedar, a cone-shaped juniper with a spicy yuletide aroma. It's prickly, scale-like leaves are quite different from those of spruce, fir, or pine. But it's symmetrical shape and fresh scent make cedar a yuletide choice.
Blue jays are relatively large songbirds (about the size of a robin) with blue upperparts and whitish underparts. A blue crest on the head can be raised or lowered depending on the bird’s mood.
As you drive country highways, it sometimes seems that hawks are everywhere -- perched on telephone poles and fence posts or circling overhead.
If you venture out near the woods after dark, you might hear the high-pitched cry of a flying squirrel.
Look around the Mississippi flyway this fall, and you may see the greater or lesser scaup ("SKOPP"). Scaups are diving ducks that can fully submerge and swim underwater for food.
November is prime mating season for white-tailed deer. It's not too hard to see deer today, but around 100 years ago they were hard to spot.
Discover nature this week with Missouri Hummingbirds. A “glittering fragment of the rainbow” is how an early American naturalist described the hummingbird. He must have been impressed with its shimmering green plumage and crimson throat feathers.
Discover nature this week with Missouri's caterpillars. The bright wings of butterflies catch your eyes, and many people notice. But few notice naturally drab caterpillars.
Discover nature this week with Missouri wrens. Wrens are among the smallest songbirds, yet they make their presence known in a big way. They are both loud and persistent singers.
All wildlife requires three elements to survive: food, water, and shelter. You can attract the greatest variety and amount of wildlife to your backyard by providing a variety of those sources.
If you’ve been driving through the countryside lately, you may have noticed box turtles sharing the pavement. Spring rains and warm weather make this the season that box turtles wander. As they search for food and mates, these harmless land turtles must cross roads that pass through their home areas.
Bird song is a form of advertisement, sending two messages to other birds of the same species. One message is a form of courtship. The singing male tells females he is available. The other message warns other males to stay out of his nesting territory.
Color is important to fish. It’s used for camouflage, mate selection and defense. While easily seen in tropical aquarium fish, our native fishes also have special colors.
Ticks are small, blood-sucking parasites related to spiders and mites. They’re often found in great numbers in areas where animals are abundant. Ticks will be active in these areas from April through September.
In February and March, male red-wings travel north from their southern wintering grounds and find good spots for nesting and feeding.
Discover Nature this week with fire in Missouri. Fire is an important part of our lives. To some, memories of campfires bring warm and pleasant feelings, but others remember the horrors of wildfires.
The meadowlark is a familiar sight throughout the farmlands of the Midwest, most often found living its best life in open grassland habitats such as hayfields or prairies. You also might catch one perched prominently on top of a fence post.
Discover nature this week with Missouri's mushroom. Late March and April showers bring… mushrooms? Yep! Showers and warm nights make morels grow and send folks to their favorite mushroom-hunting spots.
There is a Midwest fruit as sweet as bananas and as fragrant as papayas. If you guessed “pawpaw,” you are correct!
