Posts Tagged With: science

INTERNATIONAL VULTURE DAY!!

HAPPY INTERNATIONAL VULTURE DAY!!

We’re celebrating vultures today! We bet you aren’t ready for your International Vulture Day party are you? Well, we have you covered! We’ve got pictures, fun facts and even some recipes for vulture snacks! Let’s get this party started!

Our pal Vinny!

Our pal Vinny!

 

FUN FACTS:

  • There are 23 species of vultures in the world. Fourteen of them are listed as endangered.
  • Vultures are classified as Old world (Europe, Asia, Africa) and New world (Americas).
  • Recent DNA shows that Old world and New world vultures are not related and probably have different ancestors.
  • Vultures eat carrion (dead animals). We like to call them the garbage birds of the world as they can eat things no other animal can.
  • Vultures are social animals.
  • A flock of vultures is called a kettle. We wonder if they drink a lot of tea?
  • Vultures have an excellent sense of smell and sight!
  • Vultures have featherless heads. This keeps them free of bacteria and parasites!
  • Vultures also urinate on their legs to keep them cool and free of bacteria. Eeeeewwww!
  • The Andean Condor is the largest species of vulture. They have a 9-10 foot wingspan!
  • The Hooded condor is the smallest species of vulture. They are about the size of a crow.
  • When threatened vultures throw up! Double eeeeeeeewww!!!

vulture  vulture2

 

 

 

 

 

 

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vulture4   vulture5

 

 

 

 

 

 

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So are you ready to serve up some vulture vomit? The keepers at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo have come up with some great recipes to serve all your pals! Check out their blog and get ready to party!

 

Categories: adventure, Animals, birds, Children, conservation, education, Environment, nature, science, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

BUTTERFLIES!!!

BUTTERFLIES!!

We made a road trip to the Chattahoochee Nature Center a few weeks ago to see their butterfly exhibit! We had a blast! We wanted to share the pictures of our adventure with you on this fine Friday! (We’ll be back to our regular programming next week)!

Hello little frog!

Hello little frog!

Frogs hiding!

Frogs hiding!

Flowers!

Flowers!

This guy has a loooong neck!

This guy has a loooong neck!

We promise he was just napping!

We promise he was just napping!

We're going to meet some butterflies!

We’re going to meet some butterflies!

Butterfly!

Butterfly!

Butterfly!

Butterfly!

Butterfly!

Butterfly!

Butterfly

Butterfly

Butterfly

Butterfly

Butterfly!

Butterfly!

We found a giant butterfly!

We found a giant butterfly!

Edmond had to stop and smell the flowers!

Edmond had to stop and smell the flowers!

There is no better artist than mother nature!

There is no better artist than mother nature!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We can think of no better way to spend an afternoon than with nature! Check out your local nature center or gardens and see what you can find! If you find yourself in Atlanta, check out the Chattahoochee Nature Center!

Categories: adventure, Animals, Children, conservation, education, Environment, nature, science, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

SUPER SURPRISE THURSDAY

SUPER SURPRISE THURSDAY!

It’s time to guess the animal! Look at the picture, read the clues and tell us who you think it is!

peacock

  • I am a bird.
  • Males of my species are brightly colored.
  • I am known for my very loud call.

WHO AM I?

Categories: adventure, Animals, Children, conservation, education, Environment, nature, science, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Beach Time!!

BEACH TIME!!

beach

We are back! We spent our holiday on the Gulf coast of Florida to relax on the beach! We found some shells, watched the waves and met some seagulls! Meeting those funny little birds got us to thinking! We don’t know much about seagulls, except for their bad reputation! So we did some research and we’re sharing some fun seagull facts with you!

Hello birdie!

Hello birdie!

FUN FACTS:

  • Seagulls should be called gulls, as some live inland and most rarely venture out to sea.
  • They mate for life and both parents look after the chicks.
  • Gulls can drink salt water. They express the salt through their nostrils!
  • Gulls can move their eyes in the their sockets. This ability gives them excellent vision!
  • Gulls are highly intelligent and have many creative ways of hunting and extracting prey.
  • Adult gulls teach their chicks their own unique ways of hunting.
  • They are highly vocal and have many different calls.
  • The smallest species of gull is the Little gull.
  • The largest species is the Great Black beaked gull.
  • Young gulls live in nursery setting. They are watched after by several male adults.

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We bet you didn’t know that gulls were so cool! They get a bad rap as being annoying and pushy! This reputation is not only undeserved, but is brought on when people feed them. Remember, never feed wildlife, they have everything they need right there and it is not your sandwich! Make sure when you take a trip to the coast, take everything you brought with you. Sea birds can get in big trouble when you leave trash! A clean beach is a happy beach!

Edmond photo bombing a gull!

Edmond photo bombing a gull!

