deciduousforest_animals

8/14/2019 deciduousforest_animals

1/11

THE ANIMALS AND THEIR

BEHAVIOUR IN A

DECIDUOUS FOREST


2/11

AMERICAN BALD EAGLEGENUS: HALIAEETUSSPECIES: LEUCOCEPHALUS

THE BALD EAGLE IS A LARGE FIERCE LOOKING BIRD. IT'S NAME INLATIN MEANS "THE SEA EAGLE WITH A WHITE HEAD". THE BALD EAGLEHAS FIVE NOTICEABLE CHARACTERISTICS THAT MAKE IT VERY GOOD AT

THE JOBS IT NEEDS TO DO IN ORDER TO SURVIVE; THESE ARE CALLEDSPECIAL ADAPTATIONS. THE FIRST ADAPTATION OF THE BALD EAGLE IS

THAT IT CAN SEE FOUR TO EIGHT TIMES BETTER AND FURTHER THANHUMANS. THE SECOND SPECIAL ADAPTATION IS A BONY OVERHANGABOVE THEIR EYES. THIS OVERHANG PROTECTS THE EYES FROM THESUN AND POTENTIAL INJURY, AND HELPS WHILE FLYING AND SEARCHINGFOR FOOD. IT SHADES THE BIRD'S EYES FROM ANY GLARE ANDENABLES IT TO SEE INTO THE WATER MORE EASILY WHILE SEARCHINGFOR FISH. THE THIRD ADAPTATIONS ARE THE LITTLE BUMPS ON THEBOTTOM OF THEIR FEET CALLED SPICULES. THESE PROTRUDING BUMPS,

ALONG WITH RAZOR SHARP TALONS, HELP THE EAGLE HOLD FISHDURING FLIGHT. THE FINAL OBVIOUS ADAPTATION OF THE BALD EAGLEIS THEIR VERY CURVED BEAK. THIS IS USED TO HELP TEAR FISH APARTWHILE EATING.

THE BALD EAGLE IS A RAPTOR AND THAT MEANS IT IS A BIRD OFPREY. THEY LIKE TO SIT ON A HIGH PERCH NEAR WATER TO MAKE ITEASIER TO SPOT THEIR PREY. WHEN BALD EAGLES CATCH A LARGEANIMAL, THEY RIP PIECES OFF OF IT AND EAT IT BITE BY BITE. WHEN

THEY CATCH A SMALL ANIMAL THEY SWALLOW IT WHOLE. AFTER THEYSWALLOW IT THEY MAKE THEMSELVES THROW UP ALL THE BONES,

FEATHERS, AND HAIR THAT THEY CANNOT DIGEST. SURPRISINGLYENOUGH, IN COLD WINTER MONTHS, DEAD ANIMALS BECOME PART OF

THIS PREDATOR'S DIET WHEN THERE IS NOT ENOUGH PREY. THEYOFTEN STEAL FOOD FROM OTHER RAPTORS, PARTICULARLY OSPREY,WHILE IN FLIGHT. THEY GRAB THE PREY RIGHT OUT OF THE OTHERBIRDS TALONS AND FLY AWAY WITH IT. ALTHOUGH A GREAT PREDATORFROM THE AIR, THIS SPECIFIC BIRD HAS BEEN SEEN WADING INTOSTREAMS IN NORTHERN STATES AND PROVINCES, TO REACH ASTRUGGLING FISH WHEN THE RAPIDS ARE RUNNING TOO FAST FOR THEBIRD TO SEE IN.


3/11

American Black Bear

Genus: Ursus

Species: americanus

The American Black Bear, like most bears, lack the distinctive shoulderhump that the Grizzly Bear has. The black bear's coat is well adapted tothe cold weather of winter because of its many layers of shaggy fur. Itsclaws are also very adapted to its environment, this is because they arejust the right length to climb the many trees that surround its forest home.This bear also hibernates to avoid having to find food in the winter.

Like most animals the Black Bear looks for food with the highestnutritional value. They will eat virtually anything, but 75% of its diet is

made up plants and other vegetation, while the other 25% is made up of,carcasses, honey, small mammals and insects.

