Least Grebe

 The least grebe is the smallest grebe in North, Central and South America. Its range extends from south Texas in the north, south through Mexico, Central America, and down into South America. The southern part of their range extends down into northern Argentina. They are largely non-migratory staying within their breeding range through out the year.

 They spend most of their time on the water living in wetlands such as ponds, lakes and rivers. Since they are so small they can also inhabit temporary wetlands such as water filled ditches. They are a diving hunter that eats primarily small fish, tadpoles and aquatic insects.

Welcome Spring

Last Friday was the first day of Spring. Here in Minnesota mid March does not typically look like Spring, especially the past couple of year. We often still have a lot of snow on the ground and temps that barely reach above freezing. This year has been different though. This winter we have had very little snow and with a couple of weeks with temps in the fifties and even some sixties most of what we had has already melted, although we just got another coating last night. With the warm spring like weather we have been having I have even begun to see woolly bear caterpillars come out of hibernation.

The woolly bear caterpillar is the larval form of the Isabella tiger moth. Woolly bear caterpillars are found in paces with colder climates, including the Arctic. They over Winter in their caterpillar form by producing cryprotectant in their tissues. This natural anti freeze allows them to freeze solid over the winter. When the weather warms up they thaw up, pupate and become an Isabella Tiger moth. They will then lay eggs that will hatch in the early fall starting the process over again.

Inca Dove

 Doves are not one of the families of birds that one thinks of when they think of birds that are cool, attractive or sexy. However even though it is pretty plain as far as color goes I think that the scaled look of the feathers makes the Inca Dove look pretty cool.

Inca doves are native to Mexico and Central America. In the US they are found along the southern border of Mexico in California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. They live in arid climates where they eat seeds that they find primarily by foraging on the ground.Inca doves will sometimes roost by standing on top of one another like a pyramid. This behavior is similar to the Harris Hawk in the last post that will also perch on one another.

Harris Hawk

 The Harris hawk is a colorful medium sized hawk. They are found in Mexico, Central and South America. In the United States they can be found in the southwest, particularly Texas and Arizona. These pictures where taken in south Texas.

 They are typically found in arid scrubland, tropical deciduous forest, mangrove swamps, and open grasslands habitats. They stay on their breeding territory all year long and do not typically migrate. They eat primarily small mammals but will also eat birds, lizards, snakes and large insects.

Young Harris hawks often stay with their parents for up to three years after they fledge. These family groups will often hunt together in pack type fashion. One bird will often flush the prey and chase it to where other members of the "pack" are waiting in ambush. In much of their territory trees are sparse so Harris hawks will often perch on the back of another Harris hawk in a behavior called stacking. This last photo is an immature Harris hawk.