 

Categories: adventure, Animals, birds, Children, conservation, education, Environment, nature, science, Uncategorized, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

FEATHERY FRIDAY # 81

FEATHERY FRIDAY #81

Woohoo- it’s time to meet another bird friend and we’re heading to the northern United States to meet today’s feathery friend. The good news is that this bird can be found all over the world! Are you ready? Let’s go!!!!

e e grasslands

MEET THE HEN HARRIER!

hen harrier    Range/Habitat: North America-Europe-Asia/grasslands

    Diet: Carnivore: small mammals

    Length/Weight: 17-20 ½”/13-19 oz

    Conservation Status: common

 

Fun Facts:

  •          Hen harriers fly close to the ground.
  •          They have keen eyesight and hearing.
  •          Hen harriers nest on the ground.
  •          Hen harriers females are brown and the males are gray.
  •          Females are larger than the males.

Hen harriers are cool birds of prey. The way the fly close to the ground is very unusual! Watch out animals!

hen harrier2    hen harrier3

Categories: adventure, Animals, birds, Children, conservation, education, Environment, nature, science, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

SUPER SURPRISE THURSDAY #81

SUPER SURPRISE THURSDAY # 81

Time to look at the picture, read the clues and tell us who you think the animal is!

mountain lion

  •  I am one of North America’s largest predators.
  • I am known for my amazing climbing and jumping skills.
  • I have several common names.

WHO AM I?

Categories: adventure, Animals, Children, conservation, education, Environment, nature, science, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

WATERY WEDNESDAY #81

WATERY WEDNESDAY # 81

 It’s that fabulous day of the week where we meet a friend who lives in the water! So let’s get this adventure started as we head out to the coral reefs of the Pacific Ocean to meet today’s fish that lights up!!

e & e snorkeling

MEET THE FLASHLIGHT FISH!

flashlightfish2   Range/Habitat: West Pacific oceans/coral reefs

   Diet: Carnivore: plankton

   Length: up to 4 ¾”

  Conservation Status: common

 

Fun Facts:

  •          Flashlightfish have a blunt nose.
  •          They have bacteria in the organ under their eye.
  •          Those bacteria are bioluminescent.
  •          They can use that eyelid to communicate with other flashlightfish.
  •          Flashlightfish feed at night.
  •          Flashlightfish spend their day in caves in deeper water.
  •          They are territorial.

Flashlightfish are super cool! They use that bioluminescent eyelid to communicate with each other. We wonder if they know Morris Code?

flashlightfish

Categories: adventure, Animals, Children, conservation, education, Environment, fish, nature, science, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

AMPHIBIAN TUESDAY #81

AMPHIBIAN TUESDAY # 81

We’re off to Southeast Africa to meet today’s amphibian. These cool little frogs live underground, so we’ll have to be extra observant to find them! Put your best safari outfit on and let’s go!

e & e safari van

MEET THE BUSHVELD RAIN FROG!

b rain frog   Range/Habitat: Southeast Africa/ forests-grasslands

   Diet: Carnivore: insects, small animals

   Length: 1 ¼-2 ¼”

   Conservation Status: common

 

Fun Facts:

  •       Bushveld rain frogs live underground.
  •          Bushveld rain frogs have short legs.
  •          They come out of their burrows to breed after rain.
  •          Bushveld rain frogs inflate themselves and get wedged in their burrows when threatened.
  •          The female Bushveld is larger than the female.

Bushveld rain frogs are super cute. It is cool that they can inflate themselves. Can you imagine if Ellie could blow herself up? HAHAHAHAHA!

b rain frog2

Categories: adventure, amphibians, Animals, Children, conservation, education, Environment, nature, science, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

MAMMAL MONDAY # 81

MAMMAL MONDAY # 81

Back your bags and let’s get ready to go to Australia to meet a cute little mammal! Brush up on your best accent and let’s go on today’s adventure!

e & e rainforest2

MEET THE QUEENSLAND RINGTAIL!

ringtail2   Range/Habitat: Eastern Australia/ forests, parks, rainforests

   Diet: Herbivore: leaves, eucalyptus

   Length/Weight: 12-14”/ 25-39 oz

   Conservation Status: common

 

Fun Facts:

  •          Queensland ringtails have reddish/gray fur.
  •          They are also known as the Common Ringtail Possum.
  •          They are arboreal.
  •          Queensland ringtails are nocturnal.
  •          Queensland ringtails have long prehensile tails.

 

Queensland ringtails are adorable little mammals! Australia is not a huge place, but it sure is full of all kinds of amazing animals!

ringtail3

Categories: adventure, Animals, Children, conservation, education, Environment, mammals, nature, science, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

SUPER SURPRISE THURSDAY # 80

SUPER SURPRISE THURSDAY # 80

Check out the picture, read the clues and tell us who the animal is!

naked mole rat

  • I am a mammal.
  • I live in colony with a queen.
  • Some people say we are quiet ugly, we don’t agree!

WHO AM I?

Categories: adventure, Animals, Children, conservation, education, Environment, nature, science, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

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