The black bear, like all bears, is a predator, and an omnivore. The blackbear helps the environment by killing off the elderly, and weaklings of overpopulated prey. The black bear is not endangered and is widelydistributed throughout most of North America.


4/11

Coyote

Genus: Canis

Species: latrans

When there is lots of prey around, coyotes will hunt alone or in breedingpairs. They eat mainly small mammals, like rabbits and mice, reptiles, fruit,insects. When there is only large prey, like deer, coyotes will form packs ofthree to eight members. They will stay together only as long as they needeach other.

Coyotes are very intelligent. They have a terrific sense of smell which theyuse to locate prey. Their hearing is very sharp too. They use their ears to tellother coyotes how they feel and what rank they are in the pack.

When coyotes move into a place, they easily upset the balance of that

place. They can kill the population of small mammals in a few years. Withoutthe rabbits and mice to eat them, plants will grow tall. Shrubs will crowdtogether and kill off the grasses. The animals that were depending on thegrasses can not live there anymore and will die or move away.


5/11

Duckbill Platypus

Genus: Ornithorhynchus

Species: anatinus

The duckbill platypus lives in the deciduous forests of Australia.The platypus uses many things to survive in its environment such aswebbed feet and a flat tail used to swim. Thick fur keeps them dry andwarm. Their tails store fat for energy, and broad nails help them for diggingand walking. Their bill has electroreceptors which are used to find its prey.Venom can be injected into a predator and is strong enough to cause a lotof pain in a human, and could kill a dog. Scientists think it is used forfighting other males for females.

The platypus eats early in the morning and in the evening. As acarnivore, it eats frog, shrimp, larvae, fish and tadpoles. It dives to thebottom of the river and wiggles its bill in the sand and mud in the bottom. Itdoesn't use its eyes or ears. There are pits in its bill that detect electricaldischarges from its prey and that is how it finds its food. It stores its food incheek pouches behind its bill until it comes to the surface and then the foodis moved forward into its bill. It grinds its food with the pads on the bottomand the top of its bill because it doesn't have teeth.

The platypus lives along streams and river beds. It burrows one entrance

underwater and another one above water so that it has two entrances to itsburrow. It burrows into riverbanks in the soft mud. It uses its front feet likeshovels to dig the burrow.


6/11

Eastern Chipmunk

Genus: Tamias

Species: striatus

The Eastern chipmunk is a very cute little animal. It is a ground-dwelling squirrel about 5-6 inches long and weighing about 3 ounces.Although people think chipmunks hibernate, they don't go into deephibernation. They actually move around during warmer weather. They liveon the food they have brought into their burrows. Most chipmunks comeout of their hibernation in March.

Chipmunks eat mostly what you would expect a squirrel to eat;grains, nuts, berries, seeds, and mushrooms. They also eat bugs andsalamanders. They also will raid bird nests, and eat the eggs and babybirds, if they are small enough. They have a special cheek pouch in whichthey carry their food. Chipmunks are valuable forest creatures becausethey move seeds around and store them underground. Some of theseseeds sprout and become new trees. They are also important as a foodsource for other mammals, like foxes, coyotes, crows and birds of preylike owls. The chipmunk population rises and falls with the availability oftheir food sources. When seeds are plentiful, the chipmunk populationgoes up. This means more food for foxes and other predators, so their

populations go up also.

Some people think of chipmunks as pests. They eat flower bulbs, fruitand seeds. When there are a lot of them they can cause damage to stonewalls, patios, stairs and foundations by burrowing under them.


7/11

European Red Squirrel

Genus: Sciurus

Species: vulgaris

The European red squirrel lives in the European DeciduousForest. The red squirrel prefers to live in the forest but in some placesthey live in gardens and parks. The European Deciduous Forest has 4seasons. It is cold in the winter and very warm in the summer.

The red squirrel, like all squirrels is a rodent. They have strongteeth made to open pinecones and seeds. They have four toes on eachfoot with long, sharp claws to help it grab bark when climbing trees.They can support their entire weight when climbing. The red squirrelhas a long bushy tail used to balance its weight while climbing a tree.They have larger ear tufts in the winter which disappear in the summer.

To help the red squirrel keep safe in its environment, it climbs quickly.To show the squirrel is mad, it will wave its tail back and forth like a flag.

The red squirrel mostly feeds on seeds. They consume acorns,hazelnuts, chestnuts and beech flowers. They also eat fungi, berriesand caterpillars. In the autumn, squirrels bury seeds and nuts. In thewinter if these supplies run out, the squirrel may die.

The European red squirrel's predators are birds of prey, Eurasianwild cats and pine martens. To keep safe, the squirrel climbs to the endof a branch. Since the branch can't hold much weight, the predatorleaves. The European red squirrel is mostly a herbivore, but will eat bird

eggs and sometimes nestlings. It is important to the environmentbecause it disperses seeds. When it shares its niche with the largergray squirrel it is usually pushed out.


8/11

Fat Dormouse

Common Names: Edible Dormouse, Squirrel-tailed Dormous

Genus: Myoxus

Species: glis

There are 21 different species of dormice. The fat dormouse is thelargest dormouse in Europe. They can be found in Africa, Europe, Asia, andJapan. These rodents look like short, fat squirrels with bushy tails. TheEuropean and Asian dormice are the largest in the dormice family.

The fat dormouse got its name by eating a lot before going intohibernation. The dormouse is an omnivore, and feeds on apples, pears,

plums, grapes, seeds, berries, nuts, insects, and sometimes birds eggs. Asautumn approaches the dormouse eats more to have fat and energy forhibernation. By the end of summer, their weight is nearly doubled. At thistime the fat dormice will dig a tunnel about 2-3 feet long and 6-24 inchesdeep. Here they spend the winter safe from frost. Some dormice have beenfound hibernating in hay lofts or under logs. It is also known as the edibledormouse because the Romans considered it a delicacy. In some parts ofEurope it is still eaten as a special dish.

The dormouse has several predators. Their main predators are snakes,

hawks, owls, and humans. Humans are cutting down the natural forest whichis its habitat. If the dormouse had no forest to live in, it would probably makea home in an old barn house, or a garage, etc. If that happened thedormouse would become a pest to humans and might become extinct.


9/11

Least Weasel

Genus: Mustela

Species: nivalis

Deep in the woods of the Northeast Asian deciduous forest roams theleast weasel. Its long slender body and sharp nails help this mammal huntday and night. The least weasel is the smallest carnivore in the world. Theleast weasel's habitat consists of living in stone walls, hedges, farmland,and the woods. Least weasels avoid deep forests, sandy deserts, and openspaces. Male and female least weasels both have their own territory.

The least weasel's diet consists of mice, rats, moles, small birds, bird'seggs, rabbits, and poultry. The least weasel's claws and sharp teeth helpthis animal to catch their prey. The least weasel is the smallest carnivore inthe world. It can kill prey up to 5 times its own size. The least weasel'spredators are large hawks and owls. This animal benefits our environmentbecause it kills rodents to keep the population low. One way a least weaselhelps itself survive in its environment is its coat and how it changes to blendin with the snow. The least weasel is not endangered but more of them aredying because the loggers are pushing them out of their home. This animalhas basically no predators but because of its short life span its notoverpopulated.

Most interesting about the least weasel is that it is the smallestcarnivore. It is amazing that something so small can kill something so muchbigger than it can.


10/11

White-tailed Deer

Common Names: Virginia white-tailed deer, Key deer, jumping deer

Genus: Odocoileus

Species: virginianus

The fur of the white-tailed deer is a grayish color in the winter thenmore red comes out during the summer. It has a band of white fur behindits nose, in circles around the eyes, and inside the ears. More white furgoes down the throat, on the upper insides of the legs and under the tail.

The white-tailed deer has protective coloring, or camouflage, thatallows it to hide in the undergrowth. If you were walking by and it wasstanding nearby, you probably would have to look hard to see it . When

they are disturbed they make a snorting sound and stamp their hooves toalert other deer to danger. When they run away they will raise their tail,which will stick up like a white flag. This alerts other deer to danger andgives the fawns something to follow. They have very good eyesight andhearing, but depend mainly on their sense of smell to detect danger.


11/11

deciduousforest_animals

Documents

Transcript of deciduousforest_